San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-07

been very indignant. But how could
Roslmund Starr know that while her
soft voice prattled on in pretty CONT
dences he was hearing another clearer,
Cayer voice? Or that, when she artlessly
Slipped one small hand into his to es-
tabIish a closer appeal, it was not her
hand but another firmer, more vital
hand he was holding.
So from widely differing motives they
spent a great deal of time together. And
because no matter how innocent an as
ISOLATION is. other associations not 50
innocent have gone before 1t, pe0pl"
talked. Eventually they more than
talked, and a poisonously insinuatinS
note went way down to where Dlcky
Starr was sweating away in white
drill suit and sun hat: and, after read
ing it, Dicky Starr went strangely pale
and quiet and ground it under his heel
like the poisonous thing it undoubtedly
was. Then started back north without
an instant's lelay, and during the long
hours of his journey he had plenty
of time for strange unwholesomc
thoughts to ravage his brain. by the
time he got back to the big hotel he
was in n sort Of still frenzy OF rage,
And of course it was the very worst
time he could have chosen 10 come
back.
Rosamund Starr and Rodney Thorne
we're in the little palm-shaded corner
where they had spent SO many delight
jul hours together when he arrived,
and perhaps because Dicky Starr had
been away an unusually long time, OF
because the music was unusually APP
pealing, or because Rodney Thorne
had been more than usually sym
pathetic, Rosamund Starr was moved
to tears by her own eloquence. Then,
quite naturally, she required shoulder
to cry upon comfortably, and Rodney
ThOrne being there - exactly And as
for Rodney, well, drying the tears OF
other mems wives is a dangerous pas
time. but what gallant gentleman
could do less? So altogether it was
very pretty tableau Dicky Starr
walked in upon. and, seeing his white
face and cleaning eyes, and knowing
her DicIy. Rosamund gave a faint
scream and Strengthened with a jerk.
"Dicky :" she begged, don't misun-
derstand it. 1t doesn't mean anything :"
She put out her hands imploringly.
And hearing those words it was as
il shutter. long closed, opened in
Rodney Thorne's brain. letting in a
flood of light and letting out the
things which had festered away in
that closed chamber. Eulalie on that
long distant day had said those same
words, and he had not believed But
now-now he did believe, knowing of
his own experience how harmless the
event WHICH could constitute such
damning appearances. And from his
own lips in confirmation came those
same words Sidney Chadwick had
used. al must explain" he said to the
waiting Dicliy Starr. and some accent
of sincerity in his tone held the other
man quiet, although little veins in his
temples stood out with, suppressed
fury.
"Sit down" added Rodney simply.
Its long story. l know how you
feel-I've been through the same thing
myself-and because l saw it through
a haze of my own suspicion and dis
trust. I've suffered untold agOnies.
| reedlcssly. I don't want you to 90
through that. It's better million
times to trust, even If that trust is
betrayed. than to doubt once where
faith should have been granted. And
unless tell you the whole story. you
won't believe that could not be guilty