San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-12-09


hush. The night moving about one
sweet and lulling-an embrace.
Sandy went quickly down a loni
veranda. Music came TO her; tn
yearning native music. 1t ran int
her heart like a thing that walled
She walked more rapidly. An ode
sensation, as though she were lighted
filled her. She was moving along. all
her body ighted-a blazing torch.
She paused, leaning against a palm
-tlngling as though she had beer
running. She loosened her shawl and
very deliberately redraped it. She
though of Murillo. His image hung
like a dead weight in her thoughts.
They thought she was going back
to him. Her mother fancied this
They thought she was going back to
that house and be his wife again.
They thought she would walk with
quiet dignity back TO that shame and
bondage.
And that would be right. 1t would
be the noble thing to do. 1t was her
duty.
She must accept il without protest
bow to her cross. At 20 she must
be willing TO turn her back on every
light, happy thing. She must 90
down long, sodden years with a man
who filled her with aversion and
panic. She must do this because he
was her husband.
She never should have married him.
1t was n mistake-a CHASTITY error.
Why must her whole life be committed
to that one false move?
She must never know the beauty of
great love-never know the dearness
OF child.
She must be willing to die - put
her head on the block and smile
kneel there smiling.
The whirl of her thoughts weak
ened her. She now stood on the
beach. afire in every nerve. She look
ed out over the lighted waters. Tears
were rushing to her eyes. Her mother
her own mother would quietly
push her back to ito him.
She would never go-neveri
She flung her head back; a mad
ness and longing and overpowerins
ache filled her. She put up her hands,
brushed away the tears.
Her hand was caught swiftly in the
brown, sinewy hand of Ramon Worth.
Are you contemplating suicide girl:"
Perhaps, :"
well. you act like it. I've been
following you"
NO. You shouldn't do that
That's my business in life-doing
what / shouldn't. You had an ap-
pointment with me. You promised to
drive"
Sandy glanced at the lazy. teasing
mouth. His eyes were fixed intently
on her. She felt their power. They
were brown, sunny eyes. She felt
like laughing when she looked into
them. She felt glad-but tonight she
kept her head averted.
I'm driving you to the Pail, Mrs.
Sandy"
She laughed. ~All right" She
was excited and sat rather stiffly up
right.
He drove slowly up the long. wide
road. They parked. Dozens Of ma
chimes were here and there about. just
as they had often been on the beach at
Santa Barbara.
Now they were at the summit. To
their left, sheer and magnificent, tow
cred the vast, mighty cliffs - the sub
lime. barren mountains. The moon
was a crescent - perfect emerald
crescent in a setting Of luminous
clouds. The light went down from
these and floated on the distant
water.
Ramon Worth took Sandy's hand.
Make yourself comfortable. dear"
Don't be so impudent.'
THAT'S only my friendly way
What made you walk in such
fever%
You imagined it,
~But I'm not imagining these. an
/" He lowered his face until his
eyes were directly on hers. Then
he raised his hand and wiped the
tears. am not imagining these,
am Il?
She felt the warmth in his sunny
eyes and turned her head abruptly.
afraid of her own desperation - the
wildness in her thoughts. She could
turn to him-to anyone.
CONTINUED Tomorrow