The Wilmington morning star., 1947-05-31

keep very quiet?"
Oh, Bill, not that tone!
Aloud, she answered: Yes"
Then, a little desperately: But.
Bill, your mother doesn't need to-!
I'll be all right! Linda will come
! in, if you leave word in the base
ment-"
81 prefer that Mother should be
here" Bill said and turned away.
Mrs. Arden came in with some
coffee and toast.
us the pain better?"
Diane checked an impulse to
scream out a protest.
Eyes, really it's gone. l think
it was just that 1 was scared. It's
silly to stay in bed!"
"Oh, no, Diane!" Mrs. Arden
spoke firmly. "It's very necessary
to take every precaution the doc
tor orders"
She put the tray down on the
table beside DANES bed. 81 will
be in the living room if you want
anything"
Diane appealed to Doctor
Everts when he came but, smiling
and suave, he shook his head.
Three days at least, little lady,
| and then We'll see."
1t would be three days before
she could say it to Bill! Before
he would let her! Now he only
came to the side of her bed, asked
her how she felt, went away. Mrs.
Arden brought her trays, maya.
zines. toilet things. spoke when
| she spoke, in a voice which, Diane
fancied, guarded the reproach she
wanted to utter, went out of the
room.
And Diane felt increasingly like
a person convicted, with sentence
waiting until the full extent of her
crime was determined. And in
creasingly rebellious.
Doctor Everts came early on
the morning of the fourth day. Bill
had stayed at the apartment to
hear what he had to say.
He said, genially, patting Di-
ane's hand: you're a very lucky
grill"
81 can get up?" Diane asked it
as eagerly as though that was all
that counted.
Eyes. Only, from now on, you
keep in your saddle"
Bill went out of the room with
rim. Mrs. Arden came in. She put
an arm around Diane and kissed
her; Diane felt tears on her cheek.
"Oh, my dear, l am so happy!
I haven't dared to say it, to think
of it until now. now that there's
no danger! l shall hurry home to
tell Bills father! Bill must bring
you over for dinner tonight
Bill sad from the door: I'll
drive you home, Mother"
you'll be back?" Diane asked
Bill quickly, her glance appealing.
But he had turned away. Yes
he said over his shoulder.
Mrs. Arden kissed Diane again
and followed Bill. After a few mo-
ments Dane heard the outer door
close behind them.
She began to dress, her fingers
fumbling with nervousness, her
heart beating violently. She could
say it to Bill, when he came back,
say it in his arms. More thar
that, she regretted this that had
happened. She must make him I'm
derstand this feeling she had Of
never quite reaching him, that he
must help her
She was standing in the window
of the living room when he came
in. She had just turned her back
on the portrait of the first Judge
William Arden, because the face
looked so like Bills had. these
days of her purgatory. At sight
of Bill she let a little involuntary
sound of Joy escape her lips,
moved swiftly across the room to
him.
But Bill was pickiny up his
briefcase from the table. He
asked, without glancing at her:
Did you thank Mother for all she
did?"
mo. | meant to. 1 will. Of
course! Bill" Because she had
to force it through tightening lips,
her voice was empty Of the yearn-
ing in her heart. I'm sorry you
were so worried
He. said coldly: Wasn't it to
be expected I'd be?" He put his
briefcase under his arm, turned
toward the door. LAS the doctor
pit it. you were lucky this time.
You may not be the next. So 1
must ask you to think of that be-
fore you commit any more indis-
cretions-"