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ey. PI WR ke NIP YY R73 EY yy - PAGE FOUR I'ELN THE OSHAWA DAILY MES, MUNDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1928 ps -- " e------ [FAP 7 VEN (Continued from page 12) iY the gate, Her hand over his, Her hand over | before leaving the house and let Kate night the sweet, sedge-scented grass of the | stopping for a moment at Amy's gate cliff, beside the dark, invisible sea,|always with a sense of fatigue an and his query: "Babs, why did you [annoyance and disappointment, t your hand on mine?" h The street was very still now, The | the school this morning and the BARBERRY BUSH One Girl's Marriage Problems By KATHLEEN NORRIS VR FRM IR RHR Td PIP TAP PRD VE TE IE TE VS In the morning reason returned And then the porch step in the | coldly and Barbara was wearied and and k stopping his car at [impatient and felt life strangely flat, She forced herself through her duties And, later, his gruff laugh in| toddle beside her to the kindergarten, Link did not telephone or come to was hot, . hours dragged, . The last week of res school began badly, the children were RES HOES HEED IRE RED Holiday Greetings May the Christmas Holi- day bring joy and peace to you and your dear ones this year and always. WELSH'S Makers of Fine Cakes--Calering a Specialty King St. W Phone 73 érs all the In grateful appreciation of your goodwill we wish our friends and custom- Mhodetomar concnn CONGER LERIGK COAL C0. joys of the LIMITED restless and excited over vacation plans and the heat, continuing, ex- hausted teachers as well as pupils, Barbara somehow dragged herself through it and took Kate home at 2, Any messages or notes or telephone calls, she asked, entering Mrs, Duffy's kitchen, None, None! She tried to sew, to write, to concentrate upon the end of the term bills for pencils and books. No use, A painful restlessness possessed her, a misery of indecision and of hunger undefined. She took Kate and walked to Amy's house. Amy's dining room chairs had at last arrived and she was treinendously excited, The baby was asleep on the side porch under his netting and Amy and the nurse were dragging furniture about. Barbara assisted for awhile, hardly hearing what the other women were saying, or appreciating in the least what they were doing and then, with a confused remark about looking at summer hats, she went on downtown. And coming out of the hat shop she saw Link on the sidewalk a few feet away. They $tood talking for a few min- utes. Link picked up the baby, well 2 ODD SII © IIIS SB © SE IRIMEIBIR LIRR LINN -- wearied by now, and held her on his { HE Officers and Staff individuallk and col- lectively, extend o everyone the" sincere Best Wishes for A IERRY CHRISTMAS an \ HAPPY and Pros- perous NEW YEAR wet Simpson Compr big, square shoulder, e was very pale; Barbara felt her own breath and color betray ler. He had on his brown homespun suit with the belt and pleats. She loved every thread of it; he had often worn it when he came to see her in the hospital, "Any croquet today?" Barbara asked, looking from under the brim of the old white hat that was still in its gypsyish smallness and sauci- ness intensely becoming to the ruffled copper hair and blue eyes. "Oh, I guess so; at about 5." "Then Kate and I'll wander over that way." "I won't be there, but probably Lucy and Otis and Fox will," Link said casually. The day went dark for Barbara. "You won't!" "I don't think so. I don't believe I can make it." He glanced frown- ing at his wrist watch. "What time is it?" Barbara asked, chilled by his manner, He had to look again, briefly, and flushing. "About 4." "Well, do try to 'make it ii you can," Barbara urged. There was an awkward pause, ab- solutely new in their relationship. "I just had a wire irom my father," "It seems," began Barbara in a low tone, "that they have all been think- ing, that~-well, that we were simple!" . "These days, J've not seen pou. have shay me that---that ¥ in ip 'we were\simple," Link said, () was s against the fought cloth of his suit, her hat was push k. Bar. bara had one instant of violent pro- teat; it immediately subsided and was forgotten, eir lips were together, and she felt that he would draw out her ver life in their first real kiss, Their hearts yea heating madly now; and although Barbara was conscious that Link spoke occasionally, the words were so incoherent, mumbled against her hair, that she could distinguish among them only her name, After a moment she stood back from him, panting, and holding him off with a hand against his shoulder, "I can't help it, dear=I love youl" Link said, with an exultant laugh, Barbara's face was white, and there was a strained look in her eyes, "You mustn't tell me that, Link," she whispered. Link instantly grew sober and dropped his hands from her arms, by Whie he had been lightly pinioning er, "No, I Juppose not," he agreed heavily. And there was a long sil ence. "But, Barbara--" he began again, awkwardly and timidly, follow- ing her a few irresolute steps--"you --you---?" He stopped, "Yes, God help me!" she said. in a whisper, And she put both hands over her face, and turned away. "You won't divorce him?" Link asked, after a silence, clearing his throat, "He's my husband," Barbara said simply. : Link did not speak again, They went silently back to the house to- gether, There he saw her presentty at the tea tray; Lucy Jelinuished her post gladly, and Barbara beginning busily to pour. The lines of the black lace gown were exquisitely becoming' to er slenderness and fairness; when she raised her face, under the new hat, there was all a child's wistful, weary bewilderment stamped upon it. Link, unobserved, stood in the doorway, watching her. He watched the quick, slim hands, the lifted glance, the serious questioning look that preceded her slow smile. Some- body considerately asked her if she wouldn't likeN\some tea herself, and she answered atl --of--course she would. put his arms about her, her face | She poured herseli a cup. But he noticed that she did not take it, did not seem to remember it again. | Presently she frowned faintly and, said Link then. "He and Margaret re coming straight home. Margaret is bringing a beau, as far -as I can make out." "I thought they were going to be abroad 'all summer." She and Link were talking formally, politely, like persons just introduced. "No, he says that they're coming right home." "He took the wire from his pocket and opened it and read it again, seriously nodding his head. And she saw that he was embar- rassed, ill at ease, that he wanted the conversation to be over. In another minute she and Kate were wandering along the sidewalk again, and Barbara felt more utterly at a loss than before, felt sick and to <e¢ Jink and to hear his voice. and now she had seen him 'and hear h wm aud the situation was worse than ever. She saw Link again on. the day that Margaret and his father got home from long journeying. It was a cold, foggy midsummer afternoon, and there were fires lighted in the big Mackenzie mansion. Link's father had refused to have any part in the gemeral festival of welcome, and when, in the early af- ternoon, neighbors and friends be- gan to flock in, he disappeared visit the office. But Lucy was there excited and happy, and Margaret, tall and pretty in a Paris frock: Marianne was there, and Fox, Harry, Joe, Otis, and all the boys. Barbara came late with Amy. She was pale, but all the more beautiful for that; she wore a thin, lacy black dress that was new, and a small black down over the shining PASTRY FLOUR Saxon XXX Marvel Eclipse ~ 241b.Bag 95¢ HOGG & LYTLE LIMITED | seatiul and bewildered tone he added: "1 2ell you I've heen in hell this week?" got into New York yesterday. They-| forlorn. She had been longing just partly turning her head, looked straight at the doorway almost be- hind her where he was stationed, as if he had called her. And instantly | the glorious color flooded her white | face, and the strange liquid brilli- ance of which he had cau~ht just a glimpse, in the stable a few minutes | ago, lighted her blue eyes. | Then suddenly, she was gone, His attention left the tea table only for a few seconds, when some one came | up to speak to him. But when he ! turned back, somebody clse was pour- ing, and the chatter was that Bar- | bara had just gone home with Amy. | (Copyright, 1928, By the Bell Syn-| dicate, Inc.) | (To be continued.) The Officers and Staff of the Central Canada Loan and Sabings Company Wish You a Very Merry Christmas and 8 Prosperous New Year ch FELT BROS. PES PWICHES FOR THE JULE TIDE SEASON YULETIDE GREETINGS! May your Christmas be a Merry One, and the coming year full of the best that life can afford. Christmas 1928 oa : eX SEASON'S COMPLIMENTS! We hope that a kindly Providence will grant you a Merry Christmas this year and many more in the future. G. ROBERTSHAW Books and Stationery 37 Simcoe Street N. A wv Ld : : io « ---- . 'The GRAND CAFE Felt Block, Upstairs King St. E.