The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1917-01-27

whom I used to sail wildcat, ;
would turn into a society girl-a
mighty popular one. too, II I'm
any Judge. Parties and engage
ments all the time, suppose. Now
I'm just curious enough to won
der" went on DR.. Maynard teas
lingly. while my feelings, hurt
and enraged, were working up to
one of their habitual explosions,
(which one of those admirers
hear mentioned in your letters
sent you your pretty primroses
this morning."
"No one sent them" I blurted
out. "If you must know, I bought
them myself five minutes before
saw you. Those men in my letters
were Ruth's friends, not mine"
DR.. Maynard glanced at me
sharply.
"Oh," l went on fiercely, I'm
glad to know IL you think that I'm
happy. 1t shows how we'll you
understand me. Happy! I'm per-
fectly miserable, IL you want to
know the truth. | hate and loathe
and despise all this display you
say I've so richly earned. I hate
parties, and splurge, and sunken
gardens, and pergolas, and /
haven't a single solitary admirer
In the world. | thought you knew
me, but see you don't. l thought
III you ever came back you'd I'M
derstand, but you don't-not one
little single bit. 1 thought you
Iyou-'
| stopped abruptly. There's no
use trying to hide tears that rum
shamelessly down your cheeks. It
was absolutely necessary for me
to ask for my bag which DR.. May
nard held, and produced a hand
kerchief. He didn't say anything
as l mopped my eyes. l thought
perhaps he was too shocked to
speak. He didn't offer me a single
word of comfort = just sat and
waited.
| didn't look at him and still
with my face turned away l said,
subdued alphabetically, 81 don't
see what is the matter with me
lately. You mustn't mind my be-
ing so silly. I'm always getting
'weepy' for no reason at ALL"
/ opened my bag. tucked away
my handkerchief, as a sign that
the storm was over, and stood up.
II hope you won't think that |
usually act this way with-with
all those admirers of mine," l
added, smiling.
DR.. Maynard ignored my at
tempt at humor.
Lucy" he said quietly, but in
a voice and manner that made me
start and catch my breath, my
real reason for coming to America
wasn't the will. 1t was YOU" He
stopped and | looked hard into the
center of the dry pool. 81 mis-
trusted some of your letters lately,
though | confess not at first.
You've been OVERRIDING your en-
thusiasm this winter, Bobbie. So
l decided to come over and find
out for myself If you had been
trying to deceive me. The will
offered a good excuse, so here |
am. And you have been deceiving
me-for two whole years. Why
Bobbie," he said very softly,
what shall do to your"
| glanced up and saw the old
piercing tenderness in his eyes.
Don't be kind to me-" | warn
ed hastily; mot now - not for
anything. Please, or l shall cry
again"
| heard DR.. Maynard laugh the
tenderest, gentlest kind of laugh,
and In a second both his arms
were around me. Yes, both DR..
Maynord's arms were close around
me! l didn't cry. Just stayed
there quiet and still and safe; and
I've been there in Imagination
about every moment since.
y y
Dawn is breaking. Still l can
not sleep.
| have just opened the little
secret drawer in my desk and
taken out that old picture of
Robert Dwinnell. / gazed at my
old ideal for a solid sixty seconds,
then deliberately, through the
very smile that had once thrilled
me, l tore that poor picture into
a thousand bits, and dumped the
remains into the waste basket.
For, oh, Robert Dwinnell, you
never, on any stage, made love as
wonderfully and tenderly as DR..
Maynard: and as for me, l, too,
know love, the sort I've dreamed
about all my life. at last.