The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1922-07-07

A6A~
Pacing Up and Down Her Room, LIE
tie Fists clenehed, Her Soul in Pas
sionate Turmoil.
turmoil. Beatrice went over it all again
as she had done through a sleepless
night. She had given him so much,
and he had seemed to give her even
more. Hours filed with a keen-edged
delight jumped to her memory, hours
that had carried her away from the
falseness of social fribble to clean,
w~ind-swept, open spaces of the mind.
And after this-after he had tacitly
recognized her claim on him-he had
insulted her before her friends by de-
serting his guests to 60 off with this
hussy he had been spending weeks to
search for.
Not for a moment did she admit,
perhaps she did not know, that an in
sane jealousy was flooding her being,
that her indignation was based or per-
sOnal as well as moral grounds. Some
thing primitive stirred her-a flare Of
feminine ferocity. She felt hot to the
touch, an active volcano ready for
eruption. If only she could get q
chance to strike back in a way that
would hurt, to wound him as deeply as
he had her!
Pat to her desire came the Oppor-
tunity. Clay's card was brought in
to her by Jenkins.
Tell Mr.. Lindsay I'll see him in a
few minutes" she told the man.
The few minutes stretched to a long
quarter of an hour before she descend
ed. AS soon as his eyes fell on her,
Clay knew that this pale, slim girl in
the close-ftting gown "a a stranger
to him. Her eyes, s~tar-bright and burn
ing like live Goals, warned him that
the friend whose youth had run out so
eagerly to meet his was hidden deep
In her today.
II reckon / owe you and Mr.. Whit
ford an apology" he said. mo need
to tell you how I happened to leave
last night. ! expect you know"
why take the trouble7 / think /
understand" She spoke in an even,
schOoled voice that set him at q dis
lance. "Your friend, Mr.. Green, has
carefully brought me the details /
didn't know"
Clay flushed. Her clear voice carried
an edge of corn. "You mustn't judge
by appearances. / know you wouldn't
be unfair. l had to take her home and
lock after her"
Il don't quite see ~why-unless, of
course, you wanted to-" the girl an
swered, tapping the arm of her chair
impatient fnger-tips, eyes on the
clock. But, of course, 1t isn't neces-
sary l should see."
Her cavalier treatment of him did
not affect the gentle imperturbability
Of the westerner.
Because I'm a white man, because
a little girl who came from my
country and can't hold her own here,
because she was sick and chilled and
starving. Do you see now?"
mo, but it doesn't matter. I'm not
he keeper of your conscience, Mr..
lindsay" she countered with hard
ightness.
you're judging me just the same.
+ you'd let me bring her here to see
,ou-"
"No, thanks"
you're unjust"
"You think SOP
"And unkind. That's not like the
friend I've come to-like SO
you're kind enough for two, Mr.. |
lindsay. She really doesn't need an
'ther friend so long as she has you" E
he retorted with a flash of cOntemptu. ,
us eyes. "In New York we're net
Ised to being $ kind to people of her
~
Cay lifted a hand. stop right
Miss Beatrice. You don't want
o say anything you'H be sorry for"
III say this" she cut back. "The
zen | know wouldn't invite a wona
0 their rooms at midnight and pass
er eft rs their sfster-and then
people to know her. They would
e kinder to themselves-and to their
WI regulations"
will you tell me what else there
'as to do? Where could ! have taken
er at that time of night? Are repu-
able hotels open at midnight to lone
wet and ragged, who. come
r NEGE MrM E-lElf+LL