The Wilmington morning star., 1947-05-19
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cayehby MsA hn w K/hL (AAr nn~r-
phhuedh Mqe omes Syndicate ! H. o<NL

didn't intend to be drawn into any
familiarity; hers was her own Sc
cret. She read n paragraph, an
other, with desperate intentness.
But in spite of it, she heard bits
of their talk, Say, l couldn't lift
my head for two months, I was so
sick to my stomach. Thank Heav-
en- that's over" A comparison Of
hospitals. The Sheldon had tele-
phones by the bed. 'You don't
have to wait It'll a nurse gets
around to thinking she has time
to bring n in" The General let
you have people in to e you any
time and the food was wonderful:
Then one girl said, with a not too
happy laugh: This is my third
And my last, or I'll know why"
DANES fingers frightened on her
magazine, as she suddenly remem-
bered that she and Bill, talking
about it before their marriage, had
agreed they wanted three children.
And then Bill had said in his firm
way: But not even one, darling,
until we've gotten ahead! When
we can have a house and keep a
servant"
Dlslnay struck in on her. Bill
certainly wouldn't think he'd got
ten ta1 enough ahead, now! He'd
be terribly disturbed. perhaps, by
all it would cost. There'd be the
hospital expense and a nurse
MRS. Arden" signaled a uni
formed woman from the door.
Diane got to her feet, her knees
shaking. Maybe he'll say it isn't
So" she prayed in her dismay,
But Doctor Everts, tall and
gray-haired and benign, said that,
considering everything she told
him, there was no doubt of it. He
patted her shoulder. You mustn t
feel any alarm, my dear. You ap-
pear to be in exceptionally splen-
did health. Go on doing all the
things you have been doing. Keep
happy"
When, smilingly, he closed the
record book in which he had jot-
ted down her answers to his ques-
tons, Diane felt as though he were
shutting her within its leather COW
ers. Five hundred dollars for the
delivery alone" Joan Dexter had
said, proudly, as if it put added
value on her paDy.
She drove back to the Chatham
Arms but, in front of it, she found
herself reluctant to go in. She
started her car again, drove on
swiftly through the city streets,
fighting to best this new confusion
lin her. 1t was rotten to think
i about the money a baby cost. Bill
must let her ask her father for it.
Keep happy" The old dodo had
said it as though it were impor-
tant. She'd tell Bill he'd said it.
Ard worrying about money wasn't
a happy state of mind. When she
REACHED the city line where the
street narrowed to a two-lane
macadem road, she drove faster,
tore off her hat to feel the wind
whipping her hair. Keep happy,
sang the spinning wheels. She
would, she would!
! Gradually an unfamiliarity in
the countryside reused her to Won
dering where she was. The road
was climbing into low hills, curv-
ing among them. There were
stretches of pleasant shade where
Hgreat trees stood close to it, a
creek ran along beside it, through
a shallow ravine. She slowed her
speed, enjoying a little sense of
adventuring. When she heard some
boyish shouting she pulled to the
side of the road, stopped, got out
of the car and went to the
edge Of the ravine to look down
into it.
In a pool of deeper water some
boys we're swimming. A quite lit
tie one, naked, stood at the edge
Of the pool, dirty toes gripping the
shale, skinny arms stretched up
over his head, his ribs pushing
outward under the great breath
with which he was shouting:
"Lookee, ~fellars, look-a-me!rr His
tousled hair was the color of wheat
in the rain.
Smiling, Diane tiptoed back to
the car. Not far worlds would she
let any unexpected sound spoil
that little boys dive. When he was
trying so hard to be brave!
She kept seeing him as she
drove slowly on. He was suddenly,