Show a The Th Old Tender Tend r Mo Mocking king Voice t r r I I I I I By ST MAtta MARGARET RET N t C B d a 7 p 1 c r c. c GO IM TM NOT sure I J wanted to romba come rom A ba back k said sald Kittys Kitty's the rater theold told old voice half half balt penitent halt bolt laughing wholly casual lie He turp turbid d. d It was was really Kitty I lyIng back back back- In n her chair with Uh one white clad d foot toot on the fender tender la Ita the theold theold old Id luxurious way oVar The firelight gilt flit on h her r hair and II made nde rO rosy shad shad- tows WI on on her flowered lowered iwO gown gown And yet tour four yens years of ot absence and silence la lay between this moment and ond their last Iut parting He lie cried out Kitty l I Kitty darling dar dill ling hag d Really Neatly I Cliff CUtI said the old tender ten teu- der mocking voice She smiled over at him x But Dut you always knew our love loveVa was eternal That I would never ne belong to anyone but you lIe He reach reached out his hands to her little and slim shim and rosy In ln the big chair they had hail always called ralle hers No o dear she said lifting her hand the bracelet he had bd given her ber hera bera a little chilled He lIe wanted to touch her and hold hoM her her now she Fhe was here bere again and his bis But Dut she had bad always been like hike this this elusive elusive He lie mus mus' mus be patient He lIe would reach for the little hands bands the little body when she was talking Intently and off guard And she would laugh and yield caressingly In the old way She leaned to him again talking In that quick earnest way he had bad been I waiting wailing for It always always' came slipped In to between bet her laughter Cliff did you dream about me lately Oh Cliff r do you remember I when wed we'd only been engaged a week how bow one night I J dreamed that we were In a a wood together talking and love lore f making and we promised In n the dream t that we would always come to each earb t other when we needed Deeded each other other- and that night you'd foud dreamed It It too toot Yes I remember be he said mid thrilled I 11 We did that five times tilDes And we a al always t ways ays found out that we bad had had lad the r same lame dream But nut hasn't hont it come to you lately She looked at him wistfully Because twice lately twice lately It has come cometo cometo cometo to me lIe He stared at her halt half ld Such dreams had harl been very ery far from him since Kittys Kitty's departure lIe He had bad fought oil nil df dealings with the unknown those thoe half pay uy serious half affairs with the borderlands that Kitty had hod led him Into A man drops such things as us 1 he tie e gets older And yet how yet how did I the ahE Know It was true Twice lately i I. I le Ie had walked In a 1 wood dream dream wood with Kilt Kitty whom he hind had tried to forget And now he did ld not need to forget her now lien now she was here and his bla for always 1 Twice lately to me too Kitty h he h said awed Then we were rere right Site She laughed out as a child does docs for she sheer r happiness Yes s we were right Our love was waa forever fore but we always alwa's knew knewt It t was wo Yes Yell he echoed her gravely We V always alwa's knew It was And yet o Theres no yet theres there's there's theres only always l' l And after lifter a n time Ume she suddenly roseI roseI rose I must go now now for for a little while she said smiling She flushed a little as 88 she said It Her crisp summer frock thin white with its printed pink roses nearly brush brushed d him and her eyes tyes looked thoughtfully Into his hIli I wonder why I thought you ou n needed ded me so dreadfully I J always do I do-I I always alwa's wilt will I j ti Yes Yes that that way I way I too But Just now the now the particular urgent thing Dont Don't you know You always ays knew before He lie shook hook his hll head That was wel a trivial thing compared to the fact tact that for tor ever so 80 little a while he hea was a not to see herBut her ber But nut It wont ont be a moment now now or or it It will only seem fm like HUe a moment moment- before we are together for tor always Our loves love's forever you ou know dear dead I I 1 wonder what it was you OU needed meIO meso me mo moso so IO for tor o Kitty I He lIe flung nung out his arms to keep her but she was gone gon with a 11 tittle little laugh before he be could clutch more more than then her dress lIe He stood tood up catching his breath suddenly Something was Vall still In his hand a brittle something like a butterfly's but but- is wing Ing ing He lIe knelt to the firelight ht and opened his hand slowly Iy carefully as If In a dream Yes there lay something In his hand hand It it had bud been flowered muslin once It was ashy and crumbling now no and ant the tracery of ot roses was dingy brown lIe He rose from his knees white and trembling and the ash fell lell In his palm such palm such an ash asli as os muslin ml might ht make muke after four jears ears shut underground I There was a sound ROUt of ot many feet teet on the stair voices culling calling him Cliff she's shell ready now fowl I Helens Helen's ready rendy I Helen came do down 1 slowly ly tall mind In her bet going away gown ready for tor him v How 1101 could he tell how tell how could he hll have known it ya rU eternal u that t marriage mar nags with Kitty who j had died d when L ther first child v vi's vis its is i's is born 1 How could a u 71 Q 1 go through all the years eurs r unmarried 7 And Anti yet et He lie Ie looked down with terror at the damp ash clinging to his fingers sUII still Come Cliff I I called all his brides bride's voice from the stair foot He lie went t forward to 10 her Thank God Cod I l he said laid silently over anti and erIt God Kitty did not Dot know why she came camel a e 10 v |