San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-10-01
Billie Implores Nora Lee
and Connie to Save
Youngest Daughter.
CHAPTER Xxx
You're not coming?"

IOure not coming
mo"
There's an awful lot of
tipping to do"
'I'm sorry"
"But you're not breaking
the date for tonight. I'll
come at 6. We can have
dinner before the show"
Nora Lee put up the re-
ceiver, a vivid rush of excitement &C.
celebrating her pulse but making her
gestures enormously precise. She had
meant the interview to end differ
emily. She had fancied herself say
ing loftily to Max: "We mustn't see
each other any more. We started
\ out to have calm friendship. We've
proven unequal to it. It's running
wild with us. So it has to end
Now the exquisite voice echoed
> s-,Yts,ntly in her ears. She saw the
black eyes turned on hers
hofenial, whimsical light. Her
az fears became foolish. What
<le world had Max ever done that
should exile him? A few kisses.
<2ll men kissed girls. All girls OK
pected and liked it. 1t was no crime.
She was a lunatic to become ex-
I. cited about such a trifle. Because
Virginia white faced madonna thing,
had been frightened out of existence,
should a bold arted, cold minded
person like herself read tragedy into
every pleasant episode? Ridiculous.
Yet her unrest quickcncd. She
whispered with hot, leaping color:
Il love Max. Does he care for me?
wonder if he thinks of marriage"
Her thought assailed this: you
don't love and you know well
he doesn't mean to marry. He's
never made any bones about that!
But you're fascinated By his gla-
mour. You think yourself clever to
hold man of his charm"
She smiled daringly: "Yes. And
what if l do?" She was glad he had
settled the matter so swiftly; so
neatly-glad they were to go on-a
little while, anyway
She picked up magazine. Her
eyes darted through the pages. She
told herself softly: Dane will soon
be here. Then it will end"
will it? You're mistaken? The
time to end such affairs is before
they begin One hour along the way
and it's too late to go back.'
Rubbish" She tossed the maya
zine aside and took up a nail file.
Connie was stretched. drowsy and 81
lent. on the couch. The house had a
listless. deserted air. 1t was without
atmosphere or character. despite its
order. 1t reminded Nora Lee of a
whiting room in a depot where the
passengers sat impatient and restless
while their trains dashed in to carry
them off on endless pleasure jaunts.
The home was not a destiny, but a
mere stopoYer. The trains flew in and
out at all times. Each member Of the
family had his separate and decidedly
individual goal. He was bound to the
others only through sharing his COM
mon resting place between hectic
flights.
Downstairs Billie had come in. Her
mincing steps hurried about the living
room, paused at the mantel. The orna-
ments were movcd-an infallible sign
of agitation. For two weeks Billie
had been in a state of pitiful uneasi' |
ness. The death o. Virginia she took !
as personal calamity-a fearful and
needed warning.
She sat up at night now when Con
ME or Nora Lee or Minna went out.
She kissed them and they declared sh"
was shifting their b-eaths. She cor
nered each one separately and asked
.You don't drink outside the house, d.
you: DO you go out to the machines
between dances? It's foolish and
wrong" She implored Nora Lee and
Connie to tell her 10. estly if the girls
today were "really doing things"
Nora Lee was courteous, but eva
sive: Connie breezy and flippant. Con
Icnntin,,nd IN pnce % Part ~