San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-10-30
BY EIenore Meheyin
CONTINUED From Page 1, Part ~


She found tears on her eyes now,
relieving this scene. The murmured:
What is the matter with me! Why
should / cry?'
She sat on some steps and pressed
her cheek against their GOODNESS. She
was crying because her husband didn't
need her-because her son wa, no
longer an infant dependent for his
very sustenance on her. She cried be-
cause the absorbing sweetness of these
demands was over. And there was no
substitute to take their place.
But this she didn't know, though
she bereft.
II suppose I should return" she
thought modify. He'll wonder where
l am"
But she continued to gaze at the
hilltops-at the weird yellow lights of
automobiles flashing about Twin
Peaks continued to pour this mourn
full bitterness into her heart.
She walked homeward slowly, feel
ing a chill on her face. She thousit
of stealing through the hall and go.ns
to bed without speaking to him. Since
he had such imperious work to do
let him do itj
But he heard her first step and
turned to her laughing light of tri-
umph in his eyes. He had evidently
solved his problem. Come here, Nora
Lee Come here and kiss your lover"
She stood at the doorway, her
eyes filling. She would have said Bit
ingly: "Loverw But her lips trem-
bled and she glanced down swiftly at
her shaking hands.
He saw the childish tears and came
over, teasing: "What now, Norry?
Are you mad with me?"
She didn't want his arm about her.
She tainted herself with an accusing:
Lord, will l always weaken at the
touch of his hands,"
He said gently: "Were you crying?
Why?"
"Why! A night like this! And
you sitting there!''
Where did you want me? I
thought you only went into the garden.
Do you want to walk now? Listen
why didn't you say SO? / can't al
ways read your mind. I do, some-
times, don't II"
She let him WOO her. astonished at
the sudden vanishing of her bitterness
and the fears that had seemed so pierre
ing. She said regretfully. with lit
tie aching laugh: Its terrible the way
you bend me to your will"
JUST A CIPHER.
Because you count to yourself and
for yourself, but I'm nothing unless I
count to you or to the baby. When
you don't need me and he doesn't, I'm
just a cipher. That's the way it
seemed tonight"
A spark of exultance lighted his
eyes. But she said: II wish it was
otherwise. ] wish I had some great
work of my own. like yours is to you.
Then l wouldn't notice when you
ignored me-"
Haven't you a great work, Nora
Lee? At one year does your son no
longer need your
He could get along without me. He
doesn't need me the way he did. It
was satisfying then"
"Wcll-there's an easy answer to
that"
Her pulse raped swiftly. After a
breathless moment she said family:
"You mean / can have more children?"
''If you should want them"
1t always excited her even when
he spoke of children. She dreamed
of brother and sister for the little
Dane-perhaps even two brothers and
one sister. But she didn't wish them
mentioned. eve rr.or5 ---
At least not at present. The long
waiting was hard, arduous pain. And
now that she was lovely to look at
again-well, it wasn't too delightful
prospect to see her appearance
second time marred. Well-Dane Her
rick could tell her from now until the
crack Of doom that she was more
beautiful then-she knew that she
wasn't!
He said hurriendly. noting her hot
breathing: I'm satisfied, Nora Lee
perfectly. / only said what l thought
you might be thinking. want you to
rcst-to have all the good time you
can. You've earned it."
He kissed her and laughed. She was
no longer unhappy; no longer assailed
with visions of her young son plung-
ing to ruin. She laughed at that abb
surdity, saying whimsically: "Well,
after all Ida said l fancied 1 was a
failure as a mother and as a wife.
Quite awful, don't you think?"
He answered arrogantiy; Il won't
Iet Won fail MS eitherW