The Monmouth inquirer., 1923-07-26

Curtis, nobody is looking after your
clothes now"
Il signaled distress-heTl send to
the porter"
Zoe looked at her watch. 1t was
ten past six. Tom would be furious.
He hated to be kept waiting. And be
could be very nasty when he was an
noyed. She remembered once when
she had kept him waiting a quarter OF
an hour at a restaurant he had been
sulky all the. evening.
She looked at the man beside her
and she remembered his ~invariable
good humor, his. little tendernesses,
his unfailing courtesy. Were those
things unmanly? Did strength lie in
muscle and Drawn?
Curtis" she began, choking down
her emotion.
She hardly knew what she was go
ing to say, but at that moment they
heard sounds in the flat.
Curtis shouted and banged on the
door. The footsteps drew near. Cur
tbs explained their plight through the
door.
Find the handle-it's fallen
down"
The door opened and Zoe was free
to fly to her Tom.
"The old gentleman across the way
sent a message over" explained the
porter. VERY sorry, sir, the handle
must be seen to. Nasty accident.
Couldn't make out what was the mat
ter"
Zoe stood on the steps of the man
sions and looked uncertainty at the
Yan who had hailed a taxi for her.
Where shall I say?"
1.-THE Carlton. l was due at tea at
five. Curtis please come with me. /
II am a little upset"
The man obeyed and they drove in
silence to the Carlton. Neither seemed
to have any more to say, but each was
acutely aware of the presence of the
other, so that it was a relief when the
taxi stopped.
But Zoe caught hold of his arm
when he had paid the driver. Don't
leave me. I'll don't think my friend
will be here now"
"I.m awfully sorry" said the man.
'I'm not. l mean it doesn't much
matter" There was no sign of Tom.
But one of the attendants who knew
her came forward with a note. "a
gentleman left this for you, madam"
Zoe tore it open. The writing was
almost illegible with fury.
I do think this is the limit, | give
up a match to please you, and give
you tea, and I have cooled my heels
here for a good hour. You must learn,
Zoe, that you cannot make a doormat
of a man. At any rate, not me. II
you want a doormat, you'd better find
some other
Zoe thrust the note into her muff
and laughed gaily. Somehow her
spirits had un~accountably risen again.
Her eyes were soft and her voice was
dangerously seductive as she turned to
the man waiting her pleasure.
Curtis, I'm dying for some tea,
aren't you? I've got a little furnished
flat, Come back and-have some tea
with rue. Here's another tazi-quick.
| am she who must be obeyed,"
"Zoe, l can't. Can't you understand
what it means meeting you again?
I2you expect too much from a man"
But because of the look in her ayes
he followed her into the taxi. 1t sped
along Pail Mall and entered the gray
misty silence OF st. James Park.
The man was keeping a tight hold
over himself, and the woman was try
ing to find the right words. In the old
days he had always made love to her
Had she wounded him too bitterly?
Did heaven allow one to rectify mis-
takes in this world, or once made were
they
She couldn't help it. A sob got in
her throat and broke the silence. He
turned sharply and something was
glistening on her cheek,
"Zoe!"
Now the soft wet cheek was against
his once more, the dear warm body in
the arms that he thought would be
empty for the rest of his life.
And her voice somewhat smothered,
was babbling ~incoherentIy something
about wanting a doormat, the divorce
all a mistake, trying to pretend she
was happy without him. He held her
very, very tight to his heart and the
voice ceased.
Then after a long time it whispered
again.
Curtis we1l take the flat. Every
body will laugh at US, but we shall
laugh most of all in it. And"-the
voice was very low. but his ear was
near her ips-"wen use all the rooms
in it."
O~verzeaIous.