| Show I B By cEf Copyright Elenore by Elenore nf in j J. J I Continued from yesterday said with her heart stabbing stabbing stabbing stab stab- bing Oh Mary youre you're in love with Edward Yes I 1 love him Chickie wanted to press her face against Marys Mary's arm She tried to hold back the swift tears that tha t all at once rushed through her Oh she loved Mary Maly as s though Mary were her own sister 1 From rom the time they were 8 or 9 they had been chums churns Now Nov Mary ary spoke this aching thing now Mary was going to step Into warping drudgery like Lucys Lucy's Andall AndI And Andall I all their bright happy ship was as ended And this clumsy Edward could do this to Mary Mary- ary- ary Chickie was sas suddenly remembering remember remember- ing trig the wondrous romances she and Mary had together How Bow they would each marry someone handsome someone handsome someone with just a littIe lit little little lit lit- tle tIe money And Anti they would have bungalows near together with garages gar garages ga ga- ga- ga r rages and gardens They wo would ld go goon goon goon on picnics together tog Oh Oh there there would be none of ot that now Mary l would have to pinch she would look for a cheap I fl flat buy flat buy fu furniture on the ment m nt pl plan n. n Oh it Was a shame Suddenly she felt Marys Mary's trembling hand Marys Mary's nervous words Oh I know what y youre you're ure thinking about Chickie But you ou dont don't know You lou cant can't judge things by the outside You cant can't ever know what Edward Is He fe has a soul sout I 1 Cant Can't nt tell you jou how I feel Chickie was almost In tears Yes ye yes yes then then you are going to marry Edward Soon Oh you'll have It lL hard like Lucy Marys Mary's face grew tense I dont don't care I wont Anyway l Id I'd d lI lile e to suffer for Edward I 1 love him like that That's what love means Oh Chickie its it's like the whole world bursting all at once into flower I w want nt to laugh and cry and oh I dont don't know lwow what to do I do-I I feel all melting sometimes A week weel after this Mary said to Chickie Edward is going away He wants me to marry him and go o. o too So I will We Ve wont won't have any and Jimmy and wedding wedding- wedding only you mother mother- i When Tuesday So soon And not In a veil oh veil oh Marv Mary Mary- I I Those things dont don't cou count coui t. t They twilight to th the little church Jimmy and Chickie were inside waiting before the small altar Chickles Chickies heart thumped with a curious pain Her eyes kept brimming Jimmy watched her with an in intent intent In- In tent ea eager er glance Abruptly he stepped behind r reached ached d down wn and pressed her hand His own was like Ice She heard his voice so hoarse it frightened her say sa say If Chickie-if Chickie If It was only you and J II J t tHer Her heart twisted with the shock Jimmys Jimmy's head was lowered She coul feel his brea breath tho Chickie I wish we were getting married Could we He held her hand so hard as asI though he would hold her soul too She said Jimmy why Jimmy why oh She saw his white face and his dear boys boy's mouth that mouth that that it had an awful look of pain She answered pretending to laugh Ho got the therin rin ring Jimmy darling He lie turned his lila back sharply Mary came She WOre wore two beautiful beautiful beau orchids Her dark face fac had a high proud look of haunting sweet sweet- ness At the words for better or worse Chickie siny saw her ner e eyes eves es close her breath pause She heard her answer answel with a q quiet iet exaltation For better or worse Jimmy heard It It too He walked down the he aisle with Chick ic walked slowly tightening his hand on her arn arm so so that she must keep pace with Ith him Edward and Mary Mars reached the vestibule They were but half halfway way down the aisle Jimmy stopped her He leaned down and said pleading Chickie I I love ve YOu vou like that that Ke Mary Iary loves WIlY dont don't J you ou take me me And And his liis face was near to hers and md all all all' alive With a white pleading tenderness His eyes held her As Aslon lon loner ong as she lived she remembered thai hat that asking look terrible in its humility hu ht- lIke like a a pr prayer pryer yer in Jimmys Jimmy's lear dear r honest eyes CHAPTER VIII Marys Mary's Return She felt all aU through her little m melting shivers as though warm I IlIve Ilive live ive tears poured in a bath over over- her She tried to look bravely in Jimmys Jimmy's she eyes e ejes she tried to lau laugh h. h After a long struggle she said Oh Jimmy Jimmy- S She wanted to tell tel him she loved him oh lm-oh oh ever so much But this this' Why hY she never never dreamed never dreamed never I once nce had the faintest thought thought- She put up her hand and pressed the tears back into her eyes And suddenly she heard hear him laughing softly his hand friendly all hard pressing on oil again again not not hers Dont look so tragic Chickie we wont won't hang hang you today Come on now now call call me nie darling Jimmy and Ill I'll take the rope off your neck That night he said quietly Dont trouble over what I 1 said though Chickie-though though I dont ilont ont see why you shouldn't love me someday Perhaps Perhaps' if I l' l go away for I Ia a awhile Oh rio rio no Dont Don't do that Jimmy Its It's not that I dont don't Jove love you Why I love you OU like any anything thin Oh 1 I think youre you're the fellow but I 1 never in the tile world dreamed dreamed- 1 ream edI ed- ed S I get you Chickie But nut that's all right Maybe in a year if I 1 Im m make ke f myself scarce Anyway Chickie you have no Idea how much Id I'd do for you vou I I- I bet you'd be the happiest thing Nobody else could coul love love you as I I. I do do o why yr the last six years ears i ve J ve JU just been waiting to tell you ou You know knos' no no matter how hos' sore I got sot at the world if I heard you laughIng laughing laugh laugh- ing ins in the kitchen with Mary or ot If I 1 saw you ou coming up the garden garden- gosh gosh I I felt like he whole darn works Just up and sang sang- And Im I'm not too old for you Chickie Six years Isn't so much and you need an older fellow fellow- They were sitting on the daenport davenport davenport daven daven- port In the little living r room om In the front garden Jennie was hosing her plants Through the open door dool they could hear her puttering about abou t. t Chickie kept her head down She knew Jimmys Jimmy's face was waR all excited again She said Ob Oh Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy Jim Jim- my darling this is Ia awful sad He moved closer to her took her took her hand gently Dont look like that gee Chickie-gee gee you poor little kl kJ J 2 I 1 wont won't say another word only l 10 k kup kup up and laugh So she did but bit when Jimmy let t she went vent softly down the hall to he her het I Iown own room and sat at the tIle looking into the back yard wl Ie Jennies Jennie's roses ropes were all alI in bloon bloot SITa thought of Mary and all the ther r sweet long ong years together gone gone but but she thought beyond this of Jimmy and the queer look lalk c f pain in iii Jimmys Jimmy's eyes She Usi-r Usi seeing that tomorrow t I |
