| OCR Text |
Show \w w \ 'A A ' y yr yq yx r x q 2 t " pTEB rnR PTCE : ) X-Contmued X Contmued X-continued continued Xcontinued13 X - - Continued 1 113 < -13- 13 - 13Jiblle 13hile 13- 13 13Khile - - Jiblle Khile hile she drew the manu ft Its envelope For weeksbeen weeksbeen weeks been too worn and tiredthe tired 1 1the the articles arucles her husband husbandig husbandt } 19 ig ! out Now reading cnti- cnti cntiheart crlt crit critheart - heart sank still sWl lower loweras lowerwas lowerfuns was as right . . This v w . wasn asn tone toneyous t one onebyous yous gous narratives It was wasof wasAof wasof Aof of 8 a harassed hall half sick sickr sickg sickait g himself himsel ! on because the theey theey thehney r ey was Jmperatlvethe imperativethe imperative Jmperatlve | the thousand thausand thatisand dollars dollarsmbert dollarsmbert dollarsmbert mbert bad had tucked into her herlbag herbag herlb lbag bag g had paid the charges chargesU'slng chargesusing chargesifting U'slng Uslng using ' home in London LondonJong Londonlong Londonlone Jong ! ( long sa sa\cd sa cd sa\ed ed \ cd tor for an emertlted emerelted emer emerJ'ted elted ' away during durmg theckness the theIckness theickness J'ted Jted tlted Ickness in m South AfrIca AfrIcanm Africarun Africarun nm run up bills Nora had hadipe hadpe hadSpe ipe pe Town doctor at every everyteammg everyahzing everyrealizing teammg ahzing that it If the man manfa manka manka fa ) conscience he be would wouldLave wouldave wouldhave Lave ka ave deducted somethIng somethIngJII1 somethingurn somethingtan JII1 ! urn total There had beent beenJ been t J too expe1\sn expe1 sn expensi expensive \ e a medl medi medlIi medid media Ii d nourishing nourlshmg tood food that thatmoney thatmoney thatmoney money And now Don DonIe Donie Donie Ie candle at both ends In Inte into inte te to effort to provide for forOnes forones foranes Ones was ailing fallmg failing ( to make makewould makewould make"would makewould -would would - " not show him that thatIe thatie thatle Ie could not notor . . ora era or * did was to sit down down.hen down.hen down.hen downhen .hen hen . . table spread out the thelanUSCrIpt theianuscript theunuscript lanUSCrIpt ianuscript and proceed to towith towith towith with the missing mlssmg charm charmuse charmuse charmuse use the she knew her hus husrle husle busfie rle ( le 10 so well-because well because well - because she shefed sheied fed d spellbound while he heties beus 1111 ties adventures she did itHer it itHer itHer Her tired eyes lighted l1ghted as asIt asjit It t over knowing knowmg by m mt mt int t her work v . would ould get And getAnd then she made the thef theye thewe f . ) ye of all wrote simply simplyf'J simply11y simplyyy 11y to the London edItor edItort editorto editorto : f'J fJ ' t to check hersell hersel ! from be beIe befe befe Ie fe : letter "Dear Dear 'Dear " ' old life We 1) 1 ) confessing confessmg what she sheto sheto sheto to this Cape Town Letter LetterI Letter4m LetterAn I 4m something somethmg of the un untroubles untroubles untroubles troubles . which v.hlch vhlch had de dethemagreemg dethemagreeing de/.them de.them de .them them { / . them-agreemg them agreemg them-agreeing agreeing - agreeing to watch watchb'tsband watchb watchifiitband b'tsband btsband b ' sband s work speakmg speaking speakingdy speakingdy * dy i theyi of the reason why theyto they theyJ to " o 3 England at the hme tune hmeat tuneat timeat at the end You will willtof willat J , tof of course why you youo youanswer o answer to this letter letterpresent letterIts letterpresent Its present form you find findaVailable findavailable find/available find available ( / aVailable for publ cation cahon cahonlIard cationhard yard lIard hard a check to Mr Ma MaaS Main ) a at aS ? poss Me ble Mewr bleer bleer wr er let anyone anYOlle persuade persuadeaId persuadeaid persuadepaid aId months later v.hen vhen when . whend v.hend ( d the truth that Eng Engr Engy r all their thelf cold exten exteri extenthe exterithe extenft the warmest hearts in inorld inorld inworld orld For Just lust ] ust when whenwas whenwas whenI was begmn ng to worry worrysmg worrysing worryissing smg sing checK checlr checif a letter ar arg arg arig g the famil famll Tamil ar head ng ngit ngit ngit it seemed had lea ned nedIbutor nedibutor nedributor Ibutor s recent Illnessdeeply illnessdeeply illness : deeply and suggested suggestedo o write t U 11 ll he was qUIte qUIteclosed quiteclosed quiteaclosed closed v . was as a check for forcle forcle foricle goodU goodll cle ( an especially good 11 ll 11as llas as for the three to fol follIh folich folinch lIh ich : my dear fellow you yourty ty youty to take your t tmeundest me mendest mendest ndest regards to Mrs Mrsemamed Mrsemamed Mrsremained s , cordiallys emamed very cordially cordiallyin in thunder asked Don Donled Donled Donled led eyes from this tills welwe wel welIve welwe boyI Ive we did the old boy boyve boyye ve ye been sick ' And why whyyou whyyou whyyou , you in all of a sudden ' n t ask me responded respondeduilelessly ( lelessly respondedlelessly that for the theDon theDon theDon ( Don hadn t a suspicion suspicione suspicionthmgs suspicionthings suspicion'piet suspicionpiet ' e things thmgs really d d im 1m imtension 1mtensIon tension lessened lessaned Don Donark Donork Donrork ark ork The little l1ttle son v.as vas was v.asy wasy . wasy y and Nora rested her hered hered 'grain grain went'grain ' ed d ( although it v . went wentBrain ent entgram gram to do go so ) the theeauty theeauty theleauty eauty of Cape Town Townie Towne e grandeur of Table Tablemg Tableing Tableing mg ing majestically behmdY behind behmd behinday ay y arrived when she sheeyes sheeyes sheeyes eyes of a scandalized scandahzed scandahzedand scandalizedand scandalizedand andstopped and stopped at the theoman theOman theroman oman v . who ho like llke a mm mmel mmel mmel el had appeared one oneawn oneawn [ aWn to offer helpaces help helpi.e8 * Btes aces i.e8 ie8 . me w 11 II be horn hornse horn"e horne Don1 " se she said to Don Donwhy DonWhy . why should that mat matat matat matat at the breaking po nt ntIped ntlped lped lpedme knowbe me out you know be decent saysr sayer sayen not to says say sr er en enf s ere ene f e " it wouldn t Doi Don > lock Donlock lockng ng a steamer steamerl l stearneid steamerdIll dIll d 111 in go . with v.lth vlth youbad you your r fhad had bad other plans Be Beme Beme Be'me Beme theiIon ' me error about the r ron ron on was called away awaypt nt awaynt aloneOpped aloneOpped alone aloneapped apped Opped in to say bood Good boodBtess Goodatess fcooditess Btess atess obviously astoncall astoncall aston , caU call was lead ng her he ; . hertidy tidy ! living lvlng room Nora Norated Norated Nor ; . : ted neatbe neathe its surprls surpris ng neat neatihe wornked be he saw that tha { the worn worniked ked neater-more neater more neater - more sel self selfrid selfind ! nd rid continued We Wee Wine e tomorrow and I.e Ie I.eanked I . viianked e er eanked r anked you tor for all you youneed yo > t Thid need to lady The Thea a shade breathless breathlessnothmg breathlessnothing breathless- breathless breathlessnothing - nothing nothmg I 1 - The Thled Theted Thefed ted fed across the little littleuddenly littlet litti litti"n t uddenly 1 I heard you "n n " in youin inout out tomorrow and andsr an ' s sr II I got somethm somethin for you-a-a you a you - a - a sort sorto o good by present , , if 1f you don t tnund tmind tmind nund mind I was gom gOlD to carry it over overafter overafter overafter after darkTouched darkTouched dark darkTouched Touched and a tr trifle 1e puzzled puzzledNora puzzledNora puzzledNora Nora watched her open a bureau bureaudrawer bureaudrawer bureaudrawer drawer and take out a email small boxtied box boxtied boxtied tied with a bit of scarlet rIbbonW1.I1will ribbonWillwill ribbon ribbonWill W1.I1-will W1.I1will W1.I1 W1I1 will Will-will Will . - will you promise me some somethm somethm somethin7 thm ' she asked her voice still stillI stillshaken stillshaken I shaken . . Why not ? said Nora Weren t tyou tyou tyou you a real friend fnend in t me of need ? Friend echoed the woman a anervous anervous anervous nervous unsteady laugh escapmg escaping escapingher escapingher , her Well lady it s this I want wantPromise wantPromise ' PromIse you won t open this box till tillyou tillyou ' you re out at sea and-and and and - and that thatyou thatyou thatyou hllj you won v . on t never try to get it backto back backto ' to me nowaysThat nowaysThat noways nowaysThat That s easy smiled Leonora Leonoraam.lous Leonoraanxious Leonoraanxious am.lous amlous anxious . to put the other ather at her easeWry easeW1 ease easeWry W1 Wry y should I want to send It Itback itback itback- itback itbackYou back ' > - ' You II 11 know when you see it it It.Your ItYour . . . Your man might not like llke to have haveyou haveyou haveyou you take It-from It from it - from me you know knowBut knowBut knowBut But you tell him that it If I was to tokIck tokick tokick kIck off sudden some guy would wouldsteal wouldsteal wouldsteal steal it off me most likely llkely And- And Andand Andand And Andand - and I . wanter v.anter vanter give it to you- you youmost you-most you most youmostmore you - most mostmore mostmore more n I e\ e et eei eer \ ei er wanted anything 1- 1 I- I 1Let Iu IS I - u ) S\ S Stt1 \ tt1 # W . , 7 7Let . , d + i r rqu qu Qpr , ' iAJ iAJY iAJb AY rAY ? . - m r Y b s sr l r 1 1 1t ! t b U ULet Let s 5 get back to the tbe barn ' she hesitated then broke out pas passlOnately passionately passionately slOnately sionately Say ' you re the flrst first flrstgood firstgood good woman tha that t s spoken a kind kindword kindword kindword word to me for 15 years I ! 1m I m d rt rtto rtto rtto to cm em all but if they knew how I Igot Igot Igot got th s way- way wayWell way - Well her vOice vOicedropped voicedropped voicedropped dropped dully- dully dullythat dully - that don t matter matternow matternow matternow now I m used to it But you keep keepthat keepthat keepthat that safe lady I come by it hon honest honest honest est A man give it to me once oncethe once- once oncethe oncethe - - the only decent fell fella a I ever everknew everknew everknew everknewAnd knew knewAnd And next morning a bright clear clearmornmg clearmorning clearmorning mornmg morning as it If Cape Town were do domg domg doing mg its best to overcome an unfor unfortunate unfortunate unfortunate tunate impression . , they set forth In In'I ina ina ' a second class cabin Oh < ( Oh shades of ofLeonora ofLeonora ofLeonora 'I I Leonora Lambert LambertI ) ! ) on what was wasto wasto wasto to be a most momentous voyage voyageSafe voyageSafe voyageSafe wasI I Safe in m the depths of Nora shand shandbag s hand handbag handbag bag lay a small white box t ed WIth witha a scarlet ribbon The English Englsh ! boyreluctant boy boyreluctant I reluctant to see them go was on onthe onthe onthe the wharf His was the last face facethey facethey facethey they saw in Cape Town H s the thelast thelast , last voice they heard Above the theconfusIOn theconfusion thecontusion confusIOn of departure it reached reachedthem reachedthem , them clearly Good by and Good GoodHope GoodHope I IHope Hope ' South Africa s farewell to tothe tothe tothe the depart ng voyagerHow voyager voyagerHow I IHow How near and yet how mfin mein tely telyfar telyfar telyfar far away that year seemed now now'Thus nowThus ' Thus mused Nora as she v.atched vatched watched v.atchedthe watchedthe . watchedthe the ris ng t de encroach slowly but butsurely butsurely butsurely surely on their resting restmg place What Whatth Whatth Whatth th ngs one lived through and andemerged andemerged andemerged emerged from unbroken I ! And here herethey herethey herethey they . were v.ere vere where they started life lifetogether lifetogether lifetogether together she and Don back at the theshack theshack theshack shack a very crowded dv.ellmg dvellmg dwelling dv.ellmgplace dwellingplace dwellingplace . place ' "because because 'because " said Don regard regardmg regarding regarding mg ing Carl Venable s last g ft to Norabec Norabecause Nora Norabeciuse beciuse because bec use my dear with a baby babygrand babygrand babygrand grand and two grand bab esthere es esthere esthere there s hardly room to come m In out outof outof outof of the rainYet rain ram rainYet i Yet Leonora was so happy at be being being I IIng Ing home agaID-so agaID so again-so again again - so lost in ecstasy ecstasyover ecstasyover ecstas : over the piano that nothing notlung else elseseemed elseseemed elsiseemed seemed of the least consequence It Itwas Itwas Iwas was a long long cry from that day daysix daysix da dasix > six years before when she had re regarded regarded regarded garded mere cobwebs and the lack lackof lacko1 ladof of o1 running water w th such keen keend kceid d smay What inconveniences hadn hadnshe t tshe tshe she put up with in m those six yearsNora years ? Nora smiled at the thought , , and ob obser.ed observed observed ser.ed sered served . abruptlyWhat abruptlyWhat abruptly abruptlyWhat What a parlor ornament I 1 once oncewas oncewas oncewas was Don DonI ! Do you remember thatunt1.l thatuntil that until unt1.l unt1l . you brought me to the shackI shack I d never kno vn vii the want of a k tch teh tchen tehen tchen en apron ' Don turned his head and withould withoutd without d sturbing their younger son who whosat whosat whosat sat astride him reached out and andI and1 I 1 ftcd fted one of Nora s hands her right righthand righthand ) band hand . . It was the delicately formed formedsensit formedsenslt formedsensit sensit senslt ve ye hand and of a musIcIan-long musIcIan long musIcIanlongfingered musicianlongfingered musician - fingered slender Nothing NothlOg could couldmar couldmar couldmar mar Its perfect ptrtect contour yet it was wasalso wasalso wasalso also the hard brown hand of a worn wornan wornan wornan an who had labored at tasks that thatleave thatleave thaileave leave the r scars It was a hand handthat handthat banethat that bad had washed innumerabk mnumerable innumerable dishes scrubbed floors patched patcheddarned patcheddarned patcheddarned darned Ironed Jroned but on one flnger finger flngerblazed fingerblazed fingerblazed blazed a thing thmg of undying beauty beautya a matchless Kimberley dIamond dIamondthe diamondthe diamondthe the good by present of a woman womanin In far off Cape TownDon TownDon Town TownDon Don kissed the palm of that workworn work workworn workworn worn hand and said addressing addressmg his hissmall hissmall hissmall small son She s a wonder isn lsn t tshe tshe tshe7 tshe7A she ' A pertec perfec wonner agreed the thebaby thebaby thebaby baby and they both laughed before beforeDon beforeDon beforeDon Don questioned Where s brother brothervamsbed brothervanished brothervanished vamsbed vanished to ? Nora glanced down the beach to towhere towhere towhere where a small boy in a scarlet scarletbathing scarletbathing scarletbathing bathing suit swt was beginning beglnnmg opera operabons operations operations bons tions on a tunnel that was to reach reachAunt reachAunt reachAunt Aunt Connie ConDle way over in Capril Capri CaprilHe ! ! He s constructing constructmg a subway to It Italy Italy Italy aly I believe beheve The U USA S A agrees agreesWIth agreeswith agreeswith WIth the kId kiddies dIes doesn t It it7 ' ThIs ThIsquestion Thisquestion Thisquestion question innocent in m itself itselt was as asdeveloped asdeveloped asdeveloped developed later merely an open openmg openmg opening mg Even this s ngle month has hasmade hasmade hasmade made a difference in them Nora Noracontmued Noracontinued Noracontinued contmued continued choosing choosmg her words WIth WIthcare withcare withcare care Junsy JImsy has gained gamed a pound poundand poundand poundand and Donald two I almost dreadDon dread Don moved to scan her face tor for a |
