San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-12-08

Have my thoughts been honorable
-honest?" gasped, staring at jim
while the studio living room of The
Birches seemed to spin around dir
lilly. rs TINT what you are asking
me?"
"Perhaps I should explain myself
Jim said in a tone of quiet courtesy,
adding with a formality which semeed
to put barrier of space between us,
Shall we sit down? We're likely 10
have a lot Of things to clear up, and
I, for one, vote that we fine tooth
comb this situation and make sure
what we want to do"
"Do?" 1 repeated, as / sank into
chair. What need is there for US
to do anything? 1 don't see that
there is any thought Of action-or any
call for it."
Perhaps not" Jim said quietly,
"but I'm not sure enough TO say off
hand. I'm not convinced. There may
be something to do. That remains TO
be seen. And I'm all for-seeing."
w L We
no idea what you're driving at"
"You seldom have" Jim said,
drily, =
1 started at him for moment.
Then. confused by the remoteness Of
of his gray eyes, i turned ny gaze
down to my hands folded in my lap.
The more Jim said the less idea / had
of what our talk was to be about.
Hastily reviewed the conditions that
had brought about this strange situa-
ton. A little while ago L received a
box of gorgeous red roses. with let
ter enclosed. The letter bore my ad-
dress in Ralph Lacy's writing. l had
opened it in. q sort of panic. which |
now regarded as premonition. And
the letter was utterly different from
anything Ralph had previously writ
ten to me-or spoken to me. 1t whim-
pered.
Almost before 1 had finished read
ing the letter had been called to the
telephone to receive a radio from
Ralph, asking me not to read it. When
/ returned from the telephone it was
to find Ralph's letter vanished. A
moment later Jim had come back from
confessed trip to the furnace to burn
the letter. He now claimed that Ralph
had cabled him also asking him to
keep me from reading it.
For Ralph to do such thing SEEM
ed entirely out of keeping with his
previous attitude toward Jim. For
me to doubt Jim seemed horrible. L
stirred and said with note of plain
tiveness l hated to hear in my voice:
Il want to put my flowers in
water"
go to it." Jim said. "I'll get my
thoughts marshalled in order while
you're tending to the roses"
| had half expected him to grab
the box and pitch the flowers out
Of the window. His inaction added
TO my uneasiness.
1t took two large vases to hold
all the gorgeous fragrance that had
been delivered to me. And when /
returned from cutting the stems under
water to make up TO the flowers for
the long time they had lain neglected
in their box, Jim sat quietly watch
ing me as arranged the vases, Then
he said thoughtfully:
RED roses. Lacy has never before
sent you red roses, has he? Tom
Mason did that once and you hated
it."
"Yes, hated it," 1 agreed reminis-
Gently.
do you hate having Ralph Lacy
order red roses for you?" Jim asked.
THAT'S different 1 answered.
"How-'different?"
tom Mason was an old friend
of yours-an avowed philanderer-
making a dead set at your wife, as
he probably did at every new face
"And Ralph Lacy is the man ]
have always-been afraid Of" Jim
said.
"Afraid-why?" 1 demanded.
Because, whether or not l was
willing to acknowledge it, / suppose
I recognized that he really-cared for
you-deeply."
afraid?" ] persisted.
deep has n way of calling to
deep" Jim said with poor attempt
at flippancy.
/ replied in kind:
"My one eve lamb! And you who
amused yourself with a procession oil
ladies. objected TO my one fine
friendship"
"Let's not cheaper real things by
trying to be-funny.r Jim said abrupt
ly. Il have always respected friend
ship" j.,
"You didn't respect my friend
ship with Ralph" / objected.
"In the abstract. yes--I did," jim
explained. But as n concrete fact
of existence l was the more afraid
of it because 1 know what a bis
thing an honest friendship can be.
How do you kuow!" / protested
"You haven't had any. You flirtet
shamelessly with Rosa Cordova anC