Carson City daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1907-1930, 1913-12-22
A Christmas
Honeymoon
Continued from page 81

her eyes overbrilliant with the wake
fulness of the past night. her cheeks
aflame with fever.
But you are the lOveliest girl that
ever lived!' he exclaimed. staring at
his wife, hat in hand. Betty. do you
know how beautiful you areY"
She nodded. Yes. exactly
1--WE will go to the Ogden's party
tonight. don't forget. don't tire your
self. l want them to See you as you
look now. | shall be SO proud of you"
She glanced up at him, laughed q
little and turned to her flowers. That
was the gist of It. A beautiful woman
to be vain of. Her lips did culver. but
with superb pride she turned the quiv.
er into nirth.
kiss me goodby," he asserted.
Not out here"
"COme in the house. then"
mo. Goodby. Peter" She did not
wen extend her hand.
us it because of the violin ?' be
laughed.
Il expect So" She was sorting he
posies.
Now, Betty. look here, dear. If a
man can't have the freedom of prac-
ticing a bit on a favorite instrument in
his own home, you know. it's not rea-
| sonable."
at doesn't sound reasonable" she
answered.
"Well, them" with considerable i'm
! patience as he pulled out his watch.
D%%s nra<%- r-1Ior, womb ,n n
trife, her head went to one side. She
was choosing apparently whether to
put one more dahlia in her bouquet or
not. She did not look at Peter. If she
had. tears would have scalded her eyes.
brave bonny eyes with the sun shining
on them.
Twill you kiss me or won't your he
asked with an angry emphasis.
His wife shook her head. And Peter
went down to Nassau street.
As soon as the front door had closed
Betty sprang to her feet, the flowers
fell to the path. she was indoors and
the morning paper in her hand in less
time than it occupies to set it down.
The shipping list was scanned. The
Spain sailed the following day Eat 6
d. m. for Havre. Passengers must be
on board the night before"
Mrs. Van Zandt went upstairs. Two
of her t~runks-the Paradise trunks"
Peter had called them-still stood in
her little dressing o a few trifes
still remaining there to be taken tut
Inside of three hours she had packed
them and a valise with her clothing
and a few small belongings. She had
ordered the coupe. dressed. driven to
the steamship office, engaged passage
and stateroom under her maiden name.
driven back to the double house, or
dered dinner and gone out again, this
tine on foot.
Into East Tenth street to order q
coach from the livery stable she knew
was there; this done. Mrs. Van Zandt,
having to pass Grace church on her
way. halted at the gate, faltered a lit
tie, then went in: went to the pew
Peter owned. where she and Peter had
sat Sundays since their return. and
knelt down.
Betty couldn't pray. as prayers are
made in fitting words and phrases.
Hers was a torn and wreDched heart
desiring to spend itself in just n out
ward throb that might reach to the di-
vine ear and not to any human one.
Was she doing wrong? This did not
occur to her.
She was Betty. and Betty could not
60 on living any sort of lie life with
the man who had got her by fraud.
Because, you see. so intricate and
strange are the complexities of some
natures, Betty would not have married
Peter Van Zandt If she had known
about his violin.
Which may reveal the fact that Betty
was incapable of love. or then again 1t
may prove the proposition that seven
teen never is capable Of that emotion
in its supreme entirety.
Her sobs came fast. her hands were
clinched together in bitterness and
loneliness: her eyes behind her mech
lin veil were large with tears.
Then she heard some n speaking
near her-hushed wOmen's voices. two
Of them. Al they were busy with the
altar cloths and flower vases. it being
Friday.
One said. 81 thought they were to be
married ut THANKSGIVING"
"No. not until Christmas. Christmas
is such a perfect time in itself. l think
the wedding should be either before or
after"
Yes. so do l.. Christmas should not
he paired with anything. Wasn't the
Van Zandt- Revere wedding lovely?"
Exquisite. never saw such a per.
feet bride and bridegroom"
yes: theirs is a real happiness"
Betty's lip curled: then the sObs
came shaking her to her soul; then
she rose from her knees and went