San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-11-27

the rings. dashed them to the floor
They glittered.
Murillo looked at her blankly. HI
stopped slowly. picked up the jewels
He walked to the table. poured himself
several cocktails-ate a bit of cracker
and caviar.
He wiped his lips, stood behind her
chair. Come over and have your din.
ner. Sandy" he said coolly.
She remained staring from the win.
dow-biting her lips. Presently he sal
down. He broke n roll. began to eat
He glanced at her several times and
frowned.
The dinner was good. He had or.
dered it specially. He liked food. I.
panied him TO see it disdained like
this.
He felt injured. What right had
she TO be gone hours-to come back
all gaiety-flaunting herself before
those DEMONSTRATING him casually
and now to be standing over there in &,
frozen silence. He thought she would
have appreciated the delicate way ne
took to correct Der.
He took n piece Of chicken-a--
ranged toast on the plate. BY now he
had taken five or six cocktails; his
hunger was appeased. He carried the
plate over to the window.
Eat this. Sandy
I'm not hungry. thank you"
You must De. This is something
] ~ n
incident is past
She thought no one in the world
had ever been so desolate-so shut
away from everything that was spon-
taneous and glecful and sweet. She
felt degraded that he would read evil
into her laughter even-make it seem
that she was noisv-the sort of gil
who laughs noisily to attract atten-
ton,
She said YEARLY: "No-I don I
want it. / think I'll lust sit here a
while. I've a headache" She was
afraid she might cry. She would bite
her lips off first.
He took her hand slipped the rings
back on her finger. She felt them as
though they were red hot. soaring to-
the bone. You mustn't get so angry,
Sandy. / wasn't. / only did this RI
let you know what / expect. You're
young. You NAV no, understand how
the world regards levity in a wife. |
thought you'd be wise enough TO see
at once the mistake YOU made"
She thought Of hot. angry things to
say. She wanted to tell him to leave
her alone-to move from her. She
wanted to say: "Oh take your hanis
off my arm. A mistake You thinS
I'm not to talk to nv friends? Try
to make me-iust try it,"
But her head throbbed and he was
putting his arm around her-he was
kissing her eyes-trying to draw her
face to his shoulder.
She moved awaits hot in
here"
Then well take a ride"
1t made no difference il she stayed
in the room or went out-nO differ
ence-
They were on the road along the
lake. 1t was a balmv night. In the wa
tiers were long, shimmering ripples Of
pink and gold-all the splendor Of the
sunset reflected so gently. And across
were the Nevada mountains-quiet,
majestic. vast.
Sandy's thoughts went to other
nights when she had watched the
moon floating over the Santa Barbari:
hills and Jimmy or someone else had
said such light. happy things.
Murillo stopped the car. He put
his arm about her. He didn't know
that she was miles removed from him
feelings that were poison between.
That she wanted to cry out feeling
his lips against her cheek.
She said: I'm tired. Ny head
aches"
This air will brace you. You'll
feel better"
He was contented now. He liked
sitting low in the car. Sandy's hair
against his chin or her profile and
her long white throat turned that
be might see. lie liked her soft hands
with the skin Of them like petals,
clasped between his own. He began
to tell her how beautiful she was
how happy he would make her.
There wasn't so much that he de-
manded, was there? She saw that
be was right. didn't she? She was
a queen-he wished her TO remember
ito win the respect she should
have
She closed her eyes, nos wanting 70
see the mountains-not wanting to
feel that warm, piny breeze. She won
dcred why he should be sitting there
why her life had turned into this
grotesque terrible mockery.
She thought desperately: Il have
to 20 back into that room with him.
We're married. SO everything is all
right-I'm his wife"
Hours later she lay staring into
the darkness. She counted the thump-
ing Of her heart Murillo's arm was
across her shoulder.
She lifted it cautiously. watching
his face. The mouth puffed in and
out with his warm breath.
She turned quickly, crept from the
bed. She sat at the window. That
tree was so delicate with that soft
haze drifting through the branches
and the night air was so cleanse
high and clean. She began to cry.
She cried with shame and a feeling
Of terrible outrage feeling Of deg
radiation.
She wondered what she was going
to do.