Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1925-06-18
CHAPTER IX-Continued

He said, "You forgetP He was in a
towering anger
mo, / DON'T" Brena replied quietly.
"'You bought me-"
She picked up novel, read its title
and dropped it suddenly, as she said,
eyes, you bought me-the bargain of
giving me life for growth and in re-
turn / was to be your companion. You
asked for no more than that and to
have me help you come back to some
sweetness of spirit for which you
Ionged. Well, I've given you nothing
more than you bought. And nothing
less For I've tried"
He looked up quickly, turned his ear
toward her and then, having listened,
stared at the ceiling.
II was wrong" he said "a british
moment. / only meant that there Is
something, of course-my nerves, no
doubt--a decay"
ut would be unfair for me not to
say MORE" said Brena.
He folded his small, cold hands upon
the open book in his lap and stared.
"You do not mean that some man"
mo"
II couldn't tell, Of course. A bar
gain is a bargain. The truth is that /
would be joyful if you were made hap
by. l expect that. But 1 couldn't
know its approach. Your circles and
mine are no longer the same. You
are ripening still-a wonderful mira
clel"
"You have no circle" said Brena.
'No," said he, II have no CIRCLE
There are times when I wonder
whether this new turn in our lives is
not connected in some way with me-"
New turn?"
Eyes !" She was vehement "This
thing which hangs over us like gull
lotine blade. This thing which makes
you go about wrapped in your chills
of fear. This thing which makes your
eyes flicker from side to side as If
every street corner were an ambush.
The thing which makes you afraid to
be alone.'
He sprang up.
''What If 1t were?" he said. at is
possible, isn't it? 1t is possible that a
person might carry around in their
trail some strange destiny There
might be some extraordinary forces be
hind you, mightn't there? 1t is posi-
BILE that some tragic end awaits all
men who bind their lives with yours.
Brena opened wide her dark eyes.
"That is enough" she said.
what are you going to dor
I'm going to leave you, Compton,
she said
If she had spoken these lines in the
) theatrical emphasis with which they
are spoken by several hundred women
in each thousand sooner or later, as
wise man as Compton Parmalee
would have laughed in her face. 1t
was only necessary to know Brena to
know that if she said these words it
would be with calm, a sureness, a re-
gretful sorrow all combined in the
tone of her voice and the expression
in her eyes that would carry convic-
ton. Compton was convinced.
The idea knocked him onto his
knees He came half crawling. Stun
ObAAS, 80 u9SiAaS up lOWdIu HCFs
mo. no! No, no, Brena-for Gods
sake!" he whimpered.r "For the love
of Christ don't leave me r.
At her feet he shampooed his hair
as in an imaginary basin until its
sparse growth had been rumpled un-
der the palms of his clutching. witch
ing hands.
"Well, then never speak of any
mystery trailing upon ~my heels" she
had said. Never bring this insinua-
ton that curse follows me. You
have had your chance to be free of it
and instead of wanting me to go you
want me to stay. / loathe dramatics,
Compton. This is the Twentieth and
not the Twelfth century and those who
now attempt to raise superstitions
will fare badly If others believe as I
do. Get up!"
He stood. With his eyes indicating
humiliation through the terror which
still fingered in his face he arose and
walked toward tEe door.