Show EVEN I 1 QUARE LIDA LARRIMORE smith co SYNOPSIS to the quiet household of doctor ballard Ball rl in mulberry square youthful dr rr hugh ligh kennedy comes com as an assistant 1 si I stan stant to stay lay a year tie he first drat meets janle janie nineteen year old daughter of 0 dollor cortor ballard her older sister calla a petted beauty la Is away from rom horn home hugh regards janle janie a universal favorite an ail a small girl to be treated as ai a ch chani it m hugh sees eca a photograph holograph of 0 colin cella and la is impressed by her love liners he continues to regard janle janie as its a ho he expresses 14 it a rood good little fellow a tunny funny kid but the she has ha IL a far different feeling for litra him cella celia returns home she accepts hughs open admiration as her due just one more in her train of admirers tom mcallister Is another and carter shelby whom she has met on her recent trip Is a third shelby Is ie believed to be wealthy and celia longs to escape from the drabness drab noss of 0 mulberry square following a visit by shelby to the ballard home cella celia Is visibly depressed hugh and cella calla unexpectedly announce their engagement janle janie beart heartbroken broken arranges arrange to return to college she to Is summoned home when her rather father Is 1 seriously er louly hurt in an suto auto accident CHAPTER I 1 continued 7 the train rushed on through the early twilight she looked at her watch she prayed little soundless prayers the train seemed not to be moving at all an endless eternity pasi pasted sed the station lights bloomed more thickly now janle janie pulled on iier green cap edged with beaver fastened last ened the beaver collar of her new preen freen coat buckled her galoshes galos hes and then sat very still the train ran slowly in under the tunnel of shed she moved with the stream of passengers toward the door she felt the wind nipping her cheeks and her fingertips A redcap red cap had bad her bag she was following him through the crowded station new kingston miss has it gone oh please has it tone gone waltin Wait ln fo the express oh ob thank you god or the P rl it R lor for whoever makes branch trains A quarter for the porter people pushing icy fey steps A hand band bellingher belp helping ingher her up well janle I 1 she looked up into a familiar face it was mr mapes the conductor who lived lo la new kingston fattier father she asked hes heb holding on how when accident it happened early last night in the storm the sound of a familiar voice after the long weary journey alone broke the ice around janies canles heart hearl she clung to the friendly conductor pressed her face against his buttons bobbed gratefully in his arms there there janie ile he led her into the car were ready to go in halt an hour well have you safe at home II 11 hugh was waiting on the platform janle janie saw his face raised to watch the windows as the train moved past her heart turned over she knew that he would be sorry of course courm she had not inot expected to find him so haggard the train rushed on through the early twilight and white and distressed ile he saw her and lifted his hand his eyes beneath the down turned brim of his bis hate hat brightened tor for a moment and then were somber again hugh I 1 ob here I 1 am hil hugh hilla la m she tumbled down the train steps straight into his arms janle janie I 1 thank god you are herel here I 1 horatius Horat lus was waa parked in the station drive chugging sturdily covered all over with snow tell me about it hugh 11 ile he crashed into a gully guily beyond the white marsh creek they were moving now horatius Horat lus was plowing through the snow was he be alone yes tm laughs hughs voice was rough and hority ile he was coming home from the weaver place theres another baby out there Is Is he terribly hurt hugh did not answer icy fey fingers clutched janies heart tell die de hugh 11 she clutched at his arm 1 I have hare to know Is hp he the word stuck tight in her throat ties iles still unconscious they dont ku know ow yet hugh repeated the words dully as though he had said them a great many times ties at the hospital P rad I 1 see him film tonight not tonight little fellow tomorrow perhaps ile he told her in words which janie could understand what Fat fathers tiers condition might be she believe somehow he wa was talking about fattier father she had find heard rather father and hush hugh discuss cases like that dozens and dozens of 0 times it be father this dreadful thing he be true god n let fattier father dip die she said with a sort of confidence iles hes always been so kind and so good god let father dip die do you believe that janle janie hush hugh asked brokenly 1 I im trying to keep on he said and make me believe it too the car drew up at the curb in front of the old brick house the downstairs windows were lighted the fanlight fan light was a yellow crescent tile the lanterns were twinkling it was home hugh lifted her out of the car held her for a moment before he set her down on her feet feel im glad youre here little fellow her cheeks brushed his bis ills his cheek was wet wel it might be the melting snow oh hugh 1 the front door opened A wave of light washed down the snowy steps janie Jan lel I 1 celia was clinging to janle arde as though she would never let go cella who was three years tears older than janle janie and taller by three full indies inches oh janle janie im glad youre home cella celia was pale there were shadows under her eyes janie was sure that cella celia noticed they were becoming it made her love cella celia as she had loved her once a very long time ago the flash of the ring on her slender left hand was hard for a moment to bear after that she mind at least not so much wheres mother it all ail looked so usual the polished stairs the chesterfield ter field the painting in the hall surely in just a moment father would come out from the office smiling calling to her holding out both of his arms mother Is staying at the hospital there was a sweetness about cella celia she had never looked so lovely im taking her out some things cant I 1 go janle janie asked you see rather father cell cellis cellas is eyes brimmed over with tears and you must be tired take care of her hugh stoney will drive me out rachel suspiciously red around the eyes lumbered out into the hall rachel I 1 janies arms were around her neck she was clinging hard to something that was vv as familiar and solid and dear go on ald youl rachel was wiping her eyes on her apron im fixin a bite of so methin to eat she lumbered back toward the kitchen grumbling bling it was hugh who removed janies coat and set her on the chesterfield to unbuckle her galoshes galos hes cella celia picked them up to put them away in the closet so BO tiny she said 1 I never remember that janle janie Is so small small hugh added and nice S ashes hes a very good little egg ill janie lay on the living room daven port pulled close to the crackling fire hugh sat on a foot stool and fed her things from a tray open your mouth small person one more bite we cant have you getting sick she swallowed the bite obediently in spite of everything it was lovely to be at home im getting warm she snuggled into the cushions ive been so cold all day poor baby hugh held her hand in both of his its my fault janle janie he sald said what Is hugh all all this you mean father ile he nodded his head bead why Is it your fault hugh II ugh it was my patient ills voice was rough and husky 1 I knew that baby was coming i bad been there at noon where were ere you im ashamed to tell you ile he stared miserably at the fire janle janie could feel that tits his hands were shaking please hugh tell me please 1 I was at the movies they called twice then doctor ballard went 1 I was janle janie he repeated dully 1 I was sitting in the movies doctor ballard went out to do my joh job ile he expected to go out at all last night ile he had given stoney the eve ning off it find begun to storm you know tie he does nl see well enough to drle at night oh I 1 I 1 ugh I 1 she could only say my it oer and over that husky reproachful uh oh id have lone done anything for him aliis cropped his head bead on the edge of the HIP davenport over tier her hand and ills his oili slie she felt a wetness on his cheeks checks there was no snow in here iles hes heen been allic he a father to me its my fault janle janie I 1 can see well enough to drive at night I 1 have let tier her tie he stopped abruptly janie was as nil all at once bren breathless and very my still it aint her fault hugh said quickly 1 I 1 have let her she coaxed you to take her janle asked evenly oh CclIa celin I 1 1 I have been busy hugh framed a defense ie rense for vella 1 I 1 had time to take her places phlem ashes been sweet about IL it im horribly jealous janle janie she said she would go with somebody else she might ills hands were knotted into fits fists sometime she might I 1 was thinking of that thal 1 I 1 I took her to tile the movies janle janie wanted to comfort him it hurt her to see bee him so miserable it if only she knew what to say come here hugh sit down do you want to talk to me janle janie I 1 should think you would despise clo me despise him you loved the people you loved no matter what they did you were sorry and hurt but you loed them just the same janle janie quite reason it out she knew only that in the case of janie it was true hugh she said very gravely you take all this blame it might have happened some other way it might t but it happened this way hughs eyes were young and tragic 1 I swear to you janle janie ill do anything to make up for it anything in ID the world the vein in his forehead was throb bing it always throbbed when he was angry or very much in earnest her eyes traveled slowly over his face the old laughing hugh was gone she wanted him to come back she wondered if ever he would things happen she said we cant help them we can try to be brave janie Ja oie I 1 lie ile dropped his head into the hollow of her arm lie ile looked tired and very young with the firelight glinting across hla his hair and his chin so stubbornly set 1 I talk like a lady reformer janle janie was laughing and crying too youre a comfortable small person 1 hugh said wearily im glad youve come back to the square janle janie drew a quivering sigh she felt entirely grown up IV janle what Is it janle janie her heart lo in her mouth switched on the light beside mothers bed celia huddled in a bathrobe was closing the door behind her 1 I was frightened can I 1 sleep in here with you janie snapped off the light fight they lay curled together in the middle of the wide tile soft bed it my fault faul was it janle janie celia presently asked 1 I dont know janle janie please say it celia was trembling all over it might hate haie happened anyway please say that it my fault 1 I dont know janle janie repeated how could I 1 know cella celia was close to hysterics 1 I love father dearly hugh Is absurd it his fault or mine dont think about it now janle janie said gently father want you to be unhappy ill ID be nicer celia promised if god will let father get well if only say that it my fault faull it if only tell me janle janie janle janie say that she scold her either cella celia was trembling so she put tier her arms around her instead and nestled very close they cried in the sort soft wide bed towards morning they slept curled together Ct illas cheek against janies Jan les the brown head and the golden head nestled into the same ft arm hollow of pillows CHAPTER II 11 there were anxious days in the old brick house fattier rallied at times only to sink back into unconsciousness again mother stayed on at the hos pital pita she had a small room next to fathers with a communicating door they sat there sometimes in the afternoon mother and cella celia and janle janie holding each others hands waiting talking in whispers listening tor for sounds beyond tile the closed white door were doing everything pos possible bible doctor alden the chief of staff would say we cant tell yet once the door opened and janle janie siw saw father lie ile looked very long anil and thin in the narrow white bed ills his eyes were nere closed under white wrap plugs pings of bandages his hand was aing on the counterpane thin and brown and familiar janle janie kemem deniem bared now bow he had stroked her hair that day on the white marsh creek she nhe heard again the rustling sound of the reeds saw the bird with the file speckled brown breast that day she had run away from father she had been thinking only of hugh if they might go fishing again doctor alden sent them out for drives in his bis car fathers cur car could never be used ud again hugh plowed grimly around to in trying to do all of fathers work stoney drove doctor aldens bis big closed car mother andrella and Cella and janle janie would sit together on the back sent seal downto downtown n was pay gay with christmas the nir air and the bustle with holly wreaths in the windows along manor street streel the signs of christmas the stir and the bustle nere more than they could bear stoney would drive them out along the country roads which were clear enough for traveling they talked of other do you remember when father made the fire burn too high and everything in our stockings melted remember nhen cella celia wanted a pink teddy bear and father Re arched d all over philadelphia and then at the last minute mother had to dye a white one pink remember the christmas eye eve father thi was snowbound in the cou country n try and janie look at her presents until he came at noon on christmas day remember remember mother often rebelled to think of father being sacrificed for a weaver baby she would say with tears in her pretty blue eyes they have more now than they can feed mother blame cella celia or hugh she blamed fathers passion for service sometimes there was a hint of fear in the high lovely blue of her eyes if anything should happen to fa ther she would say janle janie knew she was thinking of money there was never more than just enough As mother often remarked people thought of rather father first in times of distress and last when they paid their b bills ills there were more unpaid accounts than even mother suspected in Fat fathers herts untidy ledger janie knew it seemed unimportant now wed get along she sha would say eay thinking only of a world orld without father in it anywhere celia will be taken care of anyway mother would glance gratefully at the ring on cellas left hand janle janie and I 1 could manage I 1 suppose mrs 11 rs quillen stout and good na aured and anxious to help was installed in the old brick house meals were an ordeal three or of them celia and janle janie and hugh at the long dining r room oom table hii cella sat at mothers place and poured the coffee or tea fathers vacant chair was more than janle janie could stand you tou sit there hugh she suggested one evening at supper 1 I janle janie ills face was working queerly father would like it do you think so he asked eagerly im sure of it hugh seated himself in the vacant chair ue he looked loci Led janle janie thought as though a general had pinned a ribbon on his bis chest and kissed him on both of ills bis cheeks cac eks A shadow lay across the square people knocked at the kitchen door shabby people ith unashamed tears in their eyes girls from the mill the frowsy drowsy elti citizens zeus of vine and juniper streets hows the doctor this morning I doing everything possible they cant tell yet the square proper called at the front door the rector and mrs warden the rector cleared his throat very often and quoted things from the bible greater love hath no man it belonged in church janie thought or cut in a marble tombstone it had nothing to do with father who had been last sum rier filer so healthy healt liy and happy and brown all day there was a stream of |