Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-12-17

again, if your old job is still open to
you,
Are you, by any chance, still of
the mind not to be my wife,"
The crumpled figure in the chair
Strengthened a little. 1t tried to rise.
but sank down again. Its hands flut-
tered a bit. The girl looked up at
last.
But i couldn't marry you. 1t could
never be. I don't love you. I said.
You wouldn't want me-without! You
are playing with me-"
Not playing; very earnest. and
final. and definite" he assured her.
LAS I said, that is the new mystery
for you to be baffied by. AS my wife
you shall keep your money, more
money will be given you, perhaps, and
you shall, of course, share mine.
Now she gathered strength to stand.
She made a little move as IL to go up
to him, but faltered. Her lips moved
as if she were praying for words
words that would save her money,
save her dreams, save beauty and
luxury and pearls and diamonds and
priceless furs-save them and, at the
same time, save herself. But what
ever her prayers, she heard no echoes
of an answer. She turned to go out
the door Brandon, the torturing smile
playing, now. about his lips, watched
her silently. coolly. unmoved.
At the door she hesitated. stood for
a minute leaning against the case
ment looking down into the ribald
scene on the dance floor that blurred
into a whirling black pool with mon
sters swimming on the surface.
Suddenly the little body stiffened.
A bit of the brown came back into the
eyes. Something of the scarlet re-
turned to the quivering lips. She
swung around slowly and walked firm
ly back into the room until she stood
SO close to Brandon that her body was
almost against his.
81 want to keep my money, Fran
els" she said, her voice quavering
but soft and ineffably pleading. 81
couldn't do without it now. But
am very much in love with some one
else. Very much in love, Francis
And it's the kind of love you would
never understand. I don't understand
it myself. Nor does he-the man,
/ mean, that I'm in love with. You'll
he kind to me, won't you? You'll tell
me why the money was given me?
You'll tell me what I've done that's
wrong, so that i shall not do 1t again?
I'll be anything you say if may have
my money, the money that has made
life SO beautiful ~ with money and
my love-
Anything 1 say?"
Before his sudden thrusting back
at her those pleading words she
shrank as if he had struck her. Dazed
again, she heard him saying: You
| may have your love, my dear girl
1 would not interfere with that. It's
you l want, for reasons and purposes
of my own: not your love. / know
the one you mean; I know the man
n hoy no hat
| neither you nor he understands. Give
it. Let him have 1t. Take his in
return If YOU can win 1t. All of that
! shall be the bargain-a bargain of
| today,
THE morals of today, you know.
and the conventions are not what
they We're in the yesterday. You are
not the girl of yesterday, nor your
kind of love the sacrament that it
| used to be.
IT am asking you to be my wife
only. To give me yourself only! You
may give your love where you want
! 1t to be received and take whatever
pleases you in exchange. Surely you,
| who have played the game Of lure,
will not shrink before the flame your
very essence kindles!'
Deep colors came and went across
her face. She closed her eyes, then
opened them slowly, to quickly shut
them. For a moment she seemed
about to collapse again, but instantly
she recovered herself. When she
held her eyes open there was fire in
them.
You mean she said, that / marry
YOU but love some one else and invite
him to love me? That If l do that II
will be-quite all right, with you, my
lhusband2 And that if / d ~ this