New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1917-06-01
XII.
A Defeat.

A Defeat.
The gown which Rodney had spoken
of ALPHABETICALLY as ii coronation robe
was put away the maid sent to bed
Rose, huddled into Il big, quilted bath
robe, and in spite of the comfortable
warmth of the room. feeling cold clear
into the bOneS-cOld and %tremulOuS
and sure that when she tried to talk
her teeth would chattrr-sat waiting
for Rodney to come back from seeing
the Lake part way home.
She gave Il last pnnicky shiveI
when she heard his latchkey, then
pulled herself together.
Come in here, Roddy,' she called
as he reached the head of the stairs.
Il want to talk about something"
He had hoped, evidently, to find her
abcd and fast asleep. His cautious
FOOTBALLS IN the stairs made clear his
intention not to waken her. 'Oh, I'm
sorry he said, pausing ut the door to
Il didn't know you meant to sit up
for me. If I'd known you were wait
ing. I'd have come back sooner"
II haven't minded" she told him.
''I'vc been glad of IL chance to think.
But now oh, please come
in and shut the door"
He did come in. but with manifest
reluctance, and he stayed near the
door in an attitude of arrested de-
parture. ITS pretty late" he pro-
tested with a nonchalance hat rang
IA little fiat. 'You must be awfully
tired. Hadn't We better put off our
pow-wOw"
She understood we'll enough. The
look in her face, some uncontrolled
infection in her voice she had meant
to keep so even, had given her away.
He suspected she was going to be
tragic" If he didn't look out, there'd
be a scene"
1--WE can't put 1t Off" she said. II
let you have your talk out with the
Lakes, but you'll have to talk with me
now"
we bptht iIoSl VI II liiht taihiIS
about you anyway" he said pleasant
ly. They're both mad about you.
You ere a perfect miracle tonight,
darling. when they were here. But
now, like this . :" He came over
to her with his arms out.
But she cried out Don't" and
Sprang away from him. please don't.
Roddy-not tonight! I can't stand it
to have you touch me tonight"
He stared at her, gave a shrug Of
evaporation, and then turned away.
You are angry about something
then" he said. 81 thought so when l
first came in. But, honestly, l don't
know what it's about"
"Tm not angry" she said. as stead
lily as she could. She mustn't let it
go on like this. They were getting
started all wrong somehow. you
didn't want mt to touch you the night
when l came to your Office, when you
were working on that case. But 1t
wasn't because you were angry with
me. Well, I'm like that tonight.
There's something that's got to be
thought out. Only I'm not like you.
I cant do it alone. I've got to have
help. | don't want to be soOthed, and
comforted like a child, and l don't
want to be made love to. l just want
to be treated like a human being"
II see," he said. Very deliberately,
he lighted a cigarette, found himself
an ash tray, and settled down astride
a spindling little chair. "All right" he
said. Now, come on with your trou-
bles." He didn't say little troubles"
but his voice did and his smile.
Rose steadied herself as well as she
could. We've made a horrible is
take" she began. II don't suppose it's
either of our faults exactly. It's been
mine In a way. of course, because 1t
wouldn't have happened if I hadn't
been-thoughtless and ignorant. l
might have seen it II I'd thought to
look. But l didn't-not really, until to-
He wanted to know what the mis-
take was. He was still smiling in
good-humored usem over her
seriousness.
Its pretty near everything" she
said. you've hated the way we've
way this house has made us
I haven't liked it, really. But !
never stopped to think what it meant"
"what 1t does mean" he said, with
n good deal of attention to his ciga-
sis that things are desirable to
me now, because l am in love with you,
that weren't desirable before. / don't
anything terrible about that"
There isn't" she said, when
you're in love with me. But you
aren't in love with me all the time.
And when you aren't, you must hate
me for what I've done to you"
His face flushed deep. He sprang
to his feet and threw his cigarette into
the fire. That's perfectly outrageous