The Washington times., 1924-02-05
"Giving me the out, chickie?"

glancing toward him, noticed the
red mouth, pale and unsmiling.
His warm, magnetic hand COW
cred hers. II see, Chickie. You
won't listen to an old dog, will
you? Don't want me around at
all?"
I'm not making dates with
anyone"
"As bad as that? You're call
ing off Wednesday and Friday,
too?"
"Yes."
Forever. suppose?"
eyes"
He leaned down to her then,
black eyes hot, provoking. ''Well,
say it gently-draw tears. you
little onion! Say it without SO
much as a sign. That's affec-
tionate, my dearv' His breath
quickened, his face so near to
hers she could feel it like a flame.
The exultant voice sank to
husky murmur. "Chick1e, you
don't mean this? Let me speak"
She put her hands up between
them. He caught them, moving
his hot lips swiftly over their
palms. II will want you,
Chickie. / love you; oh, I'd give
the world. I've not said much
lately. wanted you to care.
Chickie-if you'd only put your
arms around me-just once-s
She closed her eyes, pushing
him with a little sob. mo!
Don't! Oh, I can't stand it!'
He sat back, rigid-white as
paper. He began to tumble with
the gears; his breath SO loud it
seemed tearing him. She was cut
to the heart; tears rushed into
her eyes. She hid her face.
Never mind, Chiclie." He
touched her hands gently. That's
all right. I shouldn't have done
that. 1 couldn't help it. The
way you look I thought you
liked me a little"
"I do! / like you a great deal.
Oh, I think you're fine. I
wouldn't hurt you for the world.
But you see-well-I didn't think
you'd say that now"
mo. I didn't mean to. II you
knew how 1 want you-how I'd
like to kiss you-how I've wanted
for all these months-and year
before that. Chickie-my dear"
He clenched his hands on the
wheel. After a while he said
quietly: You're not going to be
married?"
"oh, I don't think of such
things"
He smiled. That's good-a
boys love. Swift and hot.
think l want you to enough to
wait-Chickie-w till you come
back. viii you be glad to find
me here then? You rather like
me. Yes you do! You've let me
kiss you! I'll wait!'
She couldn't speak for the faint
heat that rose heavily above her.
She felt knife striking white
through her heart. Boys love-
swift and hot. Oh, was that true?
OF Barry? And she might some
day look across the valley and
find no sweet, strong mouth
pursed gaily, teasing to hers?
Oh-and a day when he would
be gone? A numb, faint terror
pulsed coldly through her veins.
She lay awake that night and
through the soft beauty Of her
dream there ran a hard. tight
thread of fear. She felt Barry's
fine hands holding her face, his
lips trembling when he said how
beautiful she was. She felt his
head lowering to hers, warm,
firm cheeks pressed against her
neck.
Oh-she would wind her arms
relentlessly about him-oh she
would bind him fast-she would
drop on her knees and plead.
Never again would he go. He
was hers-always.
She looked neither back to the
days when she painted for herself
such a rich, magnificent future
Princess Chickie garmented in
furs, riding in limousines, sailing
to Europe: nor forward to the
time when she would be grimly
called upon to skimp, to suffer,
to sacrifice. Her heart and all
her thought dwelt in this golden
ecstacy of the present. Only to
keep It so-and always.
She awakened in the middle OF
the night; found herself sitting
upright. trembling-a starkness
in her mind. She had dreamed
that she and Jake were standing
on a gray shore. 1t was raining
"a cruel wind blowing. Jake said:
"well, I told you, my dear-a
boy" She lay back shivering,
half crying.
wild with torment to see Barry
again; to hear him laugh warmly,
looking into her eyes, saying. "Ah
the pretty one-how j. love her"
Aching to have his glance going
down like a silver light to bless
her heart.
It was quite a while before she
spoke of it to him. Often now as
they rode in the evenings she
stole a glance to his wonderfully
set head. A little faint terror
throbbed through her because 1t
swept her so-just watching him.
Sometimes she reached her hand
to his neck, touching his cheek,
whispering: Barry, I'm dying all
for love. And you?"
"And you do that again, frail-
heaven knows what will happen.
They had paused at the crest Of
Twin Peaks; blue sky all a-pat-
tered with star dust, arching down
gently to the still, far-circling
beauty of the thousand purple
hills. In the swinging valleys, the
quiet homes wearing lights like
pale yellow jewels.
She said softly, ready either to
sing or to cry: "Barry-it seems
as though we're at the top of the
world all alone. And I love it.!
IF aQnn0 that don't nood mr.
want a thing but you. A little
while ago If any one told me I
would be willing to stand the hard
things-and oh-just want to
stand them, I would have jeered.
I would have run from that win
dow of yours yelling blue MUIR.