The Washington times., 1924-04-08

deadening in his face. The
trembling Of his hands was ter
rible and put a deadly faintness
through her. He crossed his arms
to steady them about her. He
leaned down and whispered:
"Helen-is 1t true? You mean its
true? Those things are so?"
She nodded heavily. She saw a
cold, blush pallor all about his
mouth, beads standing on his fore
head. He said, unbeIieving: do
you mean this? Its true?"
She loosened his hands. It
seemed to her that she should
comfort him; that she should wipe
his face.
But he would not believe He
said, fighting for his voice. "You
can't know. You cant know what
she said You can't have done
those thingsw
She answered brokenly: II did
Il did them all"
A sound, that was a live thing
broken in its pain. shot from him.
He clapped his hands in spasm.
against his face. 2
Chickie stood there, white and
cold, while the thing seemed dy-
ing in the room, leaving 1t chill,
leaving 1t empty and dark.
He was moving to the door.
fumbling with the knob.
He turned and looked at her,
the youth and rapture gone from
his face. He said, incredulous,
"Oh, you! And with that
crushed, accusing look went out.
Chickie watched the door close
She went over and turned the
knob gently Then she leaned
against it, no moan on her lips,
no protest In her heart.
Only a terror-a numb. still,
terror.
She stood there, losing count
of time. Once she opened the
door, half expecting to find him
returned.
She sat all afternoon, with her
hands folded idly in her lap. A
new idea had come to her. She
said aloud many times. ITS not
myself-oh, now-now-"
And this seemed frightful to
her--this, that the consequences
of her deed were thrust upon 9th
ers. That Lee Whitman should
have q crushed, stricken look
because Of her and a thing she
had done months, even years,
before.
This thought came to her in a
terrifying aspect. She saw her
self a thing that could destroy,
that could viciously hurt She
Quailed, she said to herself. God
no-oh, don't"
She wished then to rush out
and speak to Willman--explain--
tell him-oh, that perhaps he
might understand-might see it
not as such CHASTITY thing.
She wondered where he was,
what he would do. And She kept
feeling his lips pressed against
her palm as he had knelt that
night telling her that love was
such a glory-with her 1t would
be all a dream.
She pictured the young willful
mouth Quickening as it did with
sudden smile, tightening in I'M
pulsive anger He had looked for
a thing exquisite in life; he had
found It in her. Now the dream
was gone.
Chfckie turned her face against
the chair. She began to pray in
an imploring, frantic desperation.
Now she imagined he would run
his car swiftly over a cliff; now
she saw him walking out into
the surf. Once he had said to
her. who would live unless there
were some purpose to it-some
hidden beauty-and we can do
our part to deepen it?"
Then he had laughed: "Helen,
as Barbara says, just living you
do yours
Oh, she should have told him
then. She should have measured
boldly to the test.
Now she was to blame. All
night lying awake. imagination
brought him before her. When
she slept she dreamed of Edith
Edith opened a door and Kissed,
"Murderessr'
She got up long before and
went out to buy a newspaper.
She searched it, half fainting with
suspense. 1t contained nothing.
But that evening Norp Willman
came to the boarding house. He
came to Chickie's door, saying