Show la M ar n Y S ar ara 0 0 LIDA LARRIMORE service copyright co J SYNOPSIS to the household of 0 doctor dallard ballard in mulberry square youthful dr hush hugh Nen kennedy dennedy nedy comes ns as an assistant janle janie is I 1 the nineteen year acar old daughter of doctor ballard her older sister lister cell celia a petted patted beauty Is away from home much hugh regards janle janie as a small chum iut but she h has tar far deeper feeling tor for him celia returning home accepts accept 1 9 open admiration as her du due just one more in her train of namar ere rs tom mcallister McAll lster la is another and carter shelby Is 3 a third following a visit by shelby celia is 1 visibly depressed hugh and colla celia unexpectedly announce their engagement janle janie heartbroken returns to college she to 13 summoned homo home when tier her father Is seriously hurt in an auto accident hugh blames himself feeling cespon elble tor for allowing the elderly phy elchan to drive at night his eyesight not bitting him for the task kennedy had been at a theater with cello cella she insisting on his going doctor ballards spine alno Is injured so eo that he may never be able to walk again there Is 1 hope hopa inan in an operation for which he must be taken to new york celia meets carter shelby again the doctor to Is taken to new york mrs ballard going with him the operation Is unsuccessful and hugh announces his determination to stay as long lone as the physician needs him even though that means the postponement of his wedding wadding with cello cella she resents this CHAPTER IV continued 10 10 1 I 1 expect this he said 1 I thought you would both be in bed ile he smiled wearily the smile caught at janies heart it reminded her of fathers smile she realized all at once that hugh was like father in many ways she thought of it before you mean it hugh cella celia tad bad left the armchair tier her hands were clinging to the lapels of his coat you mean that you would stay on here in the square of course I 1 meant it there again was that finality in his voice im tired cella celia must blust we talk about it tonight yes cella celia said firmly you cant sacrifice your whole life its morbid its ua unnecessary necessary you cant do it hugh does it matter so very much lie ile led her to the daven davenport ports drew tier her with a weary sigh down into tle circle of his arm lets just be quiet tonight listen to me hugh please darling hughs weary sigh his look of patience was more than janle janie could bear Cel cella lal 1 it was an almost soundless protest but cella celia heard beard she looked at janle janie there was rio mistaking her meaning janle janie slipped out of the room with kiltie hugged tight la in her arms ill why janle janie ballard Ball ardill 1 janle janie huddled into a heap on the stairs blinked and opened her eyes 1 I was wag sleepy she murmured 1 I get any farther its one one oc locki 1 then celia must have been talking to hugh tor for an hour you come straight on up to bed cella celia brushed past her huddled figure her heels made a clicking sound on the steps A door opened and closed the light from the living room fire ere shone out across the hall janle heard a sound of somebody moving the creak of the davenport springs a ton long weary sigh hugh I 1 she walked quietly to the door nugh hugh had flung himself down on the davenport the position of his body suggested complete exhaustion his 1113 eyes stared at the dying fire nugh hugh she called softly his eyes turned from the fire brightened were somber again arent you sleepy hugh all but my head that keeps on spinning around to do you want something hot to drink he shook his bis head bead lie ile looked at al janle janie sleepy and small la in the door way tender concern in her wide clear hazel eyes A brown little girl with a a dog sweet funny moll kid come here he said she crossed at once to the daven port she looked at him with a ten cerness in her eyes she said nothing at all ail stay with me hugh said wistfully 1 I hate being alone one she made a nest of cushions on the floor and settled herself among them by lifting her eyes a little she could look directly at hugh an am I 1 being heroic hugh asked tell me janie you always seem to know about things you dont really know lie be added you feel fee how do you feel about that Is it morbid of me to want to stay here and help your father she knew that he be was repeating things which cella celia had said nae ilme I 1 a martyr complex Is it a theatrical gesture tell me young fellow 1 I think its splendid she said he liked that lie he had liked her to admire him doing stunts on the hickory limbs tie he was only a boy who had bad made a mistake and wanted to make up tor for it it janle janie felt very mature 1 I really want to janle janie hugh said earnestly 1 I leave him no matter what it costs costs I 1 janle janie was breathless and still its the disappointment hugh seemed to have forgotten janle janie lie ile was talking to relieve his own overburdened mind it la Is hard for her she loves gayety gaiety she wants to go abroad janle janie made no comment she just nestled closer until her head lay in the curve of his arm lie ile was stroking her hair she could feel his aln fingers liko like fathers fingers gentle and firm and caressing with a touch that made tier her tan anglo le as fathers fingers had never done A wave of happiness swept through her a wave of misery hugh v was as caressing her hair 1 I think she would take it like this hugh said presently 1 I thought she would understand but it matter ivon even if I 1 lose her this is something that I 1 am going to do janle janie saw hla his lips close in a determined terail ter mined ned line she saw the torture in his eyes she had to help him somehow 1 I guess she said slowly if you are as beautiful as celia you do expect more from life you cant bear commonplace things like ilke mulberry square especially she added it youve been taught to expect it all of your tire lire she was thinking of the people who had taught celia to believe that she was sacred and set apart mother aunt rose itose the boys who had loved her she had bad often thought that it entirely celias fault vot for years she had kept that thought tucked away in the back of her mind so that it might comfort hugh tonight it did comfort him A look of peace crept into his bis eyes its there he said drowsily the hidden bidden beauty ill find it some time lie ile was quiet for so ton long that janle janie thought lie he had gone to steel sleep she glai glanced leed up at him the look of peace had vanished from his eyes they stared somberly over janies head into the glowing flames presently he said 0 only aly halt half aloud but suppose it there suppose I 1 made it up m mirage lra e janle janie gasped and sat very still no not true hugh said firmly im not being fair cut but janie darling I 1 cant play games mes games she asked bewildered its a waste he be continued slowly 1 I want to live serenely honestly I 1 I 1 cant bear scenes there would be many scenes janle janie w was as sure of that celia had a gift for creating scenes hugh would be hurt over and over again it made her vir wretched etched to think that hugh would be hurt she loved hire him and she was helpless there was nothing she could do she rested her cheek against his hand and winked back the stinging tears what would I 1 do vilt without hout you hugh asked now how could I 1 bear it at all silly P 1 she whispered a happy feeling in her heart because there was X do you want something hot to drink after all something she could do tor for hugh he needed her a little lie ile needed her very much dont leave me lie he said if I 1 happen to go to steep sleep 1 I wont she promised youre a loy joy in the world little fellow the words came very slowly there much to you except your hazel eyes and your lovely smile aralle he added smiling at the drowsy droop of her lashes iut but I 1 like you la in spite of that youre a very good little e ess CHAPTER V cella celia wandered restlessly from window to window in her cream and lilac room hugh was simply impossible in I 1 au all abe weeks since he had bad announced his intention of staying on the square she had not been able to shake his determination there were times when hen he had wavered times when she had been almost confident of success but he be had never entirely yielded youre sacrificing your future hugh 1 I cant see it that way father t especto it 1 I shall stay as long as he needs me dont you love me 1 I adore aou ou but this Is something that I 1 intend to do how she hated the finality in ills his voice the tight line of his lips the stubborn thrust of his jaw it was absurd unreasonable she was sorry about rather father too but hughs sense of duty or honor or whatever lie he called it was fantastic nothing had been able to shake his determination nation she hud had stopped wearing his aln ring lie ile had noticed it but had said nothing at all lie ile seemed boomed purposely to neglect and avoid her ile he shut himself into his room or drove with janle janie in that outrageous car they called horatius it was more than anybody could be ba expected to stand father had been removed to a sanitarium in the west there would be another operation arid and then there would be the sound of a wheel chair in the hall and the gilt and green parlor would be turned into a bedroom cella celia shivered hered sh she stood at the window and looked down into the square she saw nothing lovely in the foliage of the small mulberry trees in the mauve plumes of the lilacs in the new pushing green of tho the grass she bear it to live here all of her life of what use would hughs money be or her own fragile beauty if she must stay in mulberry square she wondered why she had become engaged to him A dozen reasons creditable to celia presented them selves she overlooked the fact that she had bad been piqued at carter shelbye Shel bys indifference that she had fancied muriel was gloating over her she told herself that it was beca because use hugh had loved her greatly and she had pitied him she recalled the promises he had bad made as they sat together in that ridiculous car in the scented intimacy of a narrow side road ills ardor had thrilled her had restored her wounded pride ills promises were peep holes into a dazzling future it if she could possibly have foreseen A hurdy gurdy was playing a familiar waltz cella celia identified the tune with a sudden swift lifting of spirits she had danced to it with carter shelby on new years day at sportsmans Sports mans hall she hummed the words softly come with we me where moon beams carter shelby ile he had told her that he would do anything to make her happy it if she should go to him and say simply im very unhappy carter sly engagement was vias a mistake would he take her away to those far lovely places which he had so beautifully described she thought that he would thoughts slipped rapidly through her mind fate she decided was turning the handle of the hurdy gurdy all at once the three shadow cellas celias nodded their golden heads the real cella celia after weeks of toying with an idea had made a final decision she glanced at tier her watch one oc locki I 1 she could take the into the city and make connections with the washington express she had wade made up her mind and she did vot cot As she bathed she assured herself that she was doing the best thing for everybody concerned mother would understand it was tier her dearest wish that cella ml might ht escape the square father would be satisfied it he knew she was happy ile he wanted anted A them to be happy dear father 1 she would send him bouks books and an inlaid chess board and baskets of beautiful fruit hugh would be terribly hurt but she thought he be rather deserved it anil and janie dear little janle janie well janle janie could never understand she decided to take no luggage lugagn e ter her suede bag would hold a nightgown her tooth brush her lip stick find and powder and rouge it was better to get away quietly she could send later for her clothes she much money enough to buy a ticket to washington she wondered idly it if aunt lucy and muriel were at home should she leave a note for hugh what should it be she say flatly that she refused to live in mulberry square she had never said that she quite dare to write that she was going to marry carter shely shelby she decided not to leave a note her engagement ring she opened the tiny plush case it twinkled at her from its nest of 0 satin she left it on the dresser she left it with much regret it was a beautiful ring before she left the room she tore the hay fial olt off one of the square gray envelopes ve lopes it was marked in his or wilting with carters initials and his washington addres 3 she tucked it into tier glicr him bag and fully equipped for conquest she cled cl ed the hie door behind tier her the last aimel she thought as she walked down the wide polished stairs she worked up a feeling of sentiment for the old brick house she succeeded very well there were tears on her lashes lashea when she closed the front door the last aimel she broke a leaf from one of tile the mulberry trees and crushed it in her hand it made a stain on her pale gray gloves she dropped it indignantly great uncle charlie was standing beside the ticket window in the station little trip cella celia ho he asked sweeping off with a gallant gesture his dilapidated felt hat jm im going to town slip wished that lie he make her so BO conspicuous people were smiling uncle charlie was a dreadful old man she opened her bag the lap flap from the gray envelope fluttered down to the floor she did not notice it slie she asked for a ticket to philadelphia the train was rumbling into the station great uncle charlie Cli arlle saw the flap of the gray envelope lie picked it up because it watched matched cellas celias costume lie he thought that she might have dropped it IL it look important ile he slipped it into his pocket and thought nothing moro more about it II 11 cella walked confidently through the washington station people turned to look after her it gave bet bei a feeling of power what a beautiful girl she heard beard a voice exclaim fm Is it Sl marilyn arilyn miller ler a younger voice asked in a thrilling whisper the pleased dreamy expression e er crept ept into cellas celias eyes she smiled faintly ner her manner was detached inside she was simmering with excitement cit ement if you were beautiful you could take what you wanted from life she discovered that the lap flap from rom carters gray envelope was not in her bag it matter very much she consulted the telephone directory there was ills his name carter valentine shelby urs mrs carter shelby the charleston shelbye Shel bys of course lovely little thing ter her lingers fingers trembled as she dropped a nickel into the telephone hODe slot the moment of waiting seemed lery ery long A voice at last carters voice low and thrilling ills south carolina accent this Is cella carter she steadied her olce loice with an effort who cella celia she was annoyed lie he should have recognized her voice oh ob only that A moment of hesitation celia felt that her knees were ere growing weak 1 I just thought id call you she said 1 I happened to be in town can you meet me somewhere im leaving at midnight another hesitation cut but wait ill meet you ile fie named a hotel cellas celias knees were steady again ue he would meet her in half an hour it was a rather shabby hotel in an undistinguished street when she had paid the taxi driver there was very little money left in her dainty suede bag she sat in a chair in the lobby and was annoyed with carter surely she thought he might have suggested a more glamorous meeting place for F or the first time a devil of doubt scampered through her mind A man across the lobby was staring at her admiringly mirin gly the devil of |