Show GIVEN IN MARRIAGE 1 Edith Fairfax Pleads for Permission to Stay With Dicky By ADELE GARRISON GARBISON Kalherine's Katherine's crisp command to send for or the doctor at once given after she had lad taken one look at Dicky's colorless face ace fairly numbed me with terror For a palsied second or two I was Incapable Incapable incapable In in- capable of sound or motion Then Edith Fairfax's frantic voice voie behind me brought me back to quivering con- con What do you mean 1 she asked not shrilly but with such anguished terror error in her voice that my nerves felt elt as 35 l if it they had be been n knouted Is ls Js is there here danger Dicky Sp Speak ak to rae me mel Katherine spoke but two words Shut up she said But her words had lad the effect of ot a whiplash Edith though nervous and highly strung is capable of control sell and I knew that Katherine's admonition had both stung and shamed her But Katherine Kalherine was content with the silence her command had brought She nodded to Lillian standing close clore to tome tome tome me with her per hand han on my arm Take Her A Away w Take her out and keep her out she said in a low voice but one which I I knew carried perfectly to Edith's ears ars I 1 have work t to in do I cant can't be bothered with hysterical women In an incredibly short time she had stanched the blood bandaged the wound and eased Dicky into a 21 comfortable comfortable com- com position upon the improvised bed after atter administering the restorative restora live tive which he so plainly needed Then she bent over him watch watching g his pallid face ace and listening to his almost inaudi I ble le breathing It seemed an eternity before she straightened herself but in that period I of apparently endless time my eyes fixed with hers upon Dicky's face had seen a faint color coming into his cheeks and my ray ears had joyfully caught a stronger note In his breath- breath lag ing ng There Therel I KatherIne said softly as she flexed the muscles of her back and arms hell do now until the doctor comes He ought to be here now an any minute min mm ute Lillian answered as softly I had told Ronald to telephone for him when I sent Carolyn for you and told Marlon MarIon to get the hot water ready Katherine smiled affectionately at ather her Let Me le Stay StaT Near Him Always little littie the Spot X t she said ald Then I saw uw her figure stiff stiffen en enas as she saw behind Lillian the drooping figure of at Edith Fairfax Absorbed In her care of Dicky she had not s seen en as I had Edith's stubborn stiffened resisting figure as Lillian tried to lead her tier away in obedience to Katherine's mandate mandate had had not heard Edith's Edith low pitiful moan Oh Oh let me rue stay near him Dont Don't make me inc go away where I cant can't see him him I wont won't utter a sound I promise if you'll only let me stay It was the wail wall of ot a woman who sees the human being she loves best in danger danger dan dart ger of ot dying But it aroused no feeling of ot jealousy or anger aner in me At that thai moment of ot suspense e. e of ot not knowing whether my ray husband would live or ordIe ordie ordie die in the next few minutes I had room for nothing else in my soul but buta a frantic prayer for his safety I do not think my feeling would have been different if I had believed that thai Dicky had hd ever returned the love which Edith was evincing so openly Nothing I believe not believe not even a knowledge knowledge knowl knowl- knowledge edge of at his disloyalty to me could me-could could have had any weight with wilh me in that thal agonized hour Let Her Stay But no such test lest was my portion Instead In In- stead I had the blessed memory of his rousing to championship of oC me against Edith's admonition to get down and leithe let lei leti the men attend to lo him and of ol his affectionate clinging grip on my arm arma armia a i-a a grip which I 1 had been compelled to loosen tenderly but forcibly when forcibly when I climbed down from the car That memory did something else for me It released my common sense nse temporarily banished by Katherine's curt command to send for the doctor and gave me the assurance that a marable man mar able to speak as Dicky had done In Inthe Inthe the car was In no Immediate danger of death Soothed by that conviction I was able to put a hand upon Katherine's arm as she stood looking sternly at Edith with all the offended dignity |