San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-10-17
Nora Lee Visits Dane and
Confesses Her Love
for Him.
CHAPTER TX

He wanted TO nurt ncr mortaly,
And he did. She read the note, her
eyes fixed, sobs frozen in her throat.
He had sent for her letter as she
longed and prayed that he would. 50
he must have still cared? Must have
been eager and curious?
But instead of coming with the
tenderness warm and living again
in his look; instead of saying ms she
dreamed MORA Lec-all that love
can't be gone? You want me now1'
Instead Of this fancicd scene, he had
gone back through their young glow
ing years, gathered up all their treas
urcs and flung them with a finished
irony in her face.
Why had he taken this brutal way
to end it? If he didn't want her or
her love, need he have hurled it so
viciously from his heart?
Her hands stacking the letter shook
uncontrollably. She put them behind
her, gripping the rungS of the chair.
Then she began TO tiptoe about the
room, whispering to herself. But
she returned almost Immediately to
the desk and reread in laborcd slow
ness his note. She had n curious,
panied feeling as though someone with
a nail were picking at her heart, peel
ing its membranes layer by layer.
leaving it raw, inflamed, slowly bleed.
ing.
REASON SOUGHT.
What was there in that last i'm
petuous letter of hers to incitc him to
rage and sarcasm? To make him sud.
denly wish to root her so completely
from his every thought? She tried to
recall its tenor. The last sentence
came "None but you. Dane, has ever
dwelt in my heart-none ever can"
Hadn't he liked that? She fumbled
through the pile of pictures and let
tiers. She came on this one with its
much scrubbed envelope. The many
pages were wrinkled as though he had
doubled them in his fist and later
smoothcd them out. She pictured him
with dark, storming eyes holding the
pale, lavender paper, reading the liv-
ing phrases: Dane. you have every
thing in the wide earth that 1 want.
You only have it. | care nothing for
all the wealth of the world. l want
only you-only your eyes to look at
me. 1 only want your lips. All other
| things are hateful. ="
A NEW RESOLUTION.
He had read that and it had mad
dened him. Why?
She ran her palm over the musSed
pages. And slowly heat mounted
became oppressive and Sitting, steal
ing the breath from her lungs. She
saw herself with Dane Herrick's eyes.
She cared nothing for all the wealth
of the world. Wanted only him-his
eyes. his lips-all other things were
hateful He read that and reading il
knew that she mad pledged herself to
another; knew she was going to take
those hateful things"
She now became excited-flushed
and wild. He didn't know she had
broken with Richard-didn't guess
that was all piece of madness
that she had plunged into it reckless
ly only believing him lost.
She said aloud: 'I'll go and tell
him." She took all the letters. bound
them securely. pulled them to the edge
of the desk. She would give them to
him b
She got up quickly, hard and bright
with hysterical resolve. She took off
the suit and that she had worn in
the afternoon and began to dress. She
smiled blindly and said to her image,
HE doesn't know. you see! Oh, he
thinks ] was worrie, that he should
have such a wild letter. l was anxious
on that account"
She picked up the package Of let
tiers. Doing this Margaret's image,
peaceful and lovely, confronted her.
She laughed uneasily and turned
swiftly to the door.
FAITH KEPT.
Dane Herrick was living in the
city. Connie had told her this. He was
experimenting the building of that
house for the Berthes in San Mateo
and he was down there every day.
In fifteen minutes she would bc
talking to him; she would be saying
quietly: 81 have come only for a mo-
ment, Dane. l only want you to
know that these letters you have re.
turned were not lies; nor were the
promises l gave broken. want you
to know this. even though your feel
ing for me has completely changed
l see that it has embittered you, be-
licving me false. But L haven't be-
trayed the faith you gave me. And
when the test came I couldn't betra9
it. 1 couldn't think of another. ]
never can"
She would say this gently-only
this. Then she would leave. Tears
filled her eyes, planning the solemn,
aching farewell. The car skidded over
the misty streets. She was unaware
of this and of the wind hooting
through the window, blowing the hair
across her cheek.
She drove directly to the yellow
brick building in Hyde street, where
he aud an apartment.
But she sat long time motionless
in the car, listening TO a rapid agita-
ton humping in her ears. She
watched two girls blowing up the hill
against wind and rain, and thought
aimlessly: "Desolate-how desolate
|