San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-09-20
CHAPTER LV
Maxwell Reed Breaks Restraint.

Nora Lee watched MAX as Nv
moved with swift, yet lazy, grac
across the room. he was taller thai
most of the men. The black hal
and eyes. the smooth, regular tea
lures gave him an air of great dis
tinction. Women sent quick, ad
miring smiles as he passed. Thes'
he accepted with genial indifference
as one to whom such tribute is CRATE
full but inevitable.
She wondered what Ida Burnett
wished to talk about. She was piquec
that they walked off like this, ending
the conversation just when it touched
her like flaming brand.
Were they right-Max and Bes'
Graham? And 50 the hope for
3ove, magnificent and undying, wa;
really doomed to bleak disillusion
Max was right when he said that
young people thought of love al
Some heavenly, immortal ecstasy. She
did. Sally did. That part was true
Was it also true that everyone =
everyone in the world-was swindled
And in a year the bright wondrous
dream would be completely shattered
UNKNOWN TO LOVE.
:. Did Max know! Had he ever
aoved? She remembered things hi
Stid in his drawing, musical voice
'Surely some girl had loved him,
My, even she liked him immensely
He was a most excellent friend. She
would ask him for proofs of his
<5tlief.
- For II there is really no suci
thing as great love, what is youth
awaiting? What can Life Offer
If there is no eternal, divinely sat.
isfying emotion between a man and
. woman, ah, then no wonder Sc
many people have vacant, dull resigna.
ton in their eyes; no wonder on vivid,
sunny mornings when the very all
sparkles, even young girls climb on
70 the car and slump in their seats
drab, discontinued, resentful as though
life wasn't worth a great deal, looL
1t 1t any way you would
II love went; if the world did
really trick its young, and Life, aftel
I'll could give nothing more thar
tbis pittering and pattering, dancing
and drinking; hittering, seizing
4waking? If all who hoped anc
dreamed must end as Ida Burnett
Gid, slowly burning alive; consuming
her own heart and mind in tormenting
regrets? Well, then!
ANOTHER WATCHES.
Nora Lees glance passed sngrily
through the heated room. Excitement
lighted her eyes and struck a red glow
On the amber skin. She looked vivid,
with touch of wildness like a young
gypsy blazing with eagerness to bt
eff on the march.
Richard Carlisle watched her fss
einated. He wondered if, far bach
khe had an Irish ancestor to give her
the coal black hair, the straight inky
brows above those fiery sapphire eyes
Or, perhaps it was the trace of Spain
in her olive skin and warm-curvet
lips?
Her eyes met his and shut moodily
She preferred to ignore his question
The very gall, asking her what sh,
thought about love! That was tn
way with these men, expect a girl t
coquette and turn handsprings fol
their amusement
But she had been pleasantly inter
ested in Richard Carlisle. He ha,
seen SO much Of Life-traveled al
cTer the world. He had lived in Lon
don years and could tell her the yer!
secondhand store May Sinclair de
scribes in The Divine Fire"
MEN LIKE DANE
Not that he was the type Of maj
she admired. She liked them tall witt
dash and q good jaw. She liked eye
that were young and tender and mos
of the time lighted with a happy grin
Men like Dane. Next 70 him, men 0
distinction like Max.
But Richard was slight in build
He had nicely chiseled features an
thin, brown mustache. Yet hi
face had a mellow, cultured look; hi
eyes were small, but humorous, an
when be talked there were winnin
quirks about his lips. 1t was yer
gathering, as though you were take
Ento partnership on some delicious SCI
ret, when his eyes rested on you ]
sthe course of a narrative. lie ha
Hundreds of stories and be told thel
well.
She thought TO herself: I has
an III disposition. Why do ] blaH
Ahis Richard Carlisle because be tall
~ love when all men think this Il
,propcr caperl From talking Of 10,
sfhey will turn easily 10 playing
slpve." Her thought ended uneXpec
saaly and with q surprise, for 81
tfonnd herself adding. "it must be q