San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-10-14
NORA AND DANE
N { Fl 4 7
HOSPITAL
Chance Meeting Occurs as
Heroine Goes to Visit
Mickey Grant.
Continued From Page 1. Part -

ards apartment. his luxurious rugs
and pictures were now a weight that
bore on her night and day. She want
cd 10 run from them and the memory
of her shabby treason to the high
ideals of her youth.
She had meant to accept this bril-
liant marriage; TO put love and its
torment ont of her life. She would
take with n hard. audacious gaiety the
fine, attractive future Richard offer
ed. Plenty of cOmpenSatiOns he would
bring for this life destitute Of golden
vitalities. Instead of the piercing ten
der emotions that easily bring as much
pain as JOY, she would have wealth,
ease, all the bright external pleasures
money buys. Perhaps these are moro
to be desired? At least, one is sure
of theml
But she had chung too many years
TO the dream of deeper. holicr. swecter
thinGs-music of heaven and Il child
running TO her down a beam of light.
All these thoughts and hopes were
hooks fastened immutably on her spir-
1t. When she tried to pull from them:
TO speed. hard and joyous, down an
other road, these hooks grappled: they
would tear her flesh from flesh but
never let her free. No one ever es-
capos the tyranny of his past.
She had tried and failed; she could
never marry Richard; never 90 his
way. The break was inevitable. but
she WINGED because it had come about
in a cruel, shabby way. She felt mean
and shamed hurting him. =.
When they reached the apartment,
flowers in a great basket bloomcd in
tawny, autumn shades-the rich dark
blues and flaming yellows. \ little
card pleaded: When will yOu sec nc.
ard
Those flowers and notes came every
lay. They added TO her gloom and
unhappiness. She wished she had
waited. been n little more kind; not
been so rashly impulsive in her dis
missal.
Richard came the evening Sallic
left, and as Nora Lee was packing her
books in her mothers old Spanish
chest. He came unannounced.
He smiled and grew white. noting
the preparations for moving. Hc
pleaded: Don't be so impu!sirH. Nora
Lee. You can stay here. l haven't
bothered you"
'NO-you've been too decent about
II. But it won't do any good to drag
things out, Richard. I'm only sorry
that accident happened at the famc
time. and makes you think I'm charg-
ing that against -ou-makcs you think
I'm ending on account OF that
You may not know it, but you
are"
She opened book after book. turn
cd the uases quickly, as though she
searched n thing that eluded her. She
said family: "No-I will tell you the
truth. 1t is the least l can do. !
love another. | thought-oh. well. |
really meant 10 marry you, Richard,
| can't-that's all"
He sat on a corner Of the chest
and took her hands. He told her how
foolish q young girl is in her erasger
ated belief in one blind. Instantaneous
love; how easy it would be in the life
Of glainess he would bring for her t'
find happiness.
She couldn't hear. she was listen
ing to Il far off voice; she was feeling
other hands; she was seeing young
eyes. laughing and tender
The dGy she was to have been mar
ried. she moved from the beautiful
apartment, pulled down the shades on
the nude brown Berkeley hills and the
ferry boats weaving miles Of foamy
laces on the waters.
She brought Margaret's desk, tho
old priest robes and her books to a
sin4e room on the third floor Of
secluded, old-fashioned house in Broad
way-an old-time mansion with the
sad, artistocratic air Of better days
about it.
She tackled the robes on the faded
walls. She put Margarct's picture in
It's silver frame above the desk. She
sat looking at it and felt 50 lonely
and defeated that she wished to cry.
Opposite her mother, Danes picture
had always stood. The empty space
kept touching her like a tormenting
hand. She wouldn't look at il. She
took out her diary and wrote grim
resolutions. From this day forth she
was finished with men. with love, with
al the young lures Of life.
She would devote herself 10 work.
become a great success like MaId
Bresnon. An image Of the large
titan woman came before her. Mis-
Brcsnon had a pink. baby complexion
and soft, full cray eyes. She wore her
hair in a sloppy red crown that ac-
centuated her attitude Of generous
indifference.
Nora Lee had often wondered
about Maud's inner life. especially
il she had ever loved or hungerol
for love. One night she and Dane
had met her in a French restaurant
in the company Of seven other. Oh.
yiously single. girls. Dane said thcy
were school teachers because they were
holding with such hectic determine
ton 70 the remnants Of youth. Nora
Lee had complaccntly piticd them in
their valiant attempt 10 be cheerful
though manless.
Wcll-in a few years younger girls
would pity her. She would alfo 20 10
dinners with her single girl friends.
But she would have a magnificent sal
would perhaps achieve.
And By that time the lines Of
young. aquiline profile. the clean cut
of = brown head and rugged jaw
would be dimmed.