| Show 1 1 r. r F MARY SCHUMANN Ry Myer it CewA 4 ML NU S f XIII VIII XIII Continued I 13 13 lizzie nodded know know bet bet- Ithan than most lie He had her fascinated and when he heI hes I s up U with Kezia I 1 saw her go gon goIn In n week by week get thinner whiter lIe He is the cause of aU all trouble ugh felt that Jerry was to toVie toe toc Vie e c in a degree but that the ma ma- blame could be laid on Lizzie sell self The dissonance she ere ere- had driven her ber imaginative into the arms of the first Ingster she could dream about en the dream toppled the die die- was more poignant than ever you couldn't teU tell a mother se cooperation was Important ft t you thought her a harmful In In- Ince nee nce on her child hat night In the library beed he be heed led ed some travel pamphlets to ton ton n and his m mother ther I got these thesey liy y from an agency Look them r rand and tell teU me which trip you i would like to take hey ey looked at him questioningly they unfolded them Theres There's a good boat sailing salling ine In ine e weeks England France Spain murmured Flu Flu- By Germany y-Germany Germany na Shall we take them all or orv v J we limited to two or three Greedy Paris or Florence Florencej Florencee j e Ellen wants to study lIens hens blue eyes flew fiew open star star- Her lIer lips parted but she did didI I speak said his bis mother warn warn- Mot ot of Joking Ive I've had bad a busy ir planning this I couldn't speak It t until some details were set set- u but but they are now Ellens Ellen's fa fa- and mother have given their sent All you two hava havo to deis de de- is where you want to go and a h j earliest date you can be ready tail alL aiL alLvin vin looked agitated No NoNe We Ne o 0 she began She stopped at radiant expression on Ellens Ellen's se sc lins Be e. e he girl sitting on a hassock bassock near nearh Eh h clasped her bands hands Hugh J re re not fooling said uld go away with away with Fluvanna 7 you sure theres there's no mistake ve Oh I cant can't believe it heres here's no mistake answered smiling And you Moth Moth- you said you always want want- a go go- go Fluvanna think of It m Florence s-Florence s the the Louvre the Louvre the Gallery Ellen buried her herin herin e in the arm of Hughs Hugh's chair I patted her shoulders comfort comfort- ra y uvanna's face lace was a study of emotions Leave you whispered I wit ugh gh nodded slowly then EUen lien as though her need were pter ter His mother was quiet bd d at the fire O lien raised her ber head bead touched I shining eyes with her ber Jf f. f Excuse me I 1 go all aU py with grief or happiness late late- I o but it was happiness this I Oh Fluvanna what Jt a precious times we will wiD tI rs e a together I and I shall shaU shalle e y r so hard and ad try too paint real real- 0 pictures I Hugh how bow II 1 thank you youl s r. r ull oil your chairs up close to a p. p said Fluvanna In an oddly d 4 pw w voice Well go over theL the L II ps rs re together m It e sailing date was set for the 0 of April and the days t k by in a hurry of preparation Is I there was only a week left m I Fluvanna to say good-by good to toch cia ch familiar furnishings to MarJ Mar Mar- et ee J and her children to Kezia m I ug ugh p. p po Jia zia had offered to stay at the re a house ho se with Hug Hugh Its It costing 18 We cite a bit Mother for rent 14 month and you'd feel better it t Hugh wouldn't you ou L 11 Ii some some- were in to the house bouse with him bim then Anna might Just as well In poking J g for fr three toree Instead of Just I Persone person f e experiment of housekeeping I bee been fun tun for lor a while but Kezia finding ding washing dishes and get get- l meals ls Irksome Also Jerrys Jerry's augmented though it t was wass wase e new newl position s was woeful woeful- a aU i l for lor r two people accustomed e tree free with ith money Her moth moth- welcomed the arrangement ver She would rather Hugh Oc og company in is the house in be her rs nee nce Other lother ber Isn't w keen about this n n t. t Margery to Will She looks rather ther lost V. V and Jed e ed 1 Hugh Is pushing her Into n ad d she would w-Ok w barefoot gh the world for Hugh ever it la is a Coad god thing fo for El- El 1 sad Mother win will enjoy It when yal fete th there ere She ba has haa always tt 0 ey reached New York the I g of the th da day the they were wen to 0 sail salt It was mild and sunny They leaned at the rail of the ferry watching the spires of the city come closer The skyline has bas a soaring aspiration aspiration aspi ration in it mused Ellen Sometimes Sometimes Some Sometimes times the tips of ot buildings are inthe in inthe inthe the clouds clouds tut tut they always reach up up up-up up I like this approach to the city so much Hugh smile down at her Again he had bad the feeling of a rose openIng opening open open- Ing the delicate face the petal texture of her cheeks had bad the softness soft ness of a flower She looked like a different person these last few weeks since she knew she was to lea leave ve Corinth Whether Ellen would paint great pictures or not he did not know but he be knew that as liS her ber charm moved him it would move others The unconscious seeking seeking seek seek- ing for love was in her ber melodious voice in the gra graceful elul movements of her slight figure What she sought she would find find perhaps perhaps on this trip He hoped soI soI soI so I recognize the Empire State building said Fluvanna Well go to the top of it today Hugh promised Their taxicab went slowly across town held up by the traffic and the whisking lights The crowds of people people people peo peo- on second Forty-second street moving in restless rhythm lashed back and forth like the sea A man selling roses at the corner of Fifth avenue extended his bis ingratiatingly ingratiatingly in in- to passers The sun sparkled on the silvery top of ot the Chrysler building When we come back we will wil stay here a week said Ellen All AU of America is here the west the IIII 1 I I I I I I I I IIII I I If I I I s s 5 I Ia a iN J rn s Unexpectedly She Kissed Him With Clinging Warmth n north rth and the south all fused ina in ina ina a kind of eagerness for achievement achieve achieve- ment 1 I felt that when I went to school here Hugh when we come comeback comeback comeback back will you come on to meet us Hugh smiled at his mother you heard beard Im I'm Im I'm coming over to get you when you are ready to come home Nol Not Ellen leaned forward to 1 look in his face with a sparkle in her glance Are you bribing us UJ to cut short our stay Fluvanna rested In the hotel botel while Hugh ana and Ellen shopped went to a matinee After a late dinner th they y went down to the boat which was to sail at eleven Although Al AI- though they were early knots of people promenaded the decks desks gay laughing groups Boys Boy scurried down corridors with luggage the whole ship buzzed with activity Hugh had secured an outside stateroom stateroom state state- room with twin beds Flowers were already there from Kezia and Jerry fruit from Margery and Will books book candy letters and bon voyage voy voyage age telegrams telegram from friends Youre so 10 quiet Mother said Hugh sitting on the arm of her chair Tired No dear she replied She reached for his hand band Hugh her boy The moments the dear moments moments mo mo- moments ments were flying and all the while her heart beart knocked the passionate certitude I shall shaU never see him again Twice lately she had bad had attacks which she felt might be beber beher beher her ber last Two or cr three months Only a little while at most she could have been with him she reasoned And he be wanted this wanted to help Ellen He lIe bad had been better lately In his enthusiasm acm for helping Ellen EUen It would work out for the best Perhaps a adear adear adear dear wish would be fulfilled that old wish Good-by Good dear loveliness dearest and most tender ten ten- der of sons What are a few weeks of life Ilfe to give give to to Ive-to to help you The wheel wheel Is turning turning turning-turning turning this bod body will wW never com come h hack ex k No harder to say ay good good-by now at least not much harder Ellen and I 1 are going for a stroll around the deck Mother Well We'll be back In a few minutes Ellen tied fled a ribbon about ner hair hair put on her beaver Jacket Fluvanna watched Hugh hold bold open the door for her pass through after after aft aft- er Ellen ills His tall easy bulk balk filled IDled the Jie narrow aperture the light from the toe corridor shone on his hi face A wave of 01 pride surged up in her exquisite exultation That m my myson son son son-my my son her pale lips mur mur- Ellen and Hugh explored the lounge the library and th dining salon then went for lor a turn about the deck They paused and stood at the bow of 01 the boat The April air was sweet and A mystery overhung the deel deet deelwater water of ot the river The lights on the Jersey shore remind me of necklaces strung ina in ina ina a jewelers jeweler's window said Ellen softly You have bave pretty thoughts El El- len She tucked back a strand of hair hah which had escaped from the rib rib- bon Her IIer white forehead gleamed above the straight fair browAnd browAnd browAnd brow And youre you're very pretty too loo She smiled dreamily Quite lovely in fact I cant can't think of anyone Id I'd rather have feel that tha way about me she said simply limply She left him to look over the side of the vessel coming ina In Ina ina a stream now now hundreds hundreds of them she said returning I hadn't realized until this moment what a wrench it is to see you both go Ill IU miss you too You'll be lonely lone ly 11 Im I'm afraid with your mother gone Oh dont don't worry about me 1 have my business Yes she mused men seem content if it they have bave that that busi busl ness He heard beard the deep blast of n whistle and a sized good-sized vessel brightly lighted went down What was that than Some sort of passenger passer boat Too small for an ocean liner I Sailing at eleven repeated Ellen El El- len lea It seemed a century away this morning yet here it is almost al most upon us Did you ever have that feeling of ol waiting for a da day or an hour hour half half afraid it wouldn't wouldn come come because because it means something something some some- thing definite Yet it it cornea comes anc ancis and andis andis is gone so quickly He lIe nodded Numbly he be felt that tha there was something he wanted to say that Ellen might say ye yet they bandied these back bac and forth The moments were passing He lie folded his arms on th the rail and stared at the gray water lighted d by flickering gold The con con- consuming suming passion he had had to for Dorrie sprayed its vitriol over hi his mind He didn't have to say uy Nor did she It was the pale moon the April night the romance romanced ct d the river which stirred magic Impulses whispered to his nation It was the loneliness of Ellea Ellea El El- lea len and himself which accounted for it it-a it a mood which would wood pass Ellen touched him Come we must go Moving the thronged deck they went back to the lounge loung Ill IU stay here a half haU hour while white you talk to your mother Then 1 it will be time for you to get gee off oft She came to the stateroom when the bell beU rang for visitors ashore Fluvanna's face tace wet tear-wet held a soft radiance Hugh kissed her good He extended his hand hanc to Ellen Good by Good dont don't dont forget to write occasionally I wont won't forget Unexpectedly she kissed him bim with clinging warmth Hugh stood stock still a brief exalted exalted ex ex- alted emotion throbbed through him She shouldn't have done that She really shouldn't He lie turned to his hi mother again and nd said mechanically cable cable ca ca- ca ble when hen you get there Darling youve you've asked me that four our times protested Fluvanna And Ill I'll write from Irom the boat bat and also Iso as soon as we are located In Paris aris You'll be deluged with maUl mall And nd remember a II letter a week from you youl Ill I'll be miserable If I dont don't have ha at least a line or two from rom my boy Ill proms Ie to send three lines Now get oft off or they'll be pulling up ip the gangplank She patted kIssed him again and pushed him out of the door He stood on the pier his hi limbs oddly shaky watching them at the rail Fluvanna and Ellen Ills His I mother did not look excited she was gently smiling Mother was was was- I mystical looking that was the word Ellen was trying to la say something to him her lips formed words he could not hear He lie shook his its head She tried again The ship was moving sliding almost al- al most imperceptibly Ellen resorted to o gestures You she motioned over there I She meant he be would be e coming for lor them lIe He nodded his us head in hi assent Over there But Dut they were leaving caving him himl It came upon him with a pang of desolation There would be an ocean between Ellen had lad kissed him The revelation tion Jon was blinding Ellen Why hadn't he be seen it before Not momentary momentary momentary mo mo- Impulse but love directIng direct direct- Ing him Ellen Ellen he he their destinies destinies desti desti- nies intermingling He saw it as clearly as If lf a directing finger pointed And she did she did she would love him tier Her kiss had told him Wait Stop the ship They mustn't go gol gollIe lIe He struggled through the crowding crowding crowd crowd- ing shoulders hurried down the pier to be opposite them again They watched him Intently He lie formed the words I love you to Ellen She looked puzzled shook her head put her hand behind her ear He tried again I 1 love you Joy broke over her fa face co and he could see the color sweep clear to her brow She turned She turned to his moth er lie He could see her say lie He says he loves me met mel I Fluvanna nodded at him delight edly Why Mother wanted this too tool Ellens Ellen's eyes were on him he could see her mouth tremble She stretched out her arms The boat was was vas moving faster laster Once more she gestured this time more timidly You You over over there She threw him hima a kiss He watched until the deck became became be be- came a dark blur of figures as the boat moved away from the lights of the pier swung into the river lIe He would follow follOw no no he couldn't But he would go in a few weeks Things were better Go home get things in order perhaps the last of May May June June He stumbled along the wharf At the street a pleading pleading plead plead- ing big derelict asked him for a dime He put a dollar in his bis hand While he waited for a taxicab he looked up at the heavens beavens In the powdered powdered pow pow- dered sky one star shone more brightly than any of the others Bright star steadfast star steadfast and endue endur ing tag THE TIlE END |
