San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-10-11
PART III
CHAPTER l
LEARNING FOR DANE

pectance.
The great sweetness came. Now it
was gone. Like a mother, with her
first child dead in her arms, Nora
Lee rebelled and fought against the
loss.
I'm finished with caring. 1 don't
want love." She blinked and brushed
bitterness from her eyes. Then she
picked up a mirror and examined 1t
slowly. 1t was of French gilt, finely
enameled in delicate figures of laven-
dar and blue. 1t belonged TO a set
that was now spread out in exquisite
richness on the bed.
"Yesi" she murmured with a red
flash of torment. Il don't want love
his or anyone's! j want peace"
A small card lay on the plush box.
She read this again: "Will you marry
me. Nora Lee? ! can make you the
happiest and proudest girl in all the
world. All any everything you want
shall be yours. i love you.
RICHARD"
+. 1T WAS SETTLED"
81 could do worse" She dashed
hot, protesting tears back. Richard
was a fascinating, jaunty fellow. He
wouldn't be searching flaws in her;
wouldn't ridicule all her pet vanities;
her needless extravaganza. He would
find hee perfect and laugh whimsicaly
at her silly foibfeS
So perhaps it was much better.
And she was glad it was settled-glad
Dane Herrick was gone and this ter
riblc emotion of hers must die.
Whenever the brown face with the
merry, teasing twinkle Iluminej sud
denly her memory, Nora Lee repeated
forlornly: I'm glad it's over. Mighty
gladv For love was goo1 only TO
break a persons heart-and she didn't
want hers broken.
Yet the next afternoon found Nora
Lee on a pitiful, unhappy quest
found her hurrying through the o
o'clock crowds seeking a face; long,
ing for eyes. laughing and tender. to
turn suddenly on hers.
DISAPPOINTMENT.
She saw a pair of broad shoulders
swinging along in brown cost. She
caught up with the man, stared in
angry disappointment at his pursy. red |
face. The man smiled knowingly and |
DOTTED his hat.
She stamped on. breathless. What
a prideless thing for her to do He
wasn't searching for her. So she'd give
it up, and this was the very last time.
It was five weeks since Dane Her
rick left her: three since she sent the |
letter imploring his return. No answer
came. - -
So II was shameless for her to tag
after him-insane to keep hoping that
he still cared. Every day coming from
her office she turned resolutely from
tie building where he was employed. |
No! Shed not pass within mile of
him IL she could help it, And every
day she sped back around the block
and went lettering as she neared his
door.
She hadn't once seen him. II was
like fate TO serve her this cruel, mis-
chievous disappointment. He was
there. Why didn't she meet him?
WHERE WERE MEN?
He might be lodging her. The sud-
den fear squirmed along her nerves.
She stopped before a glove shop and
examined the new styles in gauntlets.
Yes He might be glad to be out Of il
IND OF ner.
But how could he? Why should
man wish to be finished with an at
tractive. caprieious person like her
self? But who said she was attrac-
tive? Where were all the men bat |
ting for her favor?
Max was in China. True. he'd writ |
ten five or six letters. Lately he mere
~ sent postals. Godfrey Bell was long
since gone.
OF course Nora Lee thought her in
difference had finally crushed his
hopes. But could it be that he had
been disappointed in her? Found her
shallow and colorless? Could il be
that he saw grim faults in her and
that was why bew alked out?
Max gone. Godfrey Bell passed.
Dane Herrick coldly and deliberately
deserving her the tide of her
happy. triumphant youth already ebb-
ing. And she would drift with Sally
into the troubled late twenties, neg
lected and unsought?
She started blindly at the gloves.
There was Richard left.
With a chatting, hungry desolatiou
she got on the jogging old Hyde street
cars. riding 10 Comics apartment.
Sally was on her vacation. That
helped. Sally was TOO aggressivelY
shrewd. Sally knew she was fatty
Tilted.
The Grants, Connie and Mickie,
had a three-room apartment on the
top of the hill.
Connie. her arms and hands laden
with paper bags and cartons, had evil
IDENTIFY Just arrived She began open
ing her packages and shifting.
She wore a brown caracul jacquette
and a small brown toque. Without re-
moving things she whisked the fool
into saucepans and laughed am late
today and every day. But crave that
domestic air about the house. / must
get these on the stove. Mickey. the
love. thinks I'm bear of a cook.
haven't the heart TO spoil his young
illusions"
Conine lit q cigarette. Standing in
the cabinet kitchen she could reach
from the built-in table to the built-in
stove and from either she had full
COMMAND Of the sink. The dinner be-
gan TO simmer. permeating the minia-
ture room with tempting odors.
~Another crisis passed. Come on,
Old thing. I'll get into my bridey house
dress. What's the matter? You look
low. Want a drink
Nora Lee dabbed powder over the
heavy violet shadows that extended
much too far over her cheek bones
She said listlessly: Il worked hard to
day"
Connie nudged her: I'm wise, ole
- ~