Evening star., 1926-08-21
SUDDENLY HE DREW HER CLOSER

ever-there must come an end of it
some time. As for the bond between
l'S-it is no marriage at all | could
nave II annulied any day"
Il think not" Brett replied. dryly.
In the eyes Of the law you would
.he the person in the wrong"
You married me under false pre-
lenses"
Not at all. was free man. YOU
n free woman. Whatever went before
counts for nothing"
lie rose to his feet. then held her
eyes with his own
Don't you realize" he said slowly.
that there is at least one thing
which YOU might put to my credit? 7
have not inflicted my presence un-
necessarily upon YOU Many meu--''
There's never any one so black
that they can't find some one blacker
Ia contrast themselves against" she
cried with heightened color
She was frightened then. She had
never seen quite that look on his face
before. He came close to her. put
both hands on her shoulders holding
her till she was powerless in his grip.
'Rtchcnda, he said. lin the eyes OF
ne law YOU are my wife. Don't fry
re-too far. II wouldn't he safe"
Their ElanccS met then in a word
-.
steady. little fierce; hers bright with
outraged pride. defiant above the Grim.
son mouth that bore a Sneer to cover
its trembling.
That very defiance tore something
Of the mans control away. Sud
denly he drew her closer. tilted her
chin with one fierce hand until her
lips were forced up to meet his own.
she Swayed as he freed her. sobbinG
L.
that would scarcely come
You -you-you-Oh how dared
vou?" The same question that she
had flung AT Reginald Anders had to
suffice again
Pathways had drawn a cigarette
from his case and Was tapping il
carefully on The small table of the
leafy dining room in which they
stood. striking match slowly. de
liberately
How dared l." lie repeated her
words with a col laugh. oh. right of
proprietorship, I suppose. Al any
rate, more right than Arders had"'
she gave an amazed gasp opened
her lips 10 speak. snapped them tight
again as she saw the half mockiug
smile on his mouth. turned her back
upon him and walked away without
q single word, the anger and dislike
In her heart trehly increased
Several times during the dark hours
she reeped through her doorway out
into the night, withdra wing her head
with a sigh. Where could she go"
Not 20 those other men across the val
ley. that was out of the question.
Not into the game infested darkness
or the weld. that Wouldobe suicidal.
AZ last she Crept YEARLY INTO her mar
row ca nvas bed, Tomorrow she would
work this thing out. Stop With this
man whose conduct toward her bore
threat Thai was something which
she was determined she would not do
Somehow, some tine-S"on she must
set away.
a month ago Richenda stood gaz,
ing across the African hillside wrap.
ped in retroSNection \ month ago
il had been her wedding day Ii
seemed already years away
She wished Suddenly that she could
have that sunny morr.cc back again
to remake u. acting upon the knoyvl-
edge which now was hers " hat ii
fool she had heeu-a blunderinc. un.
thinking fool -WrcCkinS nor life he
cause of silly dream some night
mare wrought Of indigestion. no doubt.
ss prosaic Jean Anderson had warned
her, and the chance resemblance of
@ smudGy photocrap oh in a London
newspaper!
Romance, sentiment, she had given
them free rein: blinded herself
against the danger of them; gone TO
meet love with greedy hands.
elutched il TO her till IT turned TO the
ashes OF dislike and distrust under
her very fingers.
And now--she hated Brett Fair
ways. She told herself this a dozen
times a day-hated him for that 81
lent, narrow-eyed watch he kept upon
her. for the subtle threat he had of
tered her-"Don't try me TOO fart
wouldn't be safe"-hated him for the
burning kisses he had showered on
her resisting lips. for his smilingly
riven reason. Right of proprietVr-