Show L CHICKIE p 9 B By cE Elenore in Copyright by Elenore L Continued from yesterday I She remembered too that Ha Iia was still awake when she came bac back from the pool 1001 Barrys Barry's s kisses warm on her lips her heart gone out of her and all to him Ila Ua had wished to talk of oC him she knew that she had evaded e Now ow she kept going over this this this- recalling each word woid She thought grudgingly He doesn't need to togo togo togo go for dinner I should think they'd thed have conferences in the afternoon after after- noon With each new twist her uneasiness uneasiness uneasiness un un- un- un easiness mounted Suddenly she was ashamed and laughed How How How- i if she couldn't couldn t hold him against Ila ha Moore Moore against against all the well world well Well better Well better know it it then Leave I the door dool open let open let him go Sitting before her small white bureau and looking at herself golden hair hall falling the small pointed chin trembled Let et him io go o ooh oh oh But as she fell feU asleep there came to her gently like a bright ray lay of oC sun the memory of him as ashe ashe ashe he said in low eager You two look alike Let me see Open your pretty eyes eyes eyes-ah And his hands at her shoulders had crossed down about her waist drawn her to him They loo looked ed edwith with startled joy into each others other's I eyes That night he told her how I he loved her And he ho said it ii again tonight Said more said more said with such boyish gaiety Can we get by on that I and the fair one one So this was enough Yet she was intensely curious about that dinner She stayed at home reading idly through books of poetry he had given her They were at dinner now Was Vas Ila Ua sitting sitting sit sit- ting next him What did she wear some some soft green thing that would make her an angel And would they have time to talk afterward ward She would lead him into the sun sunroom room show room show him her pets ugly pets ugly lit little lit lit- tie the water vater dogs They gave Chickie the creep creeps came with tufted feet teet and spread himself on on the floor stretchIng stretching stretchIng stretch- stretch Ing his lon long head in her lap blinkIng blinkIng blinking blink- blink Ing and gazing at her She held iris his long nose in both her hands Good old Wildie Love me me Love your pretty lady Well Vell do Who knows I I may need it It But at lunch he told her all about it Not ot much of oC a Might lIgh t be weeks before belore it was all settled She said with a merry laugh Did Ila ha whisper sweet things In your ear ear She did The trails rails always alwa's do dothe dothe dothe the the dear things things' What for instance She's now at the stage where she has a grand passion for Nietzsche you know We Ve talked of ot that and Plato and shall children be reared by doting parents or by bythe bythe bythe the state Such tender converse as that we had Nothing lse rise Well Vell she asked of ot j you ou ou Oh of Oh of course I knew it It I suppose suppose sup UP- pose she said In a 0 very distant tone How is that pretty tIring Miss Miss what was her name name- you name j ou know your friend at the house party Barry burst out laughing Oh Oh you cats cats' ats How you know each other Is Is that what she said Tie And sea I the dream of ot me life life me me steady ye speak of Miss Moore Well she's Well she's prettier than that and her name is darling angel You did not All AU right Im I'm a liar then But ButI I think Ute tire thin Is going through And then Her face tace overspread with scarlet scarlet even even her eyes mantling mantling man man- thing with with shy joy And then Barry He kissed her We 11 elope th elope thee e and me me CHAPTER Anticipation Chickie took the noon hour to shop Trembling yet half enchanted enchant enchant- ed she stood at the counter running her hand through a delicate pink cloud of ot silk and lace lace lingerie the sheerest and most expensive offered for Cor half halt price Jn tn n this early May I J sale When Chickie read the ad she I thought with a gay flush I may mayas mayas mayas as w well U b begin a. a er things thing's S 1 f f V i r t 1 t it f gradually that's that's that s the best way It may be real soon Now ow she examined a beautiful set with little plaits and Inse Insets s of hand hand embroidered embroidered net Even at half price it was 25 She wanted it She had nothing as lovely as that Pulses tingled at her ears She said to herself Bridal set set set-It it will be bethe bethe bethe the best one I might as well well well- But she hesitated and might have walked walled out but an abrupt nosey woman picked it from her hand sa saying saving to the saleswoman Another An other set like this this' If you ou have Ill I'll take it And she remained at Chickie Chickies s side waiting her decision Chickie took it She had it done in a box tissue box tissue paper Tremulous with excitement excitement excite excite- ment mont as though her wedding day were the tle morrow she went airily back to work The purchase engrossed en en- glossed grossed her thought Frightful ex extravagance extravagance extravagance ex- ex What In the world would Jennie say say Jennie mustn't t know Hide it SI i began to wonder if It it was worth the money and became so troubled about it that she took the box and stole to the dressing room for foi a swift scrutiny i tiny It was more exquisite than I she fancied I That night she laid it out in her drawer and put little pink and blue sachet bags bag about it She was just covering it carefully when tho the door was opened She faced about gull guil- t tj ty It was vas only Jonathan He came carne in his big clumsy way closing the door mysterIously She l laughed Cutie comes on a Secret se secret secret se- se cret mission Got some dark plot afoot afoot He stood at the bureau running running run run- ning fling his knuckles back and forth torU forthOver Over Over the scarf Chickie did you and Mr MUn Munson on quarrel you Oh Oh you goofy old Jonathan of ot course not noU Was he an angry ry with you about that night you kept him waiting Well Wen hear hea- that Dont Don't you know Johnny darling Im I'm the girl gin what kicks the crowns from the heads of oC kings and laughs s laugh about it it An Angry ry with me me Why doesn't doesn t he come any more Shall I arak him Shall ShaH I demand demand demand de de- de- de mand to know why he hes he's s forsaken your beautiful darter Men olen you ou know leno and the w weather eather like a change sometimes fair and sometimes dark He lIe took her shoulders and made ade her face him Chickie girl that's not true No Now he did a great de deal l for us and I wouldn't like to feel that you'd been rude to him Your mother and I thought he had very vesy serious intentions Oh you did did you you She be became became became be- be came nervous laughing a little pitched high-pitched gayety Well Wehl ImagIne Imag Imag- ine inc little UWe Jennie getting such notions no no- That's not demure When I IWas Iwas Iwas was a girl we wouldn't dream of ot such a thing until the man had flopped to his knees and said his little lit little lit lit- tle the piece He looked down at her nodding sober You don dont don't t want ant your fa father tather ta- ta athen a- a ther then to know Chickie Is this the way you ou want sant to neat eat me She droppel her eyes ejes before beCore the consuming kind hind love of oC his You make It pretty har hard for tor me me Jonathan Jonathan Jona Jona- than I can cant can't t help It if iC he doesn't come can I I Men do things like Uke th this Is S Did he never speak for tOr you you ou If Ie If you mean did he ho ask me to him well t marry him well he Because you let him see that you preferred this boy Was that the reason Chickie You drove right up here that night when you knew he was waiting I was ashamed of oC tha that t Oh I didn't t know it Jt Now ow dont don't start in that that that-that's that's Just like you you Jonathan you Jonathan you want me to cry about it It If It he wants to come ne can If he stays away away tish tish I should worry He knew that she wished him to togo togo togo go he saw her lips with little eager movements twisting lIe He put his arm orm about her shoulders raised her chin upward upward- Chickie girl what can Barry do for you you He lies lie's liesa s sa a nice bo boy but your old dad right now can make things sweeter If youre you're tired o of working working why why dont don't you ou stay at home awhile Your mother spoke of oC It it She's not as young oung as she was Fine to have our Chickie around all aU day 1 5 Im r t tired at 7 all e. e to O J at It It X What are you getting so solemn about Dont Don't t you want me to have any friends Jonathan only knew that this sweet fairy thing with her bright head against his shoulder was his life lICe only knew that he could beat the path smoother for her with his bare hands And he saw saw saw-or or thought he that saw saw that she was run- run into a road of or thorns and jagged stones He said heavily I I want you to be e wise Chickie You YOUve YOU've ve never had to do without You Youve You've ve alwa always s 's had it pleasant and easy Have you ever thought of tha that t I She twined tw-ined his mustache in her fingers kissing his rough cheeks Dont Don t worry WOrly Cutie Little lamb Iamb lambis I is safe Going to stick right here herewith herewith herewith with Jonathan many a long long day Youre telling me rae the truth Chickie Who knows Jon Jonathan than What is truth S She thought when he finally left thought with a sad bad bitter bitter- bitterness ness He doesn't want me to love either He lIe and Jennie married because because be be- e- e cause they wanted each otner And Mary did that And Lucy Now ow they shriek at me Dont She wondered with uncertain wistful eagerness J If It they could possibly be I right It was like the reluctance she had noticed in Barry But that was gone now When he came to the window he was all an daring and happy hap hap- py When he met her for lu ch he often orten touched her hand quickly made her look up pursing his lips lipsto lipsto lipsto to tease her When they rode about the city at night parking at th beach or the Marina he grabbed her and put her head on his shoulder shoulder made made her stay like that She her did her thoughts driftIng drift drift- t Ing in a beautiful languor losing themselves in the high tide of ot love One Sunday morning they hired horses yent went riding Chickie borrowed Janinas Janina's suit She had a magnificent sensation of wealth fancied herself a gay young debutante debu debu- taste tante and Bar Barry Bary y a lord millionaire They were both hoth- jubilant thrilled with a sense of adventure They took the bridle path through the trees above the Chain of Lakes Pond lilies white glimmering pearled the waters He lie rode lode a little behind coming corning u up suddenly the flanks of their horses touching He lie dropped a sprig of yellow broom to her You look like a lady of King Arthurs Arthur's court court so so sweet she Is is' is He lie put hi his hand on hers holding the reins He lie whispered softly Chickie She bhe glanced up slowly knowing that he wa was wag bending to her A flush tinged in his e eyes es He said breathlessly breathlessly breathlessly breath breath- lessly Quick She stood a little te teIn In the stirrups waited stirrups waited till hr kissed her twice She lowered her head flushed and silent silent seeing seeing the ar ardent ardent Or- Or dent youngness in his face And she felt within her a thing that bowed down gladly that gladly that laughed and sank to its knees No matter matter no mattei matter mattel ah let Jonathan talk and Mary wain warn warn- there was one thing on the earth earth- that look in his eyes that eyes that clasp of his hands Still he rode alongside of ot her still sun he held the reins He said with his lips shaking l Chickie Chickie 1 wish I it t was today 1 She twined her n fingers gers under his pressed them hard She said only Oh Do you you ou Chickie look up up-oh up oh why why why- She met his glance bravely and smiled Yes Yes I I do Ills face grew pale It only made her heart light made her thoughts sing that sing that swift white white look o of suffering Jimmy had nad looked at her like that It made him hers No io day passed now that they didn't see each other At noon she stood at her window looking across to his If he put his hand band up it meant they were to meet at the corner If he turned both th thumbs thumbs' m p down it meant that he couldn't get getaway away that away that something kept him too toolate late The rho Wednesday after their ride rille the thumbs were down Well that meant a a. a long sweet evening evenin to to- ether ether- r Con Continued l tomorrow S J 5 r f 1 |