for

"So-Jan acted on your Mother's appeal to go away, your best interests."

"But she did telephone me before she left," I said, wistfully. "If only she'd told me what Mother had done."

"Jan kept in touch with your Mother. As time passed your Mother told Jan you had forgotten her."

My breath caught in my throat. Forget about Jan! I could sooner forget the beating of my own heart.

How Mother's falsehoods must have hurt Jan. Sensitive Jan! Oh how I yearned to see her. To say to her, "I have never forgotten you. You are still part of me!" My eagerness almost made me leap up and pace the flour.

Granger sensed it, read my thoughts.

"I'm going to San Francisco and investigate Jan,” he said. "And if I think she measures up to you, I'll help you two get together again."*

"Oh, Granger" My voice was bearly audible. And my heart lurched so that I felt as if it had popped out of my body.

Granger did as he promised.

The next morning he went to San Francisco. Two days later he long-distanced me.

"Granger!" I clung to the phone, throbbing in every part of my body. Feeling as if flames seared through me. "Jan?"

"I've seen her and talked with her," he said directly. "Your Mother really convinced her you didn't need her, didn't want her. Melba," he paused, then said definitely, "Jan hasn't anyone else."

"But Bob said she was living with another girland"

"Bob lied. Jan has been living alone, working dur ing the day at her job as accountant for an Airline Company. And she's been eating her heart out for you during the night."

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As my husband talked, I staggered to the divan and fell across it. I clutched the phone with both of my trembling hands.

"Are you sure?" I gasped. "Sure?"

"Yes. I told Jan the truth about you our marriage. She still loves you as she always did."

I remembered that in her last, bewildering phone call to me, Jan had said she'd always love me....I was overcome with joy.

"Jan can explain everything better than I can, Granger said kindly. "As soon as you'll let her.'

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New hope of being with Jan again, filled my heart. There was no room to hold resentment toward Mother for what she had done that had separated us. I forgave her.

My heart sang. Jan had left me only because she loved me enough to break her own heart if it were best for me! I'd needed Jan then....I needed her now.... I'd always need Jan!

After I'd sobbed my gratitude to Granger for his goodness, his kindness, he said,

"Melba, meet me here tomorrow. I want to take you to Jan."

I went to San Francisco.

The next evening just after the street lamps had flashed on, Granger took me in a taxi to the big, fragrant scented vine-covered house on Telegraph Hill in which Jan had a single apartment. He helped me out of the cab and gripped my hand.

"Good luck, Melba!"

I murmured, "Thank you--Granger-and God bless you!" I kissed him as I might have kissed my own father, if I'd ever known him and loved him.

Then while I stood there, Granger got back in the cab, waved to me, and the cab whisked away. I stood for a poignant moment watching the red glint of the tail light disappearing into the distance... And in

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