Radio and television mirror (July-Dec 1948)

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"I only want you to forgive me," he said steadily, "forgive me for what I did to you and Harry." "There's nothing to forgive, Steve. Don't you know that?" His head moved in slight negation. "I ran away, Joan — and you and Harry paid the price for it." "CTEVE, listen." Her hand tightened *J on his. "There isn't any of us in this life, not a living soul, who hasn't been wrong at some time or another, who hasn't hurt someone. Steve, you remember what I did to Harry some time ago — you know as well as I do that Harry was never faithless to me, and I knew it then as I know it now, but that one moment of decision came — and I packed my things and left him. I knew when it happened that I shouldn't have, but I left him. And now that it's all over, Steve, it hasn't made any difference between us. It's only made us closer because of that mistake. Steve, I love Harry more today than I ever did before in my life — and that's the way we both feel about you, Steve. You're dearer to us now than you've ever been, both you and Irma." "Joan, dear — " Irma broke in, her voice shaking. "You mean it?" Steve asked. "And Harry — does he mean it? Does he believe it as you do?" "We both feel exactly the same way, Steve." His head turned ever so slightly toward Irma. "Then, Irma, it's all right. Everything's going to be all right — " She mustn't cry now, Joan thought desperately. Not now, with the crisis still ahead. "Now," she said, swallowing hard, "I want to tell you the news I've brought — " Steve's eyes closed. "Nothing else is important, Joan dear. Now that I know how you and Harry feel, nothing and no one is important but Irma and her family." "Steve — " and in spite of herself tension crept into her voice — "this is important to us all." "You promised, Steve," Irma broke in, "that you wouldn't get excited — " His hand moved, and hers went into it. "I'm all right, Irma." "Steve — " Joan drew a deep breath, spoke as she would to a confused child. "You didn't kill Betty Scofield. Do you hear me, Steve? Another man has confessed— Robert Nobel, the man who caused me so much trouble, the man whose name I found in Betty Scofield's address book. He was a dealer in stolen cars, Steve, and Betty had been working for him, and he was afraid that she would give him away. Steve — " Her heart failed her. Steve hadn't moved. Only his eyelids had closed again, and he lay as still as death. Her eyes, terrified, met Irma's — and saw that Irma's eyes were calm. Irma still held his hand. "Dearest — " Irma leaned close to him, whispering, "do you understand? You didn't kill her. You didn't kill Betty Scofield." "Both you and Irma are free," said Joan. Irma's mouth was shaking wildly; tears were running down her face. "Steve — you're free, free to go as you please — you can go anywhere you please — you can go home — " She could go no further. She put her hand to her mouth, bit hard upon the clenched knuckles. Joan leaned forward, but before she could try again Steve's lips moved. "Thank God," he said, very quietly, very clearly. "Thank God — now you're free, Irma." "It's you that's important, Steve — only you — " "No, Irma. My heart is free of fear now because I know the trouble I brought into your life has disappeared. That's what I care about most." Joan left them, then, very quietly, without another word. Her mission was completed, and neither of them needed her now. Harry and the lieutenant were waiting for her in the corridor. Harry went quickly to her and put his arm around her, supporting her. "Joan, you look torn to pieces — " "I'm all right, Harry — but you should have seen Steve. He looks so terrible — there's nothing left of him. But when I told him — you should have seen him. He didn't move, but it was as if something had changed inside him. I know he's going to get well, now, Harry. I know it." "I think so, too, dear," he said, very gently. "But right now, I want to get you out to the car — and home. You look plenty shaky yourself. Lieutenant, what do we do about Mrs. Cameron?" "Leave her with him for the time being," the lieutenant answered. "There are a few formalities to go through, and then she's free to go wherever her heart desires. I think perhaps Mr. Skidmore will stay here until he's well enough to be moved, but Mrs. Cameron can go tomorrow." "WE'LL come for her," said Joan. "Will » you tell her that, Lieutenant? Tell her that we'll be here tomorrow to take her home." Home. A few minutes later she and Harry were riding home, rolling along the Northport road, past the familiar countryside, the familiar farms. "I'm glad we went to Summerville to see Steve before we went on home," Joan said. "Now we know we're really going home, Harry, for the first time in so long — together, and to home as it used to be, only better, because I think things will be better for Steve and Irma from now on. I don't think I'd ever get over it if all of this trouble had come between Steve and Irma — and us. I mean, I was so afraid that they would never quite believe in our forgiveness — if you could call it that, because I never did feel that there was anything to forgive. But I was afraid they might never quite believe that we wanted to go on being friends — and now I know it's all right. I knew it the moment I saw Irma look up at me from Steve's bedside. Everything's going to be all right." "Thanks to you," said Harry. "To me? You mean because I went after Robert Nobel?" "That too," he answered, "but I meant something else more. Your spirit, Joan, your understanding of why Irma and Steve did what they did — " She laughed softly. "That's simple,