Show 6 CHICKIE By y Cop Copyright Elenore right by Elenore nf I Continued from yesterday e CHAPTER CX The Inquest So many times Chickie had glanced at her face in the mirror and flushing to find Ind herself so radiant radiant radi radi- ant had gone singing through the hall hail had kissed Jennie with wilh such a princess' princess grace Jennie was so shy and pleased j so proud of this thill their pretty prett one Her eyes had often otten filled Just for the tenderness Wondrous to have that slim sUm bright creature coming corning and going in a n. lit little lit lit- tie tle cottage like this thIs loving loving them them them- Chickie knew her mothers mother's thought read it well And today pulling a veil vell over her hat she paused Oh Oh shame is hard to take hard to bend a hea head that has been high Jennie felt It so That was the thing that hurt that went into Chickies Chickie's lifeless heart and stirred the chords to pain She stood beside her mother and felt so crushed she didn't even raise her hand She waited with dry eyes and whitened lip lips Slow heavy tears ran to Jennies Jennie's chin Her hand had soft now but bul thin nin crept to Chickies Chickie's shoulder brought Chickies Chickie's head down It w was s like sobbing the time way she raid Faith Ah Aim ah ah Chickie dear dear dear- Good by well Good well good good-by mother moth moth- er or- or Jennie clung to her Chickie begged Oh On mother don't dont dont don't- and dropped the veil yen about i her fa face foce ce S Then Jennie cried and stood half hidden at the door and didn't wait walt till tin they were gone but clo closet it softly Closed it softly as one who has a thing to hide Imide and cannot bear the friendly morning sun Jennie Jen nie ale felt a shame shame shame-shame shame for tor h her r the bright and pretty one one one- And Chickie knew it the It-the the pang went deep like a n. blade blad turning and turning a secret wound When she let herself all huddle down In In the corner of ot the sheriffs sheriff's automobile Jon Jonathan than patted her S hands He sat erect and said so gently No now now tiow girl girl girl- But she thought and bowed with the thought Jennie is ashamed Oh s she e hadn't waited hadn't w watched them go She had Imad closed the door dool so softly Fearing faces at other doors fearing tearing cUrious curious cU- cU rious glances and eyes peeking from windows In the morning papers It was blazoned out Helena Bryce had achild a achild achild child and It was dead They were taking her back to Moppet to seewhy see seewhy seewhy why it should die why she had run a away away- way way- Eight Sitting at breakfast breakfast breakfast break break- fast now all an the girls she knew men she sime knew They were reading and gasping and saying to one another another an an- oth other r Did you see that that look look here here here- Avid knowing looks were In their eyes r t Mary lary was reading It It pain and wonder in her t thought ought Knew why she had gone away away khew khew why wimy she was quiet Jimmy Was Jimmy reading It S She fancied his imis face tace grow white fancied him striking his fist against S the table his heart turned cold cold cold- Oh blessed release to rush away S from that escape the murmurs and L the time questions They sped along Never ever return Go on and on No r crueler cruder thing could happen now want Wall through that town and let them all come como out and fling their stones She Sho might even turn pathetically pa pa- and smile f feeling no nc added bruise No added hurt could reach her now So she thought and listened uncaring Uncaring un un- caring carin to the loquacious com comfort tort the sheriff kept turning to offer otter S Fine loine morning Mr Jr Bryce Were We're t making good time Be there in another another another an an- S tS other hour Nothing to worry about S Just a between that there ne new doctor and the coroner Emerson's Emersons Emer Emner- sons son's got the high-hand high in the town L Land and Larry dont don't like Uke It The girls girl's bound to come corne out of ot it all right They swept through the mountain p pass sll The hills hUls rolled down don to the fields field so eo green now stow with L spring running from slope to slope In merry slippers Uppers of ot hue buo and gold caught the fla flashing color suddenly she was wa remembering Oh often otten they had gathered the time I Id deep d ep yellow pop poppies popple plea raced like children chil chU- dren after purple lilies Often she he had seen his hla head raise his profile e etched in gory glory How her heart had f flushed in its eager love He Re was in the tie city She hadn't t tr thought hought of ot that And had he too r lead ead of ot this He also knew she w was as a marked and beaten thing S She he put her hand imand upward and hid f from rom Jonathan the doubling of ot her c chin hin She wondered how the t thought of ot him could twist her hr now But Dut It did And terribly a little l later ater The inquest was set for half past 2 2 They reached the te town at qt t 12 12 s stole tole in so quietly that only the c clerk leric at the hotel and two or three l loungers sitting on the rail ran of at the porch p knew who had come The he s sherl sheriff f got a room for lor them Jonathan placed her In a chair In I n a a. clumsy way he pulled down t the he shades shutting shades shutting the tho light from t the he oak bed the red and blue mating mattin matting mat mat- t tin ting ing on the floor He lie said Just y you ou sit here Chickie girl Ill I'll have s some ouse lunch brought up Wont Won't be belong l long ong The rhe door had scarcely closed It o opened Chickie didn't Stir until a s strange voice said I beg your p par par- r- r d don on A man stepped to her side handed her a note She let it lie in her hands Ill wait walt fot tot an answer Mechanically she opened it She r read ead this Chickie see me for a moment I want to say a word 1 lm Ini m waiting near You have 1 hours Give me Just a moment Chickie dont don't refuse this Dont Don't make me do more harm than ledone Ive I've done already She folded the bit of ot paper in a measured and aching slowness She SIme fought to keep leep her lips quite still For Por they the were feeling again that th-nt kiss so light so crushing in its bitter humiliation the kiss he had Imad given h her hOr r the night she had cometo come cometo to him pl pleading when pleading when she asked Do you mean that you will marry mairy mo nie But no no-he no he hadn't meant that that that- She forgot th the man waiting there He lie said There is an on anwer answer Sh She shook her head Will vill you come with ith me Its It's not Mt far I She SIme repeated wondering Ho Hogo Hogo Ho I go with you You would feel sorry for Cor him him him- Ho Yes Ito yes She clasped her hands twisting the pale fingers The Theman Theman Theman man shifted uneasily Finally Finaly he ask asked d Have you ou counsel for this afternoon She repeated dully For this afternoon why afternoon why do you ask these things of ot me Ho there lie there is no I answer None one She he got up and faced him rocking him rocking a little but smiling Will you go Kindly go gO- gO Her cheeks were bloodless bloodless- whiter than her lips The Tho man said hurriedly Pardon Par Pardon don me me-I me I beg your Our pardon Have Havo you given his name name- Her hand reached out Ho oh IIo 11 oh o oh ho I ho-I I see oh see oh She caught the chair steadied chair steadied herself herselt The man left lert then timen Chickie stood there swaying repeating In a ti soft broken wildness Ho lIo IIo his name name- name ho ho His Ills name she name she wouldn't have spoken it to save her soul from doom She couldn't have forced her lips to bring the sound sound- Yet it IL added to her shame it left no slightest beauty even In a memory It added to the lonell- lonell hess ness So that when Jonathan came and tried to make her eat Mt she half halt wondered won won- von von- dered that even even ven Jonathan should care Oh but Oh-but but he did He lIe drew ew her to him raised her face as he lie had in other times when Its beauty wae was his Jo joyS v He lie raised it H saying Chick Chickie Ie girl remember I want you ou to stand up there this afternoon afternoon- proud now my girl I want you to be brave No o tears tears not not one She pulled her face tace away She said Yes oh les oh m my yes ee But he kept whisP whispering whispering- things s like that as they drove through the time hot streets stopping before n a house houie newly painted painted white white and austere A crowd was gathered they gathered they pushed to the machine young machine young girls with bobbed hair and city ways ways ways- Indolent lanky men had to pass through that Jonathan anti and tb the sheriff t dered er d them V l away y But nut she heard heard- her Quick It was Dr r eron Then rhen everyone every every- one ona ne was standing t and pushing He lie I IP P r raised his hand They backed backed toot took I t chairs again I would have a advised you you spared spared you the shock b but ut I didn't know where to reach I YO you e m mumbled urn Thank you They led her to to Hi thi ff nt of ot the I r room to oom-to to a little table near the bay winnows bite bhe sat tilde and Jonathan Jonathan Jona Jona- t than with her Some one came up and put a aarm an a arm rm about her someone said Dearie Dearle Dearle-dearie- dearie It was Agnes Robbins Bobbins Im go goIng go- go ing i ng to talk talk Ill Ill I'll tell why tell why it was t the he weakest little thing Dearie Dearie- we know lenow you didn't do it it- it What do you mean Agnes Why well we well we know it died died died- Oh yes Oh died yes oh Agnes Never mind dearie we wa we know mow t that that hat And abruptly a stout red-faced red woman Just behind them Interrupt interrupt- Interrupts c ed cl She said loudly Yes misS misS' I believe it too too too- smiled at her bewildered bo I repeating in a daze you daze Oh you believe eve that that that- The coroner big raw-boned raw bull necked walked in with a hushed c ceremonious air all He lie took a chair at the long table r Emily EmlIy had Fans the tho nurse that that sent away when she carried off oft the baby was called to the stand Emily Fans FarlS didn't t look at C CHAPTER H APT E CX I. I The Doctors Doctor's Testimony Emily Fans Ianis was a friend of ot the coroner It was soon evident In the hush that through the tightened room toom her imer answers tossed guilt in face Cace Chick le sat there limp bewildered l letting etting the tIme guilt dash in hot red stains about her She was as aware of ot Agnes Robbins Bobbins whispering whispering- Its a shame dearie Ill I'll Ill I'll answer her Aware of ot Jonathan erect but with ashen face holding her hand patting pat pat- ting and rubbing it But with each word that Emil Emily Paris Fans spoke each move of ot her round spacious back so near that felt Its warmth warmth the brand drove and seared The coroner asked You attended attend attend- ed the woman known as frs Mrs John Clayton when her child was was' born Continued tomorrow |