AWAKl
By Elinore Barry
E LEV E X TH IN ST A LLMEX T
Sjuopsis: Joyce Ashton. poor ste
nographer, suffered loss of mem- j
?ry i?? t? skiddinK tavlcab accident
in Chicago. One morning two years
later she woke, alter a fall from
her horse, her memory restored, to
find herself, as FituS, the '.ViXe of
Neil Packard, rich California fruit
packer. She determined to tell nobody
of her predicament, but set .
about learning what she could of I
her life in the interval. From the j
conversation of her friends and letters
in her desk she gathered that .
she hml hi^'n a heartless, pleasure- !
loving young woman. One letter
that troubled her was from a woman
siirniuir herself Sonhie. hlamiinr I
Frills for not giving a home to a
baby Sophie was caring for. Could
it be her baby. Frills wondered! She
also found herself involved in an
affair with a man named Ma it land.
In Sun Kruueisoo, where she went I (
while her hushand was away on J'
business, she met Robert A ins worth
a poet whose work she had always
admired. When Joyce returned ;
home, she decided to be pleasanter
to >? ! Frills hud been. But !
this line was dangerous, too, for j1
Neil wan pathetically anxious to
win back Frills' love. Now go on
with the story:
i
At last they were all gone, and j j
Packurd, closing the front door, carnei^
back to the living room and began i,
to: put out the lights. He yawned j,
iy < k I'm sleepy. Got to "peL
up early tomorrow, toe Going to tini -*
now. Frills?" lie asked, pausing with A
his hand at the last light. ^
"Yes, T am," replied Joyce. She r
couldn't get the words out which she ,
meant to say casually. Turning, she ~
went upstairs, closely followed hy
Packard, who switched on the bed- t
room light for her. t
"I sure have missed that sleeping!,
porch. Seems as if I never had any|s
real air in those hotel rooms," re- r
marked Packard when they vor? in
the bedroom. "Once you get used to
sleeping out anything else seems so f
|;
This hardly seemed ail appropriate s
tune to. announce that she had de h
_ cided t.o sleep in the house, and Joyce ,
indecision wandered over to her dies- ,
sing table where she sat down ana ]
lighted another cigarette.
T r h?* wrillld finlv earn f/< hie ^\n-?-i
rooms and let her alone! But Pack- t
ard lingered taking* off his tie and
unbuttoning his shin, while he talked; v
Neil was now taking off his shirt, i
and JoyceT cuteHing sight in her iv.ir- i i
ror of the white top of his sleeveless j c
underwear felt a wav? of color burn i i
her face and she sat rooted to the t
spot. To her great relief, however, he i
went off to finish his undressing else- v
where and she jumped up and hurried
to the closet. Just as she bad s
stripped her last garment off and a
w?5 reaching for a kimono she heard t
him again in the bathroom. She had &
left the door of the closet just a trifle
ajar so that she could keep track t
of his movements and the bathroom 3
door stood wide open. t
"Shall I run a hot bath for you?"
called Packard, "or are you going i
to take a shower?" e
Joyce hastily called out, "No tub, '
thanks, I'll take a shower when you 1
get through."
"You needn't wait. I'm not using: ?
the shower," he railed back cheer- 2
fully.- "I want a real soak after be- s
ing on the train two nights'"
t She sat huddled on a chair in the 1
closet and listened tensely to the pro- t
cess of his bath. He splashed and c
whistled and to poor Joyce it seemed <
as if he would never finish. i
Suddenly the whistle stopped ab- t
ruptly and she heard his ejaculate,
"Damn! There goes the soap!" Then ?
raising his voice he called, "Say, c
Frills, be a good kid and get me the a
soap, will you? I dropped it out a.?d'f
it skidded way over into the bedroom!"
c
Joyce was petrified by this simple c!
request. She was so startled that she
even failed to take refuge in what h
had been her salvation in other awk- a
ward moments, the conveniently temperamental
disposition of Frills. h
"Well, wait a minute, I'll . . . I'll
get it," she returned, and holding her h
silk coolie coat tightly about her she t
emerged from the closet, found the j t
f*u kp> of snap innocently lying on the i ii
blue carpet, picked it up, and enter- a
ing the bathroom hastily thrust it in- "
to Packards* wet outstretched hand, "v
Then she turned hurriedly and left
the room in a turmoil of emotions. I
"I wish he'd hurry," she fumed, 2
with a sigh of relief that that awk- c
ward moment was over, though ner J
heart still thumped violently, "I am c
tired. If that shower didn't have a
j, uovr xa go ana uiKe a Data v
now. I simply can't do it, though." s
She sat down again and listened an*- I
Presently she heard him rubbing v
himself vigorously and a few min- r
utes later he appeared in the bedroom
in blue pajamas and slippers, 1?
. ms nair 3UCKing up in damp ' rum- ?
.?_J?- ?
h1';
!/i\ ED
VOMAJS k
] nit
Fa
pled confusion. How funny a man W2
looked without a collar, she thought,
and the pajamas seemed so loose and jie,
baggy: Lowering her eyes she went SO]
past him into the bathroom. She ly
shut the door after her and very quietly
a.nd carefully turned the little
catch and locked i?. im
When she opened the door again hci
she found the bathroom empty, but rig
from the porch Packard implored her.
"Say. Frills, bring me a glass of wa- ins
tc-r, like an angel, will you?" as*
Joyce wanted to retort cross'y, but lie'
her natural obliging disposition auto- ]
lualiv^uy asserted itself and getting feel
the water she went to the sleeping ob'
porch which lay in the shadow The cla
moon made it light enough, however, pei
to see Packard's fare vRiriielv wit
He sat up in bed and took the glass J
which she handed him. As he did so
she said hastily, "Good night! I'm . . . n
r.m going to sleep inside for a while." B|
She turned away iis she spoke, but
'he scarcely finished the sentence before
Packard put down the glass and
jumped out of bed. He stopped her at
lie door and drew her into his arms,
lot roughly but with a gentle firm
liovement which she could not evade.
"Oh. say. sweetheart." he profes d.
"not my first night home, Frills 7
i've be on so . . . so lonesome for you,
lear."
Packard bent his head quickly and
usscd her eagerly, not once but several
times, then drew her closer still
ind kissed the hollow of her neck
several times. "Oh. sweetheart, won't
rou love me a little?" he whispered,
\Y n't
rou love me? Somehow tonight you
wrc so sweet, going out with me
ilone that way and I got to hoping
,rou might Oh. Frills, what can I
lo to make you come back to rne?"
"Oh. let's not talk tonight," she
'xclaimed impatiently, "I'm dead
ired. I tell you." To her relief he did
idt follow her, but she heard his deep
iigh as she went on into the other
nom and shut the door, her knees
rembling a little.
wntc til UUU Willi UH' uoor IIUTKCU, j g
she laj and thought over what had 11
lappened. This victory was hers, but j |
she did not leei quiLc the- ~sn.t;citvc j ^
ion in it that she had felt in oil'-11
Mlmvi'.ntme Aiaitiitrni.
rT,g" ~th^- ;:-a t-.her. ill
isual hour of seven o'clock she heard
Packard whistling as he dressed and
3hc debated whether to get up and
lave breakfast with him or to let
lim go away without seeing her.
She got out of bed aftd listened. It j |
vas so quiet thai she- concluded Neil
lad gone downstairs. She had just
aken a divas from a hanger and had
tome out to put it on in front of the
ong mirror when she was startled
)y Packard appearing. "Good tnornng.
wife/' he exclaimed, "how's the
vorld ?"
"Oh! . . . Good morning," she reponded,
hastily pulling the dress on
ind watching him apprehensively in
he mirror as she fastened her collar
aid tie.
"Gee, this is great. Are you going
o eat breakfast this morning?" he
isked, leaning against the foot of
he bed.
"We'll give Roxie a surprise, eat- I
ng breakfast together," she remark- I
td, as they entered tlie dining room. I
'Good morning, Roxie. where's my |
)lessed Dickie.?"
"Out with Sam," responded Roxie.
>he too smiled, but there was a puz:led
look about, her face as she did
<o.
"Oh, then I'm going out to get him
low," exclaimed Joyce, "you start
mating. T'll be right back," and she
lashed out through the kitchen and
billed to Dickie, whom she saw !yng
with a bored expression outside
he stable door.
"I wonder if he'd get too tired to
ro along with me if I go out to ride
>n Rosita. What do you think?"
isked Joyce as she began her breakast.
"Well, I wouldn't take him if you're
foing more than a short ride. I
loubt if he's used to long runs."
"By the way, I heard that Mait
,as a new horse," remarked Packird
toward the end of the meal.
"What sort of a cayuse is it? Did
ie get it IrOm MacBrcody?"
Joyces' heart thumped. Now was
ler chance, and she determined to
ake it. She spoke casually, though
he knowledge that she was changner
color disconcerted her slightly. "I |
im sure I don't know," she replied, I
I haven't seen Mait for nearly two I
sreeks."
i
T*?wM ouc laum ucl ejea JIOII1 ner
)late she encountered a look on Packird's
face which filled her with sudlen
anger. It had always infuriated
loyce to realize that her word was
loubted.
Suddenly her pleasure in the day
vas spoiled. A hurt feeling of reentment
aginst him for ruining her
lappy mood seized her. Sh? forgot
[is side of the affair and the things
tdhch Frills had done to make this
eaction so natural.
She said nothing until they had >
5ft the table and were in the living H
hum. xiieu suddenly site faced h m i B
WAT AUG A DEMOCRAT?EYE!
.! '.vitli fiaising face said. ' Uacu!
re. I want von to know tbat I was !
lying just how wlien I said I htid j
t seen Mail for two weeks."
Packard stared at her. He lookedj
TilwCTv . .Aj; c?f (>nffr!
pefulncss dawned in his lace, but J
WuS tile cuutivUS hope Of Cue tV'fev J
3 been hurt and disappointed too;
my times.
After fully five seconds' silence'
ckavd said dully. "God knows I (
.nt to believe you. Krills, but afterj
. that New Years' thing . . Be'
sitated as if he were referring to
ne painful incident he could scarcebear
to mention.
Joyce was quivering all over. It j
?med to her thennthmp was more
portant than to make him believe
i .She groped desperately for the'
ht words to convince him.
'But I'm telling the truth," she
ii3ted. "you can ask Clarice ... Or
; Mail himself if you won't be
re me."
S'eil still looked as if he dared not
juva at*a Jovucnprntcil nt his I
Piously unconvinced mariner, ex-!
timed, "Perhaps I was mistaken. ;
-haps you . . . you don't really care j
at I do " ,
But at this Packard suddenly woke
Cle?
Shai
'TL*
1 III
ters
bol<
Sho
the
wo*
com
flAA
So <
ing
You
rner
thei
will
pint
tabl
l
c
TheV
Nortl
tY THURSDAY?llOONK, N. C.
" 7
Prison^for Boy
Despite a highly raotjot??l trial ?
jury of twelve married men returned
a v?rdv?* nf murder in the second
decree oguinst Harry Muich. 10 yearold
N V. school boy for stabbiug a
12 year-old playmate to death. The
penalty is SO years to life imprisonment
X
up. His face went white under the j
tan and taking a step forward he j
gripped her shoulders with his hands!
uid said, with an intensity of restrained
force that frightened her.
"By God, Frills, I won't stand for
& IF \ g"%
11 L/lg
rp Ou
a
r>/\?rA
^ ? vO Wv vt urn. wjtYc^ri vaiv vv t w
go auoui uicir Business is
ily at midday, for they hi
ddy merchandise cannot
reputation of its sponsor
th an investment in these
imunity, and the nationa
to you- are glad to come i
confident are they of the
their business future on tl
i will find their messages
chandise interesting, theii
r prices fair. These days,
buy more?more durabil
5ss?if you read and heed
e advertisers in these pag
i
Jse the C<
V ataug
iwest Carolir
that! When Jiuve you < vei: cared what J
I thought ? jtVhen have you ever done ?
anything but give me the most care- J
less sort of response ? You've lied to j
me before, i ou know it and I know
it. How can I help doubting you? l|
evert'thtrssr I could to try I
to make you happy. Fve given you j
every bit of freedom and fun l could ;
just so you might have a good time.
I've protected you more than you
know against open scandal. I've stood
so damn* much from you that I sometimes
wonder what kind of a weak
fool I am. But I can't help loving
you in spite of it all. I've stood for
this business with Maitland . . I've
stood, for all sorts ??r things?i'ut
your sake, and partly for ray mother's.
And when . . . when you've been
a little nice to me. what has it ever
meant r Some devilish scheme of
yours to put something over on me.
1 don't know what your game is now.
but even you car.'t tell me I don't
really care what you do."
Joyce, listening fascinated to this
explosion, recalled the words in "Jerry's"
letter: ... Ju*l iciticmbcr
that a man like Neil won't stand
pushing too far."
CONTINUED NEXT WEEK
Vl f nfirS
times
i
r of d^rknsss. Shsdy cKarj
L..!f 1* Li II i
, irarifjileut. iuvit Wii
ave nothing to fear.
be advertised, it would ri
s. The half-way good is r
pages. The merchants of tl
1 manufacturers who advi
out in the open for all to s<
quality of their goods, sti
t:J:i c. a - i
ic vauutLy ui meir ciaims.
helpful, their descriptions
news of style authentic, a
as never before, your dolU
ity, style, comfort, more hs
I the advertisements of rep
;es!
5
oiumns o
Q /
CM. AyCllH
ia's Oldest Wt
MAY 25. 1933
Care in harvesting and packing:
navt- much to do v.ith the prices received
for horticultural products, says
M. E. Gardner, professor of horticulture
at State College.
\
(fcnl PRKlNS NEW
GIStL fft\6MD TALKS
SO FAST AU& so LOUej
THAT SM??S WEVE-R. *
H-EAtLS AfJ ECHO.
'
" """
III
!
of
nd
irs
tp>u
v
1 I
>crat
'.ekly