The Washington times., 1924-02-14
Continued from Yesterday.

oh. I blame myselfs-it seems so
strange"
After long while they sat on
q drift OF leaves. He pulled the
crisp red bark in flakes from the
tree. The hills lay dreaming un-
der soft blue haze. A butterfly,
purple and orange. balanced on a
long steam Of grass. The deep,
fertile peace Of summer hummed
like q song In the quiet and the
color.
Sitting there like that reminded
her OF the Sundays when they
had driven down the highway
to their hill above the ocean and
she had felt the first tremendous
joy when he caught her In his
arms and kissed her.
Her eyes blinked. She wiped
them. He began to plead. ''You
think I've hurt you. Chickie? Do
you?
She wouldn't answer, but stole
her hand in his. He went on
with broken, inpulsive fierceness,
now beseeching, now defending.
".1t'S my fault-if you want to
call 1t that. But / went away
to avoid this. You know-bcinx
with you 90 much-alI day on
the river here-oh WE'LL"
But even so, Chickie, can't
see why you should seem so
broken? Why we should be going
back to undo It now. It swept
us. That's all there's to II. And
what's so wrong about It? That's
all because the world says 90.
You let II crush you. In your
heart you can't feel that it's
that wrong-can you? Won't you
say anything?"
II don't know what Il A. I
only know it's So"
o,SaT S1t ~, you O.: loved me then
"Oh don't-too much"
But you don't now
yes always-I can't take
"And still you're going to crv
about It. When I'm gone you'il
think hard things of me. Right
now. you'd give your life to undo
1t. would your"
''Oh yes!'
He leaned mute and worn
against the bank Then he said
quietly: Il didn't look at IL no.
CnicK!e, when met you on the
path last night, I had no thouRht
OF this. After we got into fhe
Doat ana drifted down there in
the dark I don't know what wild.
ness drove me. But alone there
anu you SO near and loving Won
an these months-oh welI-you
AnOW ali that. But I wouldn't
undo 1t-no-not a moment. ONLY
tn tnat you feel so. I can't stand
She said with a pitiful smile:
You want me to be glad, then?
1ou think should?"
c,,,N ,Mnat DO you mean by that.
Cnickie? Well, I do think III
Tnat.s what think. Why should
we let the blind thoughts OF
others put stain on a thing
that was strong and swept us
so-Well-me anyway-It's a kind
OF suicide to deny it. If we didn't
Iove-but we do, I can't see whv
a Few months should make such
a difference"
But are we sure, Barry? Once
you said that feelings change.
Suppose now-oh-
He caught her elbows. mo.
Chtckie-don't say it! Don't think
II. We only have an hour or
so. Then have to 60. It's ter.
rible to leave you like thisv'
Barry-just tell me-you're
sure you love me? You won't
change"
Il love you-why should I be
the one to changer"
"Oh-it always seems so. Espe-
cia1ly now-men always do"
He WINGED. That's cruel. No
Il won't be the one. feel
nearer-a thousand times-to you.
You must feel this-don't you?
Chickie, dear, II you felt certain
that I loved you more than any
thing In life and that I wouldn't
change, then would you be happy
again? You wouldn't look so?"
She winked her eyes that were
so gray, but all misted now. She
twined her hand in his. do you,
Barry? But only say It II it's So"
TITS so! Oh, come-I feel as
though killed you."
1T viii be terrible alone, Barry.
And Jonathan looking at me.
don't know how I'll stand that"
well. Chickie, you won't stand
1t II you begin to think we did
some crime-oh, you shame it
all"
"Oh, no-no-youTl write to
me?~ Every day? You won't be
long?"
Then he went over his plans;
then he said how the time would
drag; how he'd have her always
in his thought; how he'd like to
take her with him
And she listened, filling her
heart with his words, her mind
with his image; her eyes with the
pleasing tenderness Of his.
He took her face in his hands,
smoothed back her hair, staring
into her eyes. He said: you're
beautiful. I love you. More than
ever, Chickie-do you want me to
kiss your"
"Barry!" Crying again-she
wished she could lose herself in
this love Of his-oh, let 1t wrap
about her-shut her from her
thoughts. She held to him.
He put his cheek on hers as he
had that first night when they
drove to the beach. How it's
touch, 80 warm and firm, had
flushed her heart with startled
Joy!
He kissed her lips and the gen.
tleness pierced her so that she
trembled. He murmured against
them: Then love me, Chickie.
Don't blame me so. It won't be
long. Oh. soon"
like that again and again.
Then he was gone. Echoes Of
his steps crunching the leaves
echoes of his steps falling on her
heart.
CHAPTER XII,