The Washington times., 1924-02-23


rising in such multitudinous waves
covering her.
Then he-coming-seizing her
arm, hurrying her down the cor
ridor, rasping in a low. furious
scorn: what do you mean! What
do you mean by this-cOming
here"
She felt herself rushed along in
a whitening tumult, her mind go.
ing blind. She struggled. She
wrenched from him, throwing back
her head, saying In a strained,
frightened tone: stop! only
camel camel wanted"
He dropped her arm then. say
Ing in a thick, hot voice: Lord,
stoop to this! Come down to SOY
on me" He wiped his fore.
head, scorn blazing anew over his
face: what do you mean doing
thisv'
She leaned against the wall-ab-
ject and mute-beating about
frantically for some defense. mo
Il came-I wanted to see
YOU"
"Oh-come on-get out of here
want Tufts to come along"
The elevator whizzing up the
shaft stopped abruptly. A little
man, operating It, poked out q
.rolly head. his eyes bright, crinkl.
ing: He said: "Going down, Mr..
Dunne?" Barry nodded. helped
her into the car. And she smiled
vaguely--all these details flashing
with grotesQue unreality on her
thought.
AS she stepped from the eleva-
tor and he held her arm, a warm,
overpowering weakness charged
over her, bowed her down. She
wanted to lower her head-cover
1t with her arms-run wildly.
She said: Let me go! Don't hold
me! Oh. you will say, let me
go"
But he led her to the machine,
opened the door.
She shook her head: Mo-
won't"
IN take you home-get in"
He looked about uneasily, pushed
her.
She sank in the concentrating
up as little room as possible,
turning her head from him.
He drove. She wondered in q
remote way where they were 60
ing-what he would say. She
looked over the side of the car
and in a frantic, wild self-pity
fancied herself under its wheels.
Easy-that would be easy
They were going up hill rough
with cobblestones and on. She
could see the water and a million
lights, all yellow sparkling on the
shore across the bay. And they
went to the end Of the street
where a little plateau hung just
above the quarry like a shelf
stuck out between the quiet, vast
eternity of sea and sky.
He glanced at her and waited.
She looked upward. The clouds
were massey, black, flung out
across the heavens as though
some giant artist made the scene.
Then the clouds, like some males.
tic curtain, parted and in their
rift was a luminous amber and
the green Of waters, pale but
lighted. The beauty smote her
sent a melting through her heart
And she was crying. But she
wished him not to know.
Finally he said: "Why did you
do this?"
"I don't know-you see"
You didn't believe me! You
thought l went to that dinner
Lord, can't believe you'd stooT
to this"
"No-I didn't! I wanted to see
you. I thought you'd be finished
We could take a ride" Now
that her voice was found, that II
came tremulous and eager. she
looked to him-"Oh, you see,
never thought you'd take 1t So
you frightened me"
Her defense covered, turned
faint before the coldness; the
scathing in his soaring eyes
Lord! Add lies to it!'
It struck her sharp like q
sword; like lightning splitting her
mind. She snapped the door OF
the car, went to dash out. He
pulled her back. She flashed in
a frenzy: Let go! You let me go
I will" She had a wild idea tC
rush to the edge of the cliff, hurI
herself over. His arm bound her
She tried to beat 1t off: II will
You let me go. l don't care
He said stonily: Don't get ex
cited. You can go home II you
want. We can start now. It's
up to you-'
She hunched down, covering heI
face with her hands: you're
cruel. Oh SOL did it! Yes!
don't know why. was wilt
Everything. Frightened. Oh
now you're hating me-you lool
so. I wouldn't do this to you
No matter what you did! No
Let me go. You can't stop me
Ho-hold mo here! How long,
When you're gone I can come
back alone-anywhere
She grew shrill, incoherent. And
suddenly turned her head against
the seat. terrible little moan.
rushing to her lips.
He put his arm about her: "Wel
this won't do any good. NJ
use now. Don't cry about 1t
Why-well, it doesn't matter.
don't care. never thought you'd
do thing like that-why should
you? I've tried to be square
haven't II"
His words drummed down to
her across a century Of pain. 81
don't know how you could
I've never lied to you. But you'd
come sneaking down there"
"Oh don't"
"Well-you did, anyway. Tufts
saw 1t! It's shameful"
She put his arm from her. And
now calm that was heavier and
more unsupportable than frenzy
came like weight. 1t was u still
thing, yet 1t throbbed and had
voices. She listened to 1t and to
him.