Show tU NOir ARLY tt TInS THIS I HAS AS HAPPENED prESED MoU oU Burnham sob lob ob lIter 5 ter- ter teron on n ft m metro metro- tro- tro paper piper paper is renewing coll college e friendships friend friend- I ships with her her- herold old roommate Rita Mel Mel- nolle noUe And n I RIt husband huband Bob Newton Molly Jj b haying bing a. a little dinner party to which uhe eie ilo Invited Ruth But Wood and andr r nuth uth Zip Thit Dut Ruth Kuth pro ten ed that hat she he was von not feeling feeling- vitt en And that Zip owa w working late lat Ruth line liua changed lot since Inee her marriage a a 11 le fe few be lost loet loether her iser little bay baby An then all her dreams dream and gaiety calet tented seemed to hay hare lave embittered Rita While Molly w ws who o has hu made mado a. a re remarkable remarkable re re- Bue uI during durin her brief brIer CI cn- cn nero has bu indefinitely postponed her rusT mar to Jack rack Wells Well k a struggling tru young architect whom sho ho ho loves love devotedly but who h. h scarcely a a penny to his hI name Durin During the dinner party parly rl the tho door bell rings furiously Bob Dob goes COCa to toce see who It 18 IB and returns with Zip R Ruth Ruth's hUsband nd Zip is is' crying and Incoherently and tha the girls gItis are afraid h be It I. 5 drunk Molly asks uk Bob who shakes his hi head hed sorro sorrowfully w rill If NOW CO GO O ON TJI Tin THE STORY CHAPTER XV Bob put his hIs' arm about his lis wife's shoulders and reached for tor Molly's hand Ruths dead girls he said sald Poor little kid Zip ral raised ed his' his swollen face from tram Molly's shoulder His soft brown hale hafi that Ruth Rhth had loV loved d clun clunk f t to his hIs' fore forehead ead In moist strands and thIn hill trembled d like Uke a childs Ruths dead he repeated Did you ou h hear ilear ar Bob t tell lr ou They drew dreJ J him lm Into the apartment apartment apart- apart ment and Molly oUy on wondered er d if it the say pay ny pretty background of ot her little dinner p party would wound Zip more alone deeply She knew v that when one grieves es th the gal gaiety ty of others seems harsh and andI heartless She wits was sorry s sorry rry that Zip had f sound found und her makIng merry making merry tn rry with Rita and Bob It would hayo been better if It she had hat been bee alone But Rita had heated the coffee and nd now she brought t Zip a a. steaming CUI cup It It will make you ou u feel better she said stid Buck you up tip I know He Ie took It oh obe and arid held heM It on knee HI His h hand nd was was' shaking so he could not r raise so It Jt to his mouth She le e. e died In lier her sleep he ie told fold them When I I came come homo home she looked ed J lIke ke a a ghost And her eyes I knew v shed she'd been en crying I told h her r Zips Zip's vol voice voli e broke and he burled his l li h head ad In hf his hands hands- I l to told d that her other women n had Jost lost their their- babIes s. s I I. I t told ld h her luCi j. j there wasn't anything unique abou about her herS her'S sorrow S now That other othe girls haa had gotten over It H. N Never Ner er mind Ind that that lust ZI Zip 1 Dont Don't tell ten us vs whispered Molly dolly Ruth knows' knows you you o never n ant t to to hurt herYe her ut Yes Yes Ye he hit cried fiercely I 1 want ut to tell you o I told I I. I was sick Ick sniveling and crying I t t. told her tier she W was yas s making my life Ute a ecu i regu Ian lar hell hen i foUy Molly darted from the bed ed where she h had 11 crouched and flung tIling I il herself on on li her r knees knees' b f ro no Sto Stop It We ont V vant t. t to hear those things Don lf l poor Zip doesn't w n tzou to dear drar Sho as al wa wanted n ted you ou to to b be bC happy So In R Ruth h dl died d. d Zin If when when- h JI site she lost Jost her little bab t that's s why wy bY eh she died Maybe laYbe sh she she's 9 with that little baby now I S S S Zip zit groaned I i killed h her r he lie said Bald 1 killed words Sh She got nn got all white and and nd he p put put- t 1 her r hand over h her r heart And nd then I I. AV Z a And pretty 8 Je ne put her tobed I. I S Sh lay there J Ul f But slie wouldn't let Jet me rue c call 11 a doc doe tor She wanted wanted mo roo to sit beside I her and hold her hand And she shek k kept p opening g her eyes cs ft cud ld After a a. while she he he wanted to sIt t tup up She was very ery weak then 1 My God I I ought to have haie known I lifted her her and put pillows vs be behind her her b ck And put my arms arm around her I 1 asked her if Jf sh she was co Yo and sh she she saId es She was wae quIet then tOrla fOra longtime long time and I Iwas was frightened again agH How Howare are yo you u r feeling elfrig 7 I asked ed Beautiful she said And nd ahey opened her luez eyes ees and smiled again By and b by I thought she sh he W was ws S asleep My Iy arms were numb and numb and andI I 1 was cas afraid I might let Jet her slip back on on the pillows t 1 wanted santed her herto herto to sleep you ou see see I thought she would be better when she awoke So arms va a I 1 took my away Rita Rita was wai crying v no now with her head against Bobs Bob's shoulder And when I stood uP up ut Zip was ivas saying I L 1 bent to kiss her I ki kissed sed her for head And she didn't move moire Then I I- I Rita screamed creamed cre med Stop Zip dont don't I kissed her lips J ho con concluded J 1 ded ed simply Ulen I kne knew y I If dont don't ont know how v I knew I Just knew Ruth was wa dead Arid the word she ehe ever said Mid moaned Rita Rita was whoa Beautiful Wasn't that j Just st like hike Ruth Molly Oh Vh poor poor poor little Ruth You cAlI called d a a. a doctor asked Bob Somebody y did Zip al ald 1 Th woman upstairs came camo down And her husband husban Yes they got g L a a. a. a d doc dc- tor He said shed she'd been dead for an ho hour r Two hours m maybe H Ho was wrong though Because she smiled at nt rn me inc you see put And put her fingers In ny nn hair hall And nd when wien I asked her how she was she said Beautiful Ritas Rita's bl bi biff dark yes eyes were starIng star staring ing fag mad Bob caught her to him Steady Rita Steady dear he b besought sough Careful darling I Zip s 's RI IR is s yoke voice piercing waS waS' Dont you U see see Ruth lived JIved to tom tomake m make kec you you ou happy And nd she died to tomake tomake make you happy happ nd And she he ca from th the dead Jo to comfort you ou He shook his la head I 1 killed her he he- S said Bald Molly Molly- had begun gu 1 nervously ner l to to cle clear the dishes n a away Presently Rita nUa can came e to haJJ hail J her er rhey folded the table cloth arid stacked the dishes In the sink Then Molly Mony emptied the ash trays And life lite goes on same Just she kept thinking Dishes and ash ashtray ashtrays ashtrays trays tray and coffee cups How did you get I in town tow Zip I a asked Bob practically Drove in I Go Good Lord Good L rt They h ve let Jet you out tonight You You shoud h have has telephoned us AVed Ved have gone to you What liat wa was wat that doctor thinking oil Ho He know w said Zip dully Thc heyd d all all all' cleared ou out Left L ft The nbc alone with Ruth I g got t. t scared Hadt tO get awa away He J about him wildly Ruth wanted nub nib to tell Molly he said Molly r ent her lier towers lowers to toda to- to da day She fhe had some of f them pinned on her dress She told m me mo they v were vere re from froni Molly olly And then when she died she said said Jell lell Molly rolly Zip Molly In the kitchen put her fingers fingers' fingers fin fin- g gers gers' rs in her rears ears m me crazy she s per ed And nd RIta nodded through her tears Do you au mind asked Molly out tor fora mm- mm pr presently s enUf It If If 1 I go go Do ute Will wm you and Bob Boh stay with Zip J. J arit tto o It took fools somo flomo minutes to put pul through the th call cill rind arid when at last lant she heard his voice she felt elt that she was going to faint She r raised lse her hand arid and rid pressed her cold dold oId fingers finters against tHe quiverIng quivering quiver quiver- ing column of or her luer throat Oh Jack she Rhe cre cried Ruth Is d dead d and md I J you t Dead Dod 1 he ho exclaimed r incredulously lous An accident Molly Holly And then agitatedly l lover loyer Are you all aU right Youre You're not hurt I Oh O It wasn't it-wasn't wasn't want an nl a dear Jear Heart failure L think Zip Is s' s here lucre now nos Jol few Afew minutes minute ago alo Weve We've Just Jus Touro toure all Your sure suro youre your al right I h hei interrupted Youre our te telling Ung me the truth Moly Molly Jack darling of ot course Ini Im all nt But h. h And poor poor Zip S She choked b back ck tears the feeble I chok Impulse of ot women tp b be weak ak when when they Y bo ho strong J Poor Ruth nuth he- he he repeated Lord that's Hows How's Zip taking f fOh it t Oh dreadfully shi h moaned Hed simply all tIl broke U up isten Jack I l want nt you than Ive Ie ev evOr r wanted ou b before for Can you ou v- v bf 9 of course i 2 Surest t I Cn thing in the world world- sweetheart rt l' l ican can make the c B But Its It's after 11 II tf now ehe she reminded re- re minded d' d s all aU rl right night it Jow How How- long do you ou think It takes take to chuck a plea peari kl shirt In a a- bag Listen now now sweetheart sweet Je heart heart Jerl rl g get gt tto to bed as as soon as as s you youcan O can dan and get gH a 81 sleep You Y u must bo be all al shot you shot QU poor ep little kid Why dont don't on QU get get hold of at Bob Newt New tori J Bobs Bobys here her now B oban hats good ho approved heyl take Zip off ott your YOU hands Take Take good cre care of Diy my WOnt WOn't nt you you Molly Do Do it me e hE heart t. t D UI Let e Bob take care of ot things thing Will VU yoube you yoube ou be able to sleep d dear r yes he lied Ucil I 01 will wU And nd II I ll meet i n e your youx train the m morning rl g Hurry now p YOu J miss mIs it IL I. I glisten Iten de dc can you u 1 I JO eYo And 1 i love you youl ou I I he e cried nied More lloro than ever Molly oy I L l was vas thinking kl about yo you tle the phone rang ever do anything but think bout about you y u J Iguess I guess gues won won- t tor to h hear aT your our y voice e. e D Do you o honesty honestly love me as as' a. a much as you ou used to More she assured him Til 41 tell tel you tomorrow Dont Don't t. t miss your o r lan train train- Goodnight dear dear Sh She slipped th the J In place O One e of t lien her ller dearest are t friends was 3 tead dead could could still talk ab about love W Was Wa th there re something wrong wrong- s with VJ 1 li her lier Something cold Jd and heartless I W re people like Iks that I Tomorrow her heart heat kept sing sIng- ing I But i ahe he Uit thrust st the anticipation from r he her And c conjured instead a o Ruth Roth Bob Jol and nd Rita took Zip home with Wih them And ten when they had gone gon ouid t the thc lC b ok of or herr e fre freshman hman y year nr w with th all a 1 its Is heart wrenchIng memories s of ot Ruth nuth For Ih and nd TRuth Ruth 1 had d roomed toI to- to I ther at year car lr and nd th that t T as ns as the year Zip g gave ave ve Ruth the moonstone she the called he her engagement ring All AU night Molly MoUy s sat l' l with the tho book lm h r kne knes kne's s Wh When dawn d came came sh she p put pOt t coffee corrie on on It was vas boiling boing she Theli she lay lay- quietly quiet quiet- Y ly jy v i Jot t to sleep se p b but t to r relax lax HO so 10 that tha Jack Jck would w uld not know sho Bho had not slept 01 all night vT en Ven his train raIn came hie e wai w was waiting b be continued j |