Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-08-19
DRIFTING
CHAPTER 81

almost anything" I repeated.
my ideal is a quiet life, with only
n few real friends, with time to read,
time to think, time to relax-this
mad rush isn't living"
WINS ideal and yours are still
two different things" Colin said.
wait, Connie-he'n come around
TO your view in time. perhaps. Per-
haps you'n come around to his"
Perhaps" 1 answered. But
Wins is wrong. and mine is right.
He is running his health, wasting his
time, getting nowhere
zones own point of view is al
ways right" Colin observed.
Now you are sarcastic, and not
hice to me-" 1 answered r~eproach-
FULLY. But 1 can't blame you, I've
been a nuisance to you" /
"And a blessing" he said and held
but his hand.
I tool it, and we stood hand in
hand for a moment, while we looked
1t each other.
your point Of view agrees with
mine, at least" I remarked, as he
dropped. my hand.
He nodded, hunting for another
cigarette.
That's six since you've been
here" I said. isn't that a lot?
You look badly, Colin. What is it?
And why am 1 a blessing" q
You're a blessing because you
and your troubles keep me from
brooding over my own" he answer
ed, walking to the fireplace.
What troubles? You haven't any
family, and you have more money
than you need. Is it the girl you
like so much?"
calin Spai1a1 OF mr. q 1tt1n UiSf-
fully.
Yes, in a way. You see, before
she married, 1 asked her please to
write to me now and then just so l
would not lose all track of her. Her
husband, who is a fine chap and
who knew perfectly well l was in
love with her and always had been,
knew that too, and told me l was
foolish. He said the best thing al
ways is to get away and forget-and
he was quite right. But you see, 1
can advise you to be strong and in
dependent, and 1 cannot be so my
self.
"She promised to write, and she
did, and does still, though only at
long, irregular intervals. When l
don't hear for many months I'm apt
20 get the blues, wondering if any
thing has happened to her. When
I do hear, 1 get the blues, because
her letter brings things up again"
I'm so sorry" 1 went up to him
and put my hand on his arm. Have
you heard?"
mo, but probably I shall
IT'S been six months since the last
letter, so one must come along soon.
I'm too sentimental tonight, Connie.
The result of your affair, your fire.
light and the fact that l had no tea
today. L worked all afternoon"
Better come with me, and I'll
keep you cheered up. I'm dining
with my aunt, so I can take you
along for dinner. It's not a party.
Then we are going to the last act
of some play-I don't know which,
some silly revue-then to a dance at
the Marsdens, with all the social
lights out for it, and then"
"Great heavens, you're already up
TO 2 A. M"
mo, only about one. Then a few
of us are going down to a funny
little restaurant where they have a
magician-sounds awful, but he's
really remarkable, they say. He tells
you your name at once, and who
you are in love whit makes most
awful mix-ups with some of the par
ties hat go down. Billy Trevor
threatened to divorce his wife when
they went, because the man named
someone Billy was already jealous
Of"
connie, what rot! You're get
ting as bad as the rest of them"
IT know, but one has to do some
thing, and this sounds amusing.
The man is Russian. and they say is
a Nihilist and has second sight as
WELL"
what an awful combination!"
HE isn't always right though. He
told one chap he was in love with
some woman and gave her name,
and it happened to be the chaps
W grandmother, who died when
he was a year old"
Enough! You're chattering
worse than the silliest society butter
fly of the season. I'll go home and
dress, and come for you in less than