Show Chri christmas Anias dinner by katherine therine eddmon I 1 As A S SOON as D darrel arel thor thorpe corpe got E a chance to use the phone he h dialed his home lie he must tell edna how sorry how terribly sorry he was for what had happened this morning all the way down on the car he lad had reproached himself for the hasty words he had said ile he understand how he lad had spoken to edna like that and on christmas eve he drummed impatiently on the desk as he waited edna was always punctual about answering the phone and doorbell it was a way she had going right through with things which really was the cause of is flash of temper this morning in her quick decisive way she had dept aside his idea of having old irs darby for christmas dinner he little lady now down on her luck had befriended darrel when ic had come to the city im not going to have her edna had declared emphatically were 5 aa LI i f the big man did not seem lo 10 hear him his eyes were glued on a closely typed statement going to skip christmas as much as possible go out and eat somewhere and miss all the rush and bother 1 I think a darn selfish way of doing darrel shot back christmas is a home day with a turkey and a tree and gifts and above all someone to share them with us then without waiting to see the effect of his words darrel rushed from the house banging the door now he dialed the number three times but there was no answer panic seized him had edna believed that he meant what he had said ile he had heard of young wives who had packed up and left for much less reason what a brute he had been to flare up as he did THE THE morning was unbearably long inwardly fuming he hung up the receiver to answer an imperative pera tive buzzer from the inner office it was about the tenth this morning if it been for wheatley keeping him running around in circles he might have been able to reach edna long ago and if the old man been in the same ugly mood yesterday darrel knew that he himself have been on edge this morning that he have spoken to edna as he had done lie he blamed wheatley as much as himself you sent for me he said stiffly as lie waited beside the desk the big man did not seem to hear him his eyes were glued on n a closely typed statement darrel spoke again then daniel wheatley looked up and rubbed his hand across his forehead as if trying to remember something oh yes yes he began mrs thorpe called before you got to the office this morning I 1 forgot to tell you she left word that she was going marketing with a mrs mrs darby or some such name also she wanted me to be sure to tell you to bring home a christmas tree and all the trimmings was a 3 merry twinkle in Wheat leys usually hard eyes looks as if you were going to celebrate christmas at your bouse he finished with a laugh we certainly are darrel grinned back were going to have a real old fashioned celebration of the day think your wife would object it ir i you took a cranky old man to christmas dinner darrel wondered if he were hearing things then his quick wit jumped to the surface if you really mean that mr wheatley I 1 can assure you of a hearty welcome my wife thoroughly believes in having people for christmas dinner at least I 1 am sure she does now the last sentence darrel whispered to himself |