San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-12-16


locked the door quickly behind him,
turned off the light.
She began to laugh softly, hysterical-
ly.
AT O'Clock the next morning Mu-
rillo awakened. He remembered and
felt quickly along the bed. He turned
angrlly to the chair where Sandy had
sat.
Not there! He jumped up, alarmed.
pulled on his clothes. He knockeu AT
the next door: Up yet: We want
an early start. Is Sandy in there"
Why, no, Is she dressed so soon:"
de didn't answer. He raced uuwn
the stairs. Perhaps she had carried
out those threats of hers. Killed her
self. He would be blamed! He would
be disgraced for life.
Sandy was sitting in the lobby
waiting. The sight of her reading mat
magazine Embossed a seething fury. He
checked himself-accosted her, quiet.
cold, smiling. did you sit here I'll
night?"
No. / was able to get a ROOM"
You went to your mother:''
"No."
He glared as though he wished TO
STAY her. He said very softly: You'll
pay for this
She smiled with assumed arrogance.
She was sick with disappointment.
There would be no chance now for an
amlcable settlement-no chance TO tell
him quietly they must part.
Sitting beside him on the drive
homeward she wondered miserap-y if
she might ask her mother to take
her home. And the futility Of this
hope at once crushed her. Isabel
loved her. But she had gently refus-
ed to stand by her in this from the
beginning. Even at the hospital. she
made Sandy return to her husband
even then knowing that her mind
seemed almost broken.
No use turing to her mother
meet it herself.
When they stopped at the old !
house, white. rambling vet inviting |
in its old dilapidated garden, Sandy |
put her arms around her mothers |
neck, kissed her with wildly beating
heart. She said with a little laugh, |
Isabella, ole dear, tired are you. |
oh. l hate TO let you CO."
Late afternoon when thev drove I'D
the hill. The garden a-bloom. Asters
IN purple-flaming gladioli. The |
house bathed in sunlight.
Murillo stopping-his face white
the eyes not meeting hers. He had
talked feverishly to her mother and
Alice. His laugh, incessant, forced,
Jared in her memory.
Now he helped her from the car.
He held her arm and bowed to a
neighbor. He whispered Mrs. Dix
son is nodding. Greet her..
Sandy smiled. She felt like an
a formation walking up the steps.
She wanted to sink on the threshold
and cry. She wanted to hold back,
blindly refuse TO enter.
She had felt like this when she
came, knowing she was 10 have the.
child. And again when they brought
her from the hospital.
She stood in the bedroom. her
gloves in her hand. She went over
and looked from the window-tbe
beloved islands out there. the blue
channel.
He stood in the center Of the
room. He closed the door. He came
lp and took the gloves and the book
rom her. He said: ~I'm sorry about
last night, Sandy. Of course you
we're tired. But it hurt me the way
Tou said il. / thought you'd show
4 little gladness seeing me. You
pushed me off. Recall how you acted
md think how I felt. ] think ! did
ny share. j think you've no cause :
% complain, have you?"
She thought swiftly: "TeH him !
low. Meet it now" She remained
silent.
His lips moved and were pale. :
Did you hear me say / was sorry, :
Sandy?"
yes
you have nothing TO says
"a great deal, Ben" She drew a
ong, strained breath. "a great deal.
I've said it before. Let us be calm
lbout it. IL was a mistake terri
Die mistake. You see it. see II"
She put out her hand blindly: Its z
Just this-I want to be frec-I don't
owe yOu-I can't There's too much
between us-I see all that-all that.
Oh. don't Ben, Dear God, DON'T
But he stopped. picked up the
-ongs from the fireplace, came rush
ng toward her. IL
Continued Tomorrow