The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-02-25
CHAPTER LxxTv.

! 0AOAHCOe
Her room was gray, bleak. She
walked into it uncertainly-sat on
the bed.
And she was trembling. The
= veins along her throat and up
about her ears ran with fire.
Their heat whirled through her.
A long while she sat motionless
in this faint. over-powering weak
ness.
Suddenly his voice, like an
angry presence, struck across the
room: II can't stand 1t! That's all
we can't get by!' She sprang
to her feet, helding to the bed.
post.
And as she stood, there rushed
against her with q blasting stark.
ness. the things he had said.
More terrible now: more final
open hands beating her down.
Oh, shameful. Oh, stooped to
this! Incredible!
Two hours ago she had pulled
on her hat, jabbing the hatpin
into her scalp. Two hours ago
this had not happened. Oh, If It
could be two hours ago once
more
She crept to the window, raised
It softly, knelt there, her head
buried In her arms. And burned
on her eyes was the image Of
his face. Leaden white, accusing
-yes-ecornirg, hating.
Ended! He would never for
give this.
It crushed her: obliterated pride.
She was an AFFECT thing stealing
through q corridor, lettering at a
door. covering against the wall.
She saw herself so-only so.
And now, IL he had come to
the door and called her, If he had
reached down and touched her
hand. she wouldn't have stirred
wouldn't have met his eyes. No
go away-let him never see
her again. This feeling remain.
ed. And through the night each
time his image passed her thought
recoiled in shame. She dreaded
going down to the office-dreaded
the nearness Of his window.
That next day Il seemed to her
that everything drifted in a gray
mist, and she herself was cold,
utterly chilled. because the mist
had got into her veins and was
killing her.
She didn't look for him. Five
o'clock that afternoon she went
hurrying down Montgomery street,
and though 1t was a bright, vital
day, with sun and merry breeze
all about the buildings, she sped
onward, feeling herself driven,
voices at her ears.
She hated to go hoYne-into the
kitchen-talk with Jcnnie-meet
Jonathan's chuckle. She wished
to talk until she was lost in 4
desolation that had no end. Her
thought already dwelt there.
She kept walking. Suddenly. in
her imagination. he overlook her,
touched her hand, murmuring
breathlessly: "Chickie, what Of it:
don't care now. Wasn't so
worse! She hurried. half run.
ming, II only he might do a
thing like that.
Days Of this. She had no heart
to look from her window. no cour-
age even to raise her eyes. Once
she saw his shadow. The blood
swept with such wild heat to her
face that she caught her desk.
steadying herself.
Her life was wholly his.
She grew frightened, seeing
herself thus isolated. She struck
the fear from her mind. No
wait-tomorrow-
BY noon she was in a kind Of
panic, reluctant to leave the of.
fice-reluctant to brook the dis.
appointment that might be hers.
She waited till Janina was
gone. Then she went swiftly
through the alley to the restaur.
ant where they usual met. With
q shivering uncertainty she took
their table. She said to the
waitress with a bright smile:
I'll wait q WHILE"
So the waitress set places for
two.