Evening star., 1924-01-13


they raced along the roads. Evelyn
Grosvenor had not been beautiful
| then. Long and lanky would have
described her-slightly freckled, with
| narrow gray eyes.
| But to the boy who loved her she
had always been lovely.
II know I've hurt you, Tom," she
said at last: II know seem heart
| less. But I couldn't go through in
| my married life what I've gone
| through all these years as q girl.
Wed both be terribly unhappy. And
I don't want to be to blame for your
! unhappiness as we'll as my own"
| "No-of course not!' He gave a
| curt laugh. You mean I'm respon-
sible for 1t now. But this won't last,
| and the other would. This is just
| your PRIDE
He clipped short the sentence, his
| voice haggard as his eyes.
Pride, Ell? Well, suppose we let
| 1t go at that. Marriage, I dare say
! Is a question of economics, not
! ethics-to a woman. And you appear
| to be working out your problem sat-
! isfactorily. So we'll let mine go by
! the board"
| A slight sob came into her voice
| Her fine fingers interlaced nervously
| "At least, the man I'm going to
| marry is moro generous than you.
| told him I'd cared for you ever since
| we were children. He knows that in
giving you up I'm making a great
| sacrifice. We understand each other
| perfectly. He wants a wife who's
| decorative to lavish his money on
| and that's just what I'm giving him.
Tom, can't we go on being friends?
What's to prevent it:"
For answer he looked down at the
| slender hand. He looked up at the
| greenish eyes with moisture touch
| ing their lashes, with something that
| suggested visions in their depths.
! He looked from the halo OF gold down
| the entire ethereal length OF her to
| the tips Of her gray-slippered feet.
| that made no sound as she walk ed.
/ Stuff OF dreams-his dreams! And
she was going to marry Sam Part
ridgei
He picked up his cap-he had not
taken off his topcoat-and went to
the door.
TON, please don't go like that"
I'VE have nothing more to say
the book is closed. Yes"-he paused
! in the doorway-"there Is one thing
It might be we'll to remember-you
! can't build a new house out Of
wreckager
GAM was as fat al his fortune and
as fastidious as he was fat-that
is to say, he was quite willing to
pay for what he got, but demanded
that it fulfill to the limit all require
ments. They had met that summer
when he took one OF the show places
of the section Of Long Island which
had known the Crosby Grosvenors
for generations He had selected the
particular neighborhood for the ex-
act purpose he had achieved-the
acquisition Of q wife whose exquisite
artistocratic lines would balance the
fat ones Of his bank roll.
Evelyn Grosvenor left nothing to
be desired. Therefore, he systemati-
cally set about winning her. With
out the slightest pretense Of senti-
ment, he had allowed the silent elo-
quence of wealth to speak for him.
The wcrld began to whisper-to look
ouesuoningly at Tom. Only Tom
did not question.
More than once Evelyn wished he
would-it might have paved the way
for the break she knew was coming
And It had come. With no outward
emotion from him. JUST q hard. dry
gasp in every word, he spoke as Of
something beaten to death and
that hardening OF muScles-and ST.
lence.
Watching him from the window
now. her moist gaze followed the
car as it catapulted down the drive.
She could almost feel the grip Of his
hand on the wheel-that grasp which
could be tender or hard as iron,
forceful or sympathetic, but always
understanding. She sighed. Better
that she and Tom should part while
love was still a dream! For his sake,
as we'll As her own. she had chosen
the wisest course.
In a torrentia1 wave, tho vision Of
her life during the twenty-five years
of 1t swept over her. A. far back
as she could remember there had
been pickering behind aristocratic
portals. Mother, hard-lipped and
fne-lined, abused and explanatory;
constantly at each others throats.
and always about money-scrimpins
and starving in q way that was MOTH
ing short of vulgar.
Her father. too lazy to move when
he could escape It, had gone flabbily
to sleep in a frayed armchair and
remained there.
The lay following his death PesEy
Craven. the girl who in lesser degree
adored her as blindiy. as unuues-
tioningly as did Tom Hale, had looked
up into Evelyn's weeping eyes with
her longing dark ones.
you've got Tom, Envy, dear. He'll
be like some great stone wall be-
tween you and trouble. Somehow.
he makes you feel that any one he
cares for will mover be alone"
Toms desperately POOR" Evelyn
| had murmured.
But Of course he won't alway,
!, be-
what exquisite optimism!" Evelyn
had observed with . sigh.
III you love him, how can you
help believing in him7" was Peggy's
simple philosophy.
Poverty Is desperately sandy
foundation for stone walls" was tho
cryptic reply.
We'll. the pyramids are built on
sand, aren't they?"
She had been shocked at the de-