The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-03-27

| But Will REMIND you LnaCf you
can not end it in this casual man
ner. I have kept sacreGly the terms
of our contract l require only that
you do the same. If you have any
lingering thought Of q separation
dismiss it. You are my wife.
intend to hold you to the promises
you made. These promises have a
binding power which my principles
don't permit me to ignore.
Il would also inform you that the
law gives a husband the right to
correct his wife when her conduct
is unseemly Any impartial judge
will admit that a man may point
out to his wife the dangers of snok-
ing and drinking and advise in mat
ters Of propriety. You have, there
fore, no grounds for running out Of
this house AS you did last Saturday.
! I was within my rights and can
prove it.
You will gain nothing but IN
pleasant notoriety if you make any
effort to dispute this,
II am willing to overlook the en-
tire incident, to wipe it out com
! pletely. When you return you Will
find a welcome. L believe you acted
on an impulse that you now regret.
! And l shall overlook the anxiety YOU
caused me and receive you back. I
shall ask no questions.
She twisted the letter . rolled
it between her palms-then she
smoothed it out, Phrases leaping at
her as though written in fire.
The riqht to correct her! To- brinS
his fist against her cheek, No quar-.
reling If she did her part.
Her part was TO be his servant
more obseQuiops than a log. Ask
for no friends-no Hbcrty-no laugh
ter.
She got up and walked to the win
dow, staring at the surf, fiinging Its
lacy spray against the rocks. It's
not worth thinking about. Go back
to him? She would find a welcome'
She breathed in short, flaming
gasps. Go back to that house and
that sordid relation? No-she WASH t
going back. She wouldn't be starved
Alice wrote-walk into the ocean
grimly walk into the ocean first.
She fixed her eyes on the waves
and fancied herself climbing down
the rocks, running along the sands
Misunderstanding the water, hurting
herself down.
She thought with oppressive quiet:
II could do it, She remembered
the night in Honolulu when she had
so nearly rowned-remembere the
waters massing against her-breath
ing the waters, strangling with them
fighting the awful suffocation. She
shuddered at the overpowering ter
ror Of that sensation. But she re-
peated, II could do It,"
He meant to hold her for life. But
she was gone now. And he would
never find her never drag her
back. She would make sure of
this.
Suddenly his offer: Il shall ask
no questions" came softly into her
mind. 1t made her tremble. She
began to laugh, to repeat aloud: mo
questions"
She kept laughing. How magnaM
nous he Was Ah--but he thought
she had run home that night.
Thought she had gone to her mother
or to May Arliss. He was sure Of
her. In his heart positive that she
had neither deed nor thought to con-
ceal. He could afford to be gen.
erous. Hadn't he married her after
a night in hillside cabin with
Jimmy!
But what If he knew Of Ramon?
What II he thought she had sped
off in the night with another?
She became quiet-an oppressive
heat pulsing outward from her veins.
She had left Murillo finally. She
had run off here with Ramon. She
had no money-not even her clothes.
And now?
She walked back to the fireplace
--impetuously showing these gnaw
ing thoughts aside. Now what"
she said defiantly. I'm happy. I'm
free! I'm gladder than I've been in
two years. 1 can get by. Others
have"
She picked up the other letters.
They were from Ramon-filled with
solicitude and eagerness for her hap
piness.
How 7 lated leaving you there
alone. Were you frightened? But
you must rest and don't worry about
anything. Why shouldn't you be
glad. Sandy? What good will it do
to regret tho past? None, except to
mar the present and the future?
'Twenty-one is far too early for such
that have made you unhappy and
take the gladress you can find.
There's plenty Of 1t, darling. Nice
place, isn't It? Nice ocean at your
feet. I'm hoping to leave on the
early train Saturday morning, and,
if you invite me, will stay to dinner
Saturday night. love you-love you
you'll make out"
She flushed-read and reread the
phrases that seethed her. In the
lonely quiet Of the room she darnk
them up. She saw Ramon as he
had stacked the dishes, looking at
her with a boyish: I've often pic
tured you here, Sandy. 1t seems
perfectly natural. Does it to you?"
Unthinl1ingly she pressed the letter
against her lips. Immediately this
go EM