The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-12-20

ridge was not llrlips now. lorccs far
greater than she had ever known
We're hrealenlng ihe shallow waters
OF her Ire. and she might web be
troubled and afraid.
she Is not his wife any more
Warren Gregory said. half aloud. as
he turned back to his ear. IRON
now Oh she belonss TO mel She shall
be- mines'
From that DAY on bright under
current made bearable the trying mo
motony OF her life. Rachael dld not
at once recognize the rapid change
that began 70 take place IN her own
feelings, but she Jld rraliEc that War
rem Gregory's attitude had altered
everything In her world. lie was
nirting. Of course. he MAS only half In
earnest, but II Was such delicious
flirting, u was a halfearnestness so
wonderfully satisfying and sweet
She did not see him every day.
sometimes she did not sre Nm for
two or three days. but no "a hours
went by without . message from him.
A day or two AFTER the troubled sun.
day on which he bad driven her home
she stood silent moment. Ia the
lower hall. one hand resting on the
little box OF damp. delicious Frccsla
lilles. the fingers Of the other twist
| ms his card The little MESA sc
scrubbed on the card meant moth.
ing 10 other eyes. Just The two
words Good morning" but In some
subtle way they signlned to her a
morning IN q wider sense. dawnlng
OF love and Joy and peace 10 her
lfe. The next day they mei-and
how wonderful these casual meetings
among . hundred gay. unsceiug FOLK
bad suddenly become'-and On the
following day he came 10 tea with
her. . little hour whose dramatic
and emotional beauty was enhanced
rather than spoiled for them both
when Clarence and Bllly aud some
friends came in 10 end II.
! on Thursday the Doctors man de-
lyered into Mrs. Breckenridge hand
package which praEcd 20 be q III
tie book on Browning Of which he
bad spoken TO her. on the ny Leaf
was written in the donors smai. nne
handwritirg <. n. from O. The way
was Caponsacchi." Rachael put the
book on her bedside table. and wore
June colors all day for the giycr's
sake. Greg. she thought with nut
tering heart. was certainly taking
things with rather a high hand.
Could II be possible. could II be pos
siblc. that be cared for q woman as
last. and was she. Rachael Brrckcn.
ridge. neglected wife. a pcnniless
dependent upon an unloslnx hns-
band. that woman7
Half-forgotten emotions OF girlhood
began TO stir within her. she flushed.
smiled. sighed az her own thoughts.
she dreamed. and came bewildercd
out OF her dreams. like a child. what
Clarence did. what Carol did. mat.
tered no longer. she. Rachael. again
had the center Of tho Stage.
Weeks aew BY. The question OF
summer plans arose: the Nillalongas
wanted all the Brecksnridges In their
Canadian camp for as much as pos
sable OF July and August Clarence
regarded the project with the embit
tered eye OF utter boredom. Billy was
far from enthusiastic, Rachael made
no comInent She stood. like a diver.
ready for the chilling plunge from
which she might never rise. yet. after
which, there was one glorious chance:
she might find herself swimming
strongly to freedom. The sunny, safe
meadows and the warm. blue sky
we're there In sight. there was only
that dark and menaeing stretch Of
waters to breast. that black. smother
ing descent to endure.
Now was the time. The pretense
ths' was her married life must end,
she must be free. In her thought she
vent no further. Rachael outwardly
was no better than the other women
81 her world. inwardly there was In
her nature an instructive nicencss. q
hatred for what was coarse or base
For years the bond between her and
Clarence Breckenridge had been only
an empty word. But II was there.
none the less. and before she could
~ arg new plan into definite form. |
even In her own heart. It must DO
bf. len.
Many Of the women she knew |
would not haze been so fine. For |
mere than one OF them no tie was
sacred, and no principle as strong as |
their own desire for pleasure. But /
she was different, as all the world |
should see. No carefully chaperoned /
girl could be more carefully guarded
than Rachael would be guarded BY /
herself until that time--thc thought |
Of IL put her senses to utter roui-
until such time as she might put her
hand boldly in Gregory's. aud take
her place honorably By his side.
The taste Of freedom already began
10 intoxicate her even while she still
went about Clarence's house. borel
his moods In silence. and impaired TO
Billy that half.seornful. half hpmor.
GUS advice that alone seemed to pen.
citrate the younger woman's shell Of
utter peryersity. Mrs. breckenridge,
AZ usual followed by admiring aud
envlous and curious eyes. walked In
a world Of her own, entirely obliylous
u The persons and events about her.
wrapped In a breatblesa dream too
ezquisitely bright to be real.
IL was a dream stu SO simple and
vague that she was not conscious Of
wishing for Warren Gregorys pres.
ence. or Of being much happier when
they were together than whep she
was deliclously alone with her
thoughts Of him.
81
About month after the Whitaker
lea Rachael found herself seated In
the tile. foored tea room at the coun.
Try club with Florence. There had
been others In the group. ,heoret
Ieally for tea. but thea.. r-ere goat