Free All My Tomorrows by Al Lacy Page B

was broken and her face was severely bruised. Soon everyone in the tenement was aware of what happened and were gathering in the hall outside the Gilder flat. The two women Lyle had overheard talking about Elizabeth’s death told the officers that one of the elderly tenants who lived two doors down from the Gilders on the same floor had seen Lyle throw Elizabeth off the balcony, but she was afraid to getinvolved. She had only told the one woman about it less than ten minutes before Lyle came home.”
    Deena was shaking her head slowly, tears in her eyes. “Oh, Betsy, I’m so sorry you’ve had to suffer like this.”
    “Me too,” said Donna. “So what about your father?”
    Betsy drew a shuddering breath. Her voice was strained with emotion as she said, “He stood trial for murdering Mother, and he will be executed nine days from now,” When those words had come out, Betsy broke down and sobbed incoherently.
    Deena left her chair and threw her arms around Betsy. Donna followed and did the same while Margie looked on. Slowly, Betsy’s sobbing subsided. The twins still held her in their arms. Deena looked at her sister. “What happened to us with our parents putting us out on the streets was bad enough, but what happened to Betsy is far worse.”
    Donna nodded. “That’s for sure. How were you orphaned, Margie?”
    Margie’s features pinched. “My parents were both killed in a train wreck up in Massachusetts. I’ll tell you more about it sometime. It happened a little over a month ago. I just don’t want to talk about it right now.”
    “I understand. But I’m sorry for your grief and heartache.”
    Margie managed a smile. “Thank you.”
    When Letitia Brace left room number ten, she went upstairs to a large walk-in holding closet and chose three dresses for each twin to begin wearing immediately, along with two more expensive dresses each for when they would be traveling on the orphan train. She would explain that when both boys and girls traveled westward, they were dressed especially nice for being examined and questioned by prospective foster parents. None of the dresseswere identical, as Deena and Donna were, but Letitia was sure they wouldn’t mind.
    As she folded the dresses over one arm, a satisfied smile graced Letitia’s pleasant face. She looked heavenward. “It’s such a joy, Lord, to be able to help these dear young ones, and thank You, again, for the bounty You brought our way today through Mr. Kottman.”
    With a smile on her face, she left the closet and headed downstairs.
    The twins loved the dresses and made an immediate change. They both embraced Letitia, thanking her for all the dresses. Letitia returned to the office, and for the rest of the afternoon, the twins got better acquainted with their roommates. Betsy and Margie took them on a tour of the rest of the building, explaining that it was once the Italian Opera House. While touring, the twins were introduced to both boys and girls who were also waiting to be sent west on orphan trains.
    While Betsy and Margie were giving the twins a tour of the grounds, Margie explained that she would be leaving on the orphan train that was going west next week. Betsy said sadly that she was going to miss her.
    At that moment, they saw Charles Brace come out of the building and head toward them. When he drew up, smiling, he said to Margie and Betsy, “Giving your new friends a tour of the place, are you?”
    “Yes, sir,” said Margie.
    Brace ran his gaze to the twins. “I talked to your mother and explained that we would be sending you out West on the March 30 orphan train. She shed some tears, saying she misses you, but also said she is glad you will have the opportunity for a good lifethat would never have come to you here in the city. She said to tell you that she loves you and wishes you the very best.”
    The twins exchanged glances, blinked at their tears, and thanked him for letting their mother know about them.
    On returning to their