Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-03-08
CHAPTER XXXI

CHAPTER XXX1
TT WAS a family dinner and they
L did not stay late. At II. O'Clock
they were in the machine driving slowly
home. The summer night, with blue
sky alive with stars. was sweet with the
perfume of many flowers. 1t was very
duiet and peaceful and closely intimate,
and Granville. speaking suddenly.
turned the silence into little waves OF
sound.
"Shall we 20 for drive?''
The casual question made Laurel s
heart leap. How wonderful II would be
to drive on and on with him in the
moonlight, her head on his shoulder.
outward bound on the road Of adven-
ture! How wonderful it would be!
But she turned to him starry eyes,
eyes wide with the mystery OF the night,
and said casually, practically, indif-
fercntly:
III you like. but personally I would
rather go home. ] am tired.
"I merely suggested II because it Is
such a perfect night he returned
quickly, and they drove home in silence.
In the perfumed duskiness OF the large
entrance hall. Laurel felt again that
sense Of intimacy. They we're close 70 ,
! n little and caught her breath. And then
in n second she was in his arms.
She was held as though in q wise and
her first instinct was to struggle, inen
reason came to her. and with an EFFORT
of will she became absolutely listless in
his arms. It was not the limpncss oi
surrender, l. was the coldness OF mdit /
| ference. And with gently protesting
hands she put him away from her win
a little laugh. That laugh was finished
nerfect. It brought him to himself as
nothing else could have. He reached
for the light switch with a trembling
hand and the glowing circles OF Color
that the many lamps threw around inc
room disclosed Laurel. with sott srniie
still curving her lips and with one SIM
hand arranging the position OF the couu
that was thrust through her rudy halr'
The blood surged to his brain. but ne
fought il back. That way madness lay
What on earth was this emotion tnat
was surging through him anyway, thls
I.tempestuousness that threatened ths
ntter sanity and orderliness OF his life!
He bowed suddenly: 81 beg. your
pardon. it must have been the nlght'
he said lightly.
sveetIv. turning to leave him. And he
watched her go up the curving staircase
70 the gallery. TIe heard her high heels
tanning first on the polished floor, then
nnuffIed on the softness of the rugs, then
hoard her omen her door and shut II
and then silence.
He had a sudden impulse to run uI
tho stairs. throw open her door, and
to catch her in his arms again us ne
had held her here in the hall a rev
minutes ago. The thought made him
realize how he and Laurel had lived
and how utterly he had taken her foi
granted. He recalled little things aDou'
her that he had never appreciated
things that made her Laurel the woman
not fhe mother. not the mistress OF his
house hut inst his wife. The curve Of
her throat, that soft white place where
nor ruddv hair curved away from hel
necL in the back. the sudden, starry
hIne of her eyes when she was talking
and her mouth. that curved scarle
rnorth He closed his eyes and th'
Hood leaned in his veins. He had falleI
in love with Laurel, madly. foo!ishly
like any man not in his right senses
Gone was the orderlincss OF his life
forever, the regime OF othce. and nom
which he had built for himself am
which had always been so entirely satls
factory. his one iu'u was W ~ III ~
away from every one. away from all tn
cIamoring people who always sur
rnnnded her, from the servants, iron
The children. away with him alone. I'll
bad been blind, but he realized every
thing now. Looking back, he: coul
see Laurel us she had been when h
had first sought her out; she had care
for him then, and now she had changed
she was not the girl he had married, bu
the woman he had wanted her to be.
Upstairs Laurel stood against tn
door' breathing hard. The emotion tha
she had held SO perfectly in control ha
sscaned from her. Her senses weI
whirling. but out of the dizzy though,
that crowded her brain one. questio
stood out clear. Was Granville begin
n;nc N love her as she wanted to !
inyedP Was that il? Or had it simpl
heen propinquity, her indifference an
tbe snell of the glorious night?