Show i by kathleen norris 0 KATHLEEN NORRIS NORMS SERVICE I 1 1 CHAPTER XII continued 12 how follow is your mother franku frank asked it sheila mother feels very badly about you she feels that we could have shown a little more confidence in you ou that day she believe me she was all upset and your father believe me well he did kinder sheila was looking somberly ahead of her resentment smoldering in her eyes 1 I cant blame you if my own mother thought I 1 was a biarl she said bitterly 6 1 I believed you right through frank said Sh eilas look was scornfully incredulous honestly I 1 did he said truly but it seemed to me that anyway true or not true you and peter might want to be married 1 I dont love peter im not going to marry anyone I 1 dont love frank shrugged perhaps youre waiting for some thing never find he said if I 1 had known that you knew where I 1 was sheila said after a long pause during which her blue eyes had rested steadily on his face 1 I would have run away again from here I 1 mean it have done you any good she looked up suspiciously r no you cant run away from things it only makes people think youve got something to hide 1 I 1 dont care what people think 4 wed have had to find you but I 1 knowing where you were I 1 could tell them you were all right frank said 1 I knew it hurt you to work off your mad I 1 was down here the day after you came and saw mrs kearney ashes a good old girl frank said she said shed keep an eye on you an and not talk I 1 tell her much tears of helpless anger stood in Sh eilas eyes you did it up in style she commented dryly ah now listen frank began listen not nothing hingl she said with a sudden choke in her voice you double crossed me youve all been laughing at me all this time mamma and joe and everyone there one of them has the faintest idea where you are I 1 frank interrupted why sheila he added as she did not speak do you suppose your gotherd mot herd let an hour go by without coming down here after you ashes breaking her heart for you shell never forgive herself that she believe you that day Ma mamma frima sheila said thickly and swallowed and was still about every third night I 1 telephone joe at the office frank went on and tell him to tell her that youre all right Is joe working papa got him a job with a contractor oh that makes me feel happ happel sure it does frank said encouragingly cou ragingly where is it its over on long island papa has some little houses there your mother and angela were going down ic look at one A housel house 1 so that you see it if you did go back sheila be in a new neighborhood be different but what rent would ma have to pay for a place like that well I 1 guess that part of it worry her my father knew your father you know and your fathers father sheila pondered with a knitted brow your fathers an awfully good man she said slowly sheila why dont you come homel home frank besieged her suddenly 1 I cant sheila answered in a troubled tone she did not look up tears dropped on her hand all think everyone that I 1 had done something wrong she said 1 I face it you he said persuasively just slip in again and out lout up with whatever you had to put up with would it be so liard h ard weve all got to take it on the chin sometimes you know what do you care what people say your own people love you and want you that all that matters earthquake and fire had torn her old world apart now she had had ten lonely weary days in which to rebuild a new world within her own soul prayer loneliness most of all the contemplation of other lives had helped her she sat pondering looking down and in the silence came the still clear voice voice as of old she must carry her load the sheer heroism of it appealed to her perhaps the sheila of a month ago might not have dared this but was a different woman my mother was awfully mean to me she faltered 1 I never knew the time when she stand to one of us before but you know why that was frank said in his quick sure way your mothers like my mother sheila theres just one thing gets her and sin you know that your mother thought done something wrong she thought that after all her love and teaching and prayers done something bad what was killing her that frank concluded with great simplicity what was eating herl there was a pause then frank asked again sheila will you go home she looked at him suddenly surrendered yes I 1 will frank good girl he said shall I 1 just walk in on my mother shell be ready for you 1 it warmed her heart there was something tremendously exciting in the process of yielding her will to that of this young man frank glanced at his wrist 1 I have to see a man in the chandler building here wherever that is he said its twelve we could lunch at one and start at two Is there a two tra train in goo train I 1 flew down and im going to fly back fly she said certainly he laughed at her bewildered face you e ver ever I 1 I 1 flown when on earth would I 1 fly well he said you can fly today be home at three I 1 always fly down here to atlantic city and back ive done it for years home at three the mere thought made her heart soar with sheer ecstasy ma at three im taking you to the commander for lunch 1 frank said at luncheon she tried to tell frank some of her experiences at the der gast but she was much too excited youre different today from the poor little soul who came into our house two weeks ago sheila he watched her in satisfaction for a few minutes and then added with just a hint of his kindly and patronizing iz ng air you have a new good friend friend in miss kennedy sheila miss kennedy the young lady chos going to marry me in june ohi oh 0 said sheila ashes so much interested in everything ery thing I 1 tell her about you she thinks no no sauce frank said interrupting himself she thinks what everyone else does that youre staying with some friends of your family she know im in the secret he said ill tell her this last chapter of your adventures tonight 1 I hope its the last sheila said and added peters given up his law oh yes he frank shook his head he a law aerl he said my fathers delighted to have him with my uncle in the family business to tell you the truth peter probably took up law work because he thought it was easier than an a job jo he e a added e wi with a lenient brotherly laugh youre a lawyer frank he looked surprised im in the district attorneys office dai 1 I knew you were 4 sort of political P yes bernadette wanted to live in the country he said but mr lillie wants me here in town sheila watched him in fascinated admiration Is it interesting very Is miss kennedys Kenn edys fataei in poll politics not officially no but her grandfather was senator state senator malally Mc Lally frank looked handsome serious serious as he spoke the satisfaction he felt in all these facts was obvious when were married and home again he said dette and I 1 want you to visit us sheila she wants to meet you and I 1 want you to meet her you see he went on smiling no matter what you do you arent going to escape me I 1 tell dette ive constituted myself a sort of big brother to you sheila looked across the table at him steadily without smiling she did not speak A quarter of an hour later she climbed confidently into the first airplane she had ever seen at close range CHAPTER XIII the checkerboard of the lit little tle streets and the long wavering pale lines that were the beach and the surf fell away below the world only a map now wheeled and shifted the plane settled to a steady droning flight through silver space her thoughts wheeled and circled too she was planning busily her great adventure was almost over it had been a time of shame and pain and anger and yet sheila knew that she was emerging from it richer by far than the girl of a few weeks ago mas life was richer with this new friend to help her joe had a job and in frank me cann he had a valuable new friend too the cars caddene might be moving to wider horizons to new ideals in a few weeks more and however grieved mrs me cann might be at gertrudes disappointment and at the publicity that had suddenly dragged a respectable family into the limelight at least she had been very kind to sheila and sheila hoped that after quiet weeks months of a return to normal conditions she might think of sheila carscadden with friendliness and liking again but more than all this more than the excitement and change and surprise for which sheila and angela had so often prayed sheila knew that there was deeper gain her own soul had been racked and stretched and stimulated into new growth at twenty one she could not analyze all this yet she was conscious of new wings beneath her spirit and new courage to face the days that were ahead she woud go home and begin to live ive C on n lines completely different from the old haphazard ways of the past there should be dignity under teasing and innuendo there should be loving service quietly and simply rendered dishwashing shoud be ennobled and sheila would brush her hair a hundred times every night and rise in time for a bath every morning and as for reading oh I 1 love it to slide like this she shouted to frank as the deafening throbbing of the engine gave V 0 all look how her arms twisted under way to stillness and the plane interrupted her musing with a graceful forward gliding like a gull and instantly the line between unthinking safety and desperate need to save life just life was bridged and Sh eilas throat was thickened and her heart stood still she saw the world rush up at them the fields with lines of black trees on snow the long gray and white curve of surf she clutched frank as they both instinctively struggled in their seats and buried her face in his shoulder then there was a rending sound of wood and metal shrieking and herself shrieking and then two long ironing droning moans with her eyes shut and pain like a fire abber at her shoulder then blackness after a long while and a dead silence someone said conversationally youre all right now arent you dear and sheila answered politely im fine thank you except my head was sort of buzzing straighten the poor thing out a little some woman said compassionately siona tely look how her arms twisted under better leave things like they a are re until the ambulance gets here I 1 a mans voice demurred sheila did not know they were speaking of her until someone began gingerly to raise her shoulders it felt more comfortable and she said feebly thanks her mouths all blood ashes burst a blood vessel the first speaker said in a whisper there seemed to be a good many persons murmuring and moving about sheila was conscious of no interest much less concern in what was going on consciousness waned strengthened waned again she heard a jumble of words hes took up his last planel plane someone said solemnly and a chorus agreed right hes done for then there was the gong gong gong of a car and a siren going who oo oo eel ee fike ike a great bird sweeping through the world sick sheila said apologetically fearing she was going to be actively ill but the horrible sensation faded again and all consciousness faded with it voices presently came back his heads smashed iles hes done for poor fellow he moved ah god pity him my arm is broken officer and ive twisted my ankle this was frank me canns definite voice speaking over pain speaking 0 slowly im anxious about the young girl there he said 1 I tried to get her I 1 fainted I 1 think where did you come from atlantic city an official voice in inquired hes a goner all right sergeant some man muttered in a low tone and another added tn a deeper voice too late here van lift that off him 2 there was a bustle a flurry watchers said ah h hl sheila opened one eye A rush of vertigo overwhelmed her pain flashed over her head like the strands of a net she saw big dim figures black against the sunshine and shut her eyes again presently she said frankl right here sheila he said how how are you 1 I try to move it if I 1 were you a voice said respectfully the ambulance ll be here in a couple of minutes give me a hand there will you frank had somehow dragged himself next to her they were in a sort of park on snow green benches were within her line of vision with a desperate effort sheila opened both eyes and immediately began to laugh and cry to hiccup and strangle all at once she struggled toward something like a sitting posture get a priest someone whispered im all right frank sheila said carefully because her mouth was stiff except that I 1 think I 1 had a nosebleed and got knocked out cut sheila sheila youre not seriously hurt hur t 1 I dont think so but tell me oh god my arr arm alip I 1 there was agony in his voice you youre all right dearl dcarl frank said shakily weve sent for an ambulance sir my y shoulder hurts but I 1 can move it sheila said my dear my dear your face is all blood frank told her he laughed brokenly look at us he faltered he fished out a handkerchief his handsome fine handkerchief beautifully monogrammed sheila moved a cramped arm one of the women gently began to wipe her face could you wet that somewhere the woman said poor girl ashes as conic conscious ious as I 1 om myself the cold water felt delicious on Sh eilas hot face oh thank you she said as eyes and mouth and nostrils were freed so much better we well we came down we ill tell the world the woman who was bending over her said solemnly you had a mighty narrow escape the man that nice looking aviator she looked from the womans comans face to franks frank nodded gravely his rich black hair was uncovered and tumbled his face streaked with grease and dirt we the young lady and I 1 be driven straight home it would be a great accommodation to me frank was saying keep those people back therel there one of the policemen ordered ah h h murmured the crowd something was being carried away some motor engine was starting 1 I think your arm is broken sir the sergeant said 1 I know darned well its broken frank agreed ruefully with the laugh of a person in pain it would take you another h hour you rather go to the emergency hospital in newark and then go on sir id much rather get home I 1 dont want my mother alarmed or the young ladys mother alarmed there may be internal injuries sir you mean the young lady well either of you 1 I think she may feel the shock shell be much much better at home frank said the newspapers will get this we want to make as little of it as possible the pilot was killed sir oh that part no we cant hush th that at u up p leu but t t the h e les less s excitement the he t fewer fe w e r reporters p or t e rs this was a very nice fellow that was here now potter of the leader I 1 know him well hes a newark man the officer said you much rather go home sheila oh so much rather franki frank if ma saw it in the papers shed die of the shock heres the ambulance now mr me cann ill fix it evidently frank did fix it for im immediately me it appeared that they were to be driven straight into the tha city frank limped toward the big gray car leaning heavily on the police officer sheila found herself strangely shaky too and was grateful for the quick kindly support of the am balance nurse 1 I look over there dear the nurse said as Sh eilas eyes went toward the collapsed plan that lay like a great crippled bird on the soot speckled snow it makes me feel sick sheila whispered shuddering 1 I should think it might the nurse murmured comfortingly as she helped sheila into the ambulance heavens what a crowd sheila said dizzily it just seem as it if they come from nowhere frank half sat half lay on the extended bed sheila could see from the working muscles of his face that he was in pain frighten my mother to death frank said v your you r little party certainly had a miserable end ending this was the nurse frank did not open his eyes sheila said nothing TO BE CONTINUED |