The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-11-13
CHAPTER XXlV
I'm Amazing Discovery.


Up to that moment Nancy had not
had time to think about what had
happened but now as she lived over
those few moments, she found herself
suddenly sitting bolt upright in her
chair, her cheeks flaming, her hands
clenched
What was the matter with her, was
she going mad?
She hated this man and despised him
more than she hated him. but at the
memory Of that moment in his arms
an unmistakable thrill swept over her
and her heart leaped in her breast.
she found herself deliberately living
that moment over again, calling up
before her his face as it had looked
Just before he had seized her. when
for an instant of time she had looked
into his eyes and had seen something
else besides mockery there
Nancy sat there at the window and
Quivered with shame. She looked over
in the big bed and tried to lash her.
self with the memory of what Bruce
Henderson had done to the child. She
knew that he was cruel unscrupulous,
without finer feelings Of any kind.
She knew the baseness of his reasons
for doing what he had tonight. He
knew that she hated and despised him,
tor she had told him so, and his one
idea had been to conquer her so thor
oughly that she would not remain in
the house another day The very ma.
ture of his kiss had been an affront
without the words he had flung at her:
Now will YOU go?''
She could hear the mockery in his
voice yet. But she could not hate that
moment as she should, even remember.
ing that final insult.
Other memories came up to torture
/ her further.
She had set herself up as a para.
gon Of virtue in her judgment of Alvin,
! she had thrown her hands up in horror
Mt what Alicia had said, and now she
herself was Just as guilty To be sure,
she had not wanted to be in Bruce
Henderson's arms. but the memory of
it did not offend her and she could not
hate him as she should.
Then if she didn't hate him. how
did she feel toward him? Nancy's
slim hands went up TO her heart as if
by main force TO stop its feversh
beating. She tried 10 remember how
she had felt toward Alvin, and she
knew that during all the time they
had been engaged he had never awak'
ened in her such turbulent feeling
as she suffered now.
Perhaps she had never really loved
Alvin! Alicia had taunted her with
/ that. Was love. then, this madness
that had taken hold of her? Oh, ii
couldn't be true! Love went hand in
hand with respect and honor, and she
had neither honor nor respect in her
/ heart for Bruce Henderson.
Nancy sat there crouched in her
chair for hours suffering as she had
never suffered before in her life. She
did not admit even to herself that she
| loved Bruce Henderson, il simply
wasn't possible. But that look in his
eyes remained with her torturingly II
| had softened the harshness of his fea'
lures To u moment of tenderness, that
had been instantly swallowed up by
| his habitual scowl. but she had seen
il and she could not forget it. When
she finally dragged herself out of the
chair and began wearily to get ready
for bed, she had succeeded in forcing
her thoughts back to TriX. Trix must
be protected, and whatever danger
threatened her must be fought against
Perhaps Miss Henderson would con
sent to her taking the child away for
a time. At any rate, she was deter
mined to have serious talk with
Miss Henderson the first thing in the
morning. She had been kept in the
dark long enough concerning the mys
terry that hung over This household
and 1t was time tha, she knew tho
truth.
Unth the time when she at last fel
into an. uneasy sleep. Nancy succeeded
In keeping her thoughts away from
Bruce Henderson. but u. dark men
ncing figure stalked through hei
dreams. man with fiery eyes and .
hooking mirthless laugh.
i'ru ne contnucdl