Evening star., 1923-03-26

him for friendship - understanding.
put to Sangree it seemed that per-
haps she feared the physical tokens
| or sympathy which he might offer In
response to any decentralization of dis
I treas, or else that she had no further
capacity for tears.
/ David Sangree was silent for long
| moment. Cherry had sunk with a
gasp into her chair, and sat, with her
chin in her hands. gazing into tho
blaze. as though her mind in it's OBJ
security still struggled toward warmth
toward light She hardly seemed TO
be aware of him. standing by the ta
Bile behind her. his arms folded. his
; brows bent. while he struggled with
her problems. Her confession had
stirred him deeply. If absolution was
| what she wanted he would give IL to
| her.
He took two or three PAGES away.
thinking deeply, and then turned. one
hand on the back Of her chair, follow
! ing her gaze into the fire
'Of course, it's all very terrible.
| You don't love John Chichester You
| can't marry him-thats out of the
| question:" His voice sank a note.
the deeper In its vibrations. 1T isn't
your body only that you'd sell, Cherry,
/ but your immortal soul. Nobody has
| a right to dispose Of that, not your
| mother-not even you"
He heard the quick intake of her
| breath as she leaned back in her
! SIldlE, dr. ubH ri weight Ikdu DFCil
! taken from her shoulders, but she
! said nothing and he spoke again, even
| more delibe rately.
I'd rather see you dead than mar
| ried to Chichester" he added.
! She turned her head to look at him,
! but he went on, as though thinking
aloud.
! Tin glad that you don't care for
| him. That would be bad enough. But
| to marry him just to save situation
| or to bring the luxuries which mig
! fortunte denies you-that would be
abominabie. May l speak plainly? To
/ me there's no very wide distinction
/ between the woman who solves the
! problem of poverty by signing a mar
! riage contract and the other woman"
= he paused for moment - who
! doesn't sign anything"
/ Cherry moved uneasily. Il was
! what Bruce Cowan had meant But
the phrases had deeper significance
/ from the lips Of David Sangree.
Il don't know just what to say TO
| YOU" he went on. "exCept-er-that
! I've always had faith enough to be-
lieve that you would do nothing So
er-unintelligent az that. SO. If I'm
shocked at what has happened to you
! at home. I'm not surprised at your
horror of the consequences Of such
marriage You're quite right. You
have your own life to live. No mat
ter how much you owe your mother
your father eYen-you do not owe
them as much as that
He paused for moment and then
said slowly:
Il don't know that you've-er-
given me the right to question you.
but it seems rather important-er-
do you care for any one else
She turned her head toward him
but he did not look at her.
| Why, no, Rameses." she said.
quietly. why do you ask?'
"Because-I thought perhaps-er-
"Dicky, Why did you think e
him.
"Oh, I just thought-it's none OF my
business, Of course = but he has
money, hasn't he?"
She smiled at his awkwardness ana
then settled back in her chair.
Yes, perhaps" she said, with 4
shrug. but If l were marrying for
money. 1 might we'll marry the
most money Raneses. mightn't r. +
don't want to marry anybody" She
made petulant gesture. Cant you
see? Least OF all because I have TO,
Sangee fell silent. He was think
Ing Of Bruce Cowan, but he did not
speak his name. Perhaps he feared To
drop this bombshell into the midst OF
a. situation which was already trou
blous enough. But her last phrases
seemed for the present to answer
him. He had paused. with one elbow
on the mantelshef, and seemed to be
cropping, with difficulty, for words.
Its pity. Cherry-your position.
I mean. You were meant for early
marriage. l think-all the girls %
your set are. Every year a whole
flock of You comes-like (snall L
say y2)-like sheep upon the market.
If you aren't disposed of-engaged.
it's called-wfthin a reasonable time.
you are a failure You see, mar
brought up TO seek-without know
ing about anything eXcept-er-the
thes-bride desmaids. Lombroso, you
know. says that women were meant
to be the parasites Of men. l don't
agree with him. Nietzsche too. But
I've never been able TO think OF you
as a parasite, Cherry"
And yet that's what I am" she
said That's what I've been trained
TO be. Curious I've never thought
OF it before"
He grinned at her cheerfully.
You didn't have TO think of it All
your thinking was done for you"
And then with frown. But that's
what makes your situation so cruel I"
But I can't blame Muzzy for that
She only did as other mothers do"
She shrugged in depreciation. II was
to make brilliant marriage. l might
have married somebody with money
in the course OF time. I might have
drifted into It. l would have had
something to offer in exchange
money Of my own-to help pay my
way. But don't you see how inpos-
sible the thing is now l have moth
ing-less than nothing. Debts
of honor. Somebody must pay those.
But can't marry-make myself what
you think Id be-for that. can't
sell myself to John Chichester-or TO
anybody"
David Sangree went to the table
and took up his piper
! You don't mind If ! smoke"
- mo. please do"
, The question and answer seemed
. to put him on d surer footing of his
! old relationship TO her--to eliminate
j. the possibilities of the merely senti-
. mental. and TO place him definitely
in the role of guide, philosopher and
friend.
He filled his pipe slowly and then
sat In the chair upon the opposite
side of the fire.
, Let's face the situation honestly >
seems to fall upon you. There's a
way out There always is, If you've
got the courage"
1T will do anything-anything, she
: gasped.
Then you've got to play the game
, What do you mean. exactly?"
The greatest game in the world
the greater when the odds are against
you. The game-Life You're just
beginning to know what 1t means
1T frightens me a little"
TT needn't The odds are not too
great. II you'll let me help"
You" She started forward in her
chair. staring at him In incompre-
sangree lighted his pipe, putting
slowi.>~
Yes. can help you. You know.