| Show r L IICKIE Gi U 4 By Byc Copyright Elenore by Elenoro Elenore n Continued from yesterday Whan the woman was In the I kitchen stole stol e to lo the phone But a strange voice answered her Dorothy Vreden was off for the afternoon Chickie said al in a muffled voice Is th thre re an any message for Cor Mrs John Clayton ton No Xo t 1 tI I I expected a telegram Perhaps you have one on for Helena Bryce Oh yes yes yes-I I didn't know where whereto to send It One Om came a few hours ago And the girl read to her her- Mother other will not last through th the night In Ta Gods God's name hurry Jonathan She said to the girl Send an answer to that Say Coming Ill I'll be there tonight ChicKie CHAPTER The Flight She looked into the baby's bas baa ket keto It was the one distinct quiet thing in a room gi owing growing dim swaying swaying sway sway- ing as with fogs They rose In a heaving sea they stole the breath from her Hurry In Gods God's name hurry But she didn't think she saw saw saw- pictures flying through h her mind Jonathan shouting at the open window window window win win- dow and she running and running The window banged down and that awful shadow heaped against It Jennie crying softly oh Chickie oh come But her hand touch touched d the baby's I fingers oh fingers oh such delicate pointed things and the nails were a work of art It didn't stir stir little little un- un protesting creature Suddenly Chickie Chicke saw Bertie Groom and the welt on the frightened soft sort cheek She shivered No oh No-oh oh no no-a no a tiny thing to suffer so soShe soShe soShe so- so She leaned down whispering to it and to herself herselt I 1 wont No NoI No- No I couldn't I never could Her tears fell feU on the baby's blanket blanket- she kept wiping them and trem trem- bling She raised the baby Ho Jennie would be glad Jennie w was as so warm such a a. plump l kindly breast lay lav the baby there there put put it in her mothers mother's arms Suddenly she saw Jennies Jennie's elbow cradling the child heard Jennies Jennie's high falsetto crooning to it A great softness like music played in her thoughts Do that that take go take the baby with her her give give it to them She wiped the heat from flom her neck but the throbbing at her throat quickened quIckened-It It beat wildly o She began pulling things from drawers shoving them in her trunk letters clothes books She snapped down the cover and locked ed It it She said quietly Get there to- to nl night ht Emily Faris Paris came into the room wIth the chicken en Even in the hallway hallway hall hail way she began to talk Now low you'll feel strong as a lion after aCter this melt In your mouth When I was down with Clemcy sheI she's fourth fourth- m my Chickie said Did Billy come comeback comeback back baek with the car car Land sal sakes es no Hes He's gone on onto onto to J see Ryerson about the bean m money ney He wont won't be along till late lale Chickie said to her thought Ill IU have to walk not walk not far farShe She could scarcely breathe She made a hasty shift in her plans Now she would have l 16 t send Mrs Faris Fans away the away the woman wouldn't let her walk wall to the train She said to her you needed clothes say sav you lou some Oh theres there's no iio great hurry Mrs oIls Clayton I can cnn go over tomorrow and get them Out here hero In the wilderness we dont don't fuss like city folks do Of course course- But you might as well go now I feel teel fine and theres there's a little sun to to- to day Go while Its It's fair uW Well If you dont mind mInd mInd-It It wont won't take me long Do you think you'll 3 be all aU right foran for hour Why U yes yes yes-I'm Im I'm perfectly fine to to to- toI I day Take your time You come till 6 From the window Chickie saw the stout short figure I ure and the wind ballooning the wide skirts Mrs Faris Fans seemed to be he 10 driven n alon along the wind was so stiff Chickie was alone For a moment unable to move because of the e excitement ex ex- of the hush and the fears She wrote a note nole j ij ii i Dear Deal Agnes Robbins My mother Is dying I just got word woid from my father of a horrible automobile accident She isn't ex expected expected expected ex- ex to lo live through the night They rhey were on their way here from Crom the east to lo surprise me This morning morning morning morn morn- ing In San l' l Francisco another machine machine machine ma ma- I chine crashed Into them I 1 must I go I cant can't wait here Forgive me for this haste hasle but you can under under- I stand I intended asking Billy BUly to drive me to the train but hes he's away I was afraid Mrs Faris aris would try to stop me from Crom walking so I sent sent- her het home Dear Agnes Hobbins Kobbins youve you've been an angel to 10 me and I Ishall Ishall shall shaH never forget all your kindness Dont Don't be angry with me now What else can I do Im I'm enclosing the them m mc ney I owe you ou also enough to cover the charges for telegrams Ive I've sent Ill I'll have a man call for my trunk Im I'm only taking a very few Cew of oC the baby's things with me A thousand thanks to you jou dear Agnes MERLE CLAYTON CLAYTO She pinned this envelope on the basl basket et where the baby lay She dressed dressed mumbling mumbling to herself dropping her skirt halt sobbing aUthe alt all the time Hurry Hurry oh oh God God hurry She kept seeing Jennie panting panting calling and calling and Jonathan lumbering to the door straining his eyes up p and down the block block oh oh wondering why she wouldn't come come come- She took a a. blanket and wrapped the baby in it laid It on her hei bed staring mUl mutely ly at its quiet face Cace touching its hair hall She fancied that it smiled at her Then rhen she raIsed it swiftly its cheek against her neck half halt hidden in tie the straggly fur Cur of her coat She crept down the stairs then through the empty kitchen And lowering her head as one breasting a storm she passed through the oaks to the river road toad Going to them them taking taking the baby with her The wind drove the leaves circled And she hurried A mile and a half halt to the train The train due In lii an hour Oh she could walk that easily In four tour hours s SilO she io would kneel at Jennies Jennie's bed Jennies Jennie's I sweet hand running over her halt hair again Jennies Jennie's dear faded eyes brimming Oh her Oh-her her mother know know know-know know her ber the very moment She went hurling along her lips Ups moving In fever fever fever-a a frantic thing It took bolt so long to lo get from tree to tree They se seemed med to move away The wind tore at her hat Hurry Hurry qu Hurry quicker But her feet were leaden she leaden she drew short hard breaths And she sank down a n. moment resting She drew her coat tighter oh oh it was cold She hel held the baby close As she did this there was was a twisting twist twist- ing in her mind mind mind-a a chill voice olee that said Taking It to Jennie lay Jennie lay It H in Jennies Jennie's arms She got to her feet feet shaking Every pulse was shaking with a stark vision of herself herself herself her her- self ringing the bell of the yellow cottage smiling at Jonathan walking walkIng walk walk- ing Into the hall And a baby In her arms arms arms' She sat down again on a a. mound of earth She he opened the collar of her coat hot coat hot now The wintry sun was hot hot or or her blood was on fire Insane Insane was was s she Insane f Imagine little Jennie and the horror in their hearts seeing their Chickie and Chickie and all aU this this and and the hiding and the Illand lies Ill and neighbors peeking behind the tue shades shades shades-oh- oh She sat motionless and numb The baby lying on her knees She put her hand on its face Its lips were blue chilly Poor 1001 little thing so so quiet Keep it warm wann She opened her coat and laid its face against her breast breast breast-a a fainting weakness in her thoughts She said I 1 cant can't do that that that-or or kill them them them- Stealing away from frum them to keep it all so hushed never hushed never let Jonathan know know w-ne w never er And now to rush lush back blindly shout blindly shout it to lo the world world- An Idea flashed upon her she wondered why she hadn't thought of this before she would to go co Dorothy Wieden Vreden In Dorothy Dorothy Dor Dor- othy would tell her Of of some some kind efficient nurse And she would he her hel well pay well pay pay her enormously to keep the oh just for awhile just Just till she could think thInk just Just till tin she could know the thing to doYes do do- Yes do Yes do that then that then rush away away- then rush rush- fo to them Make them L t smile Oh never Oh-never never crush their hearts Her anguish this this bear bear it by uy herself herself brave brave it alone alone- She felt stronger She began to huriy She drew her coat because the baby's face was cold She ran A faint shiver stin stirred ed the tiny form bhe Sh h looked at it Its It-Its its lips twitched twitched- a little flickering movement It startled her And she stooped d wn with her cheek against Its mouth waiting walting for the warmth of its breath But Bt the wind blew ruffian blew ruffian gusts She felt no warmth warmth warmth-no no breath She touched the baby's eyes she eyes she rubbed the baby's hands she hands she shook it It oIl oh Its mouth curving curving parting Then Thena a stillness stillness-stiller stillness stiller than before before- before before- Chickie stared at its shut eyes eyes eyes- its open mouth A mortal fright crossed into her heart made heart made it heavy like f e a stone slone She laid the baby on the ground knelt beside It It listened for its breath She raised it and whispered to It it She said Its all 1111 wildly right weak right weak its Just the same I And she began to run with it H She kept running running afraid afraid to look look afraid afraid to stop But she felt under the blanket for Cor its hands and they too were cold She cried cried- Oh Oh no no no And looked at it and it-and and it was still ut stIll ut utterly terly still still still- CHAPTER Released Chickie de her eyes the lit little Itt Itt- tIe lIe cold face pressed against her hee o own The wind wind windswept swept them them them-It it went vent into her soul and laid it des There was no 1 sun sun sun-no no light light no no pallid hills to the sky Nothing but wind and death and this too awful pain She wound her lieI arms arms about the Uny tny form She said imploringly Its Just the the same same just Just the same same same- But pra praying this her lies thought shook with fear She listened for Cor Its Us heart fancied she heard a wavering pulse She too took a breath warming i It n and blew this In the tile baby's mouth She could be sure sure then that its eyelids eye eye- lids quivered But they did did did-did did they Oh Ohan Ohan- an- an that mat some one And she put the tha chill face tace back against her own went vent on and on on steadying herself against the trees stumbling getting up Hurry keep HurrY keep it warm keep keep the breath there For she was afraid of the little shut eyes afraid afraid of the coldness that stole stol through her veins She wasn't wasn t going to to Stockton now nor to Jennie not Jennie not yet et et She was going to the town get town get on the train train take take it to the doctor doctor oli oh make him smile and say Its all right weak right weak of course course- A far distant whistle That was the train coming Its whistle shivered shivered shiv shiv- ered along her nerves it drew her up rigid and sharp it made rondo a thun hun hun- dering in her mind Suddenly began to lo cry Suddenly she said Oh its it's dead Holding it so close she felt Celt her feet teet sinking sinking sinking-a a gentle genUe sinking go sinking go ing down and down the trees vav ering slipping sUpping away a darkness closing No wind now and no chill nor any thought at all A m moments moment's ent's voId vold- like ke an eternity eternity eter eter- Then a warmth in her face faceR facea face face- R a chiding S' S triumphant whine wu Vildie Was Vas at her side her herShe eyes es She caught his neck Oh dog how how did you come She pulled herself uPward f She said said said- Wildie Hurry Run KM And Anti held to his tumbling neck u along alons like that The traIn whis WhiStled Hed led closer Just around the turn It was almost there there- there The dog S cast a Puzzled search search- r ing n glance In it her face ace lie he sniffed at the bundle bundie In ln ML her arms trotted trolled A close but he lie at her side letting her Oh she Oh-she hand blessed pun pull roughly at his hi's sc scruff ff thanks him the dog dog- for Cor forma Now the engines great blade swept Into view She Slie raIsed nOSe her purse flagged the train Some lifted her on some on-some one helped her to a seat saying kindly ma maam ma'am am Baby sick Sick She nodded She ket raised the blanket blanket blan blan- less gently s face shIelding the tiny move I Continued tomorrow w 7 I |
