New Britain herald., 1922-06-01

look at ME that way"
Suddenly, before she could stir Il
escape, he caught her to him ant
held her fast.
Linda, sweetheart! don't be angry
with me. I've tried 80 hard to be good
enough for you. And you---you'vt
, loved me. too! Don't let this rotter
accident spoil everything for us i
you love me--and you know ] love
you-what does anything matter
: What II we are both married? What
difference need that make? Love cal
still be sweet -"
She made no show OF opposition
only drew back her head to cheat
his lips: but when she tried to brave
his eyes. thinking to. read therein
his heart and mind, she WINGED from
recognition OF the hunger that in
formed them, hunger that she wit
tingly had whetted. hunger such az
she herself had too often known OF
late, like warm wine running in
ones veins
But always ere now she had forti-
fed and shriven her conscience with
the belief that they were of one
mind. it must and would be. Reno
first
Now Reno no longer held forth
any promise OF salvation, of the
laws sanction, the church's counte-
nance. Today and henceforward it
must be all for love or nothing
~" break final and irrepar-
able
And for all the shock she had suf-
fered, for all the wrong Lynn had
done and the pain Of which his i'll
faith had been the cause, the love
she had given the man still was
dear, dangerously sweet and disarm-
ing. Already she was aware of
anxiety to grasp at excuses for him.
to comfort the ache in her heart
with the thought that she was ac-
cording charity to a dear transgres-
sor already she felt her strength to
resist being Slapped, flesh and spirit
succumbing anew to the spell he
knew too we'll how to weave.
! The scales hung long in trembling
They turned only when Summerlad
unwisely, losing patience, sought to
take by storm the lips she had not
yet made up her mind to surrender,
and thus aroused resistance till then
dormant.
With an ease that in a queer, de-
| tached way she found surprising
she managed to break his embrace.
Nevertheless the effort left her faint.
She faltered to the fireplace and
rested a hand on the mantel, her
forehead upon the hand Lynn fol-
lowed, stood by her side. Over and
over he murmured gently: LINDA.
Linda, Linda =" Shaking from
head to foot she made feeble sign
of appeal. He disregarded this en-
tirely, his arms again stole round
her and would have drawn her to
him but that of a sudden, her mind
caught at a straw Of memory, she
drew away, with a hand upon his
bosom put him firmly from her, eyes
that were melting none the less
denying him. lips that were a-auiver
with Yes" resolutely pronouncing
mo-"
You are cruek ."
mo, Lynn. Wait Tell me some
thing You say she-your wife
agreed to divorce you?"
Il made her promise Summerlad
asserted grfmly.
when was that? The day she
disappeared? The day 1 found her
lying senseess in her room?"
II suppose so. Well, then-yes. !
did you have much of a scene?"
'Ill say 81 it was some stormy
young session"
"1s that why you found it neces-
sary to strike herr"
sumerlad started What! Strike
her. What do you mean?"
But his eyes WINGED from her
importunate regard.
"She-Nelly had bruise on her
cheek, that afternoon; and it wasn't
an old bruise. Lynn you struck her!"
Perhaps. Maybe I did forget my
self ! don't remember. What If
did? She asked for it. didn't she |
Id have half killed her If she'd
stuck to her refusal to go back
east"
Realizing that his tongue was
again running away with his discre
ton, he curbed 1t sharply.
She started back in repulsion, but
he overlook her in the middle of the
room and again crushed her to him.
Linda, Linda! what do these
things matter? l love you, dearest,
you love me. nothing else matters.
For Gods sake be kind to me! let's
forget"
The fury of her antagonism found
him unprepared. Once more his
arms were empty. And this time
when he started in pursuit, some
thing he couldn't see struck him
brutality in the chest and threw him
a heavy, crashing noise he couldn't
account for An inhuman sound. 1t
shook the room, beat deafeninglyi
upon ones ears. AS If someone had
overturned a heavy piece of furni-
ture Only no one had. Certainly he
hadn't, certainly Lucinda hadn't. She I
was flattened against the farther ;
WALL watching him with face of
horror, hlanched and gaping.
Enraged, he put forth all his ]
strength to recover from that mex {
plicable blow. And instantly it was
re peated. And again. Each time ac- E
by that savage, crashing
noise. Like thunder cut off short. |
And each time he reeled under the /
impact, and sickening pains shot !
- D, u,er'& TIL D,4:o