New Britain herald., 1926-06-29

him as much as you do, now
 She stopped talking. suddenly, as if she had said too much already and went on reading.
 But as Sylvia measured coffee in | 10 the pot and mixed up the milk and cggs for the French toast, she wondered what Aunt Agony had meant.
 Were there things about Ranny that he kept hidden from her Things that Aunt Agony had found out? Could that be possible? Oh, no. She wouldn't let doubts of Fanny creep into her mind. She shook them out of it, as she might have shaken soot flakes from a spot less handkerchief.
 When the coffee was made, she put it on a tray and carried it into the dining room. The French toast went into the oven to keep hot.
 While she was upstairs packing up her bags, and laying the baby's blanket and bonnet on the bed, Ran ny rang the front door bell.
 I'll let him in. I'll let him in. she called eagerly 10 Aunt Agony and ran down the stairs. She might have saved her breath. For Aunt Agony had made no move to go to the door. AS far as she was concern- ed, Ranny might have stood there forever. before she'd let him in.
 "Breakfast's all ready for you Mir. Man" Sylvia cried, fairly shining with excitement and welcome, as she flung the door wide open 10 him.
 Then something in his face stop ped her.
 He was looking through the door of the dining room at the coffee tray she had made ready for him, and then at Aunt Agony, sitting like q carved statue, on the other side of the table.
 He jerked his head in her direc- ton.
 Cant we go somewhere, so l can talk to you?" he asked. turning his cold eyes 10 Sylvia. The look in them told her that he hadn't come here to take her home with him.
 With dreadful sinking of her heart she opened the door that led into Aunt Agony's best parlor.' and he followed her in and sat down near the window.
 He ierked his head bac., defiantly and told her what he had come for, ''I want you to divorce me- he said shortly.
 She gave a little gulp.
 "Divorce?" she repeated the word slowly. as if she had never heard it before. and couldn't imagine what it meant. "Divorce? You want divorce?"
 Ranny nodded. "T said so." he an- swered. with that smile of his, and took out cigaret.
 She tried to think Of something 10 say to him. but all she could 500 was Babs Dclano standing in h'S arms, under the living room lamp last night
 You want to marry Babs?" she said to him. and his silence was all the answer she needed to that ques- tion. She knew that he did.
 He sat waiting for her decision, every now and then flicking his ash off onto the floo- Of Aunt Agonys spotlcss room.
 From sheer force of habit, Sylvia found herself brushing them up into the palm of her hand, and carrying them to the fire place,
 Babs wouldn't do things like that for him. she said duly to herself Babs wouldn't lay ou, his clean clothes every morning. and spread his hathmat on the floor beside the tub. Babs wouldn't darn his socks and steam his ties and press his trousers. Babs wouldn't forgive hlm when he came back 10 her from the love affairs that he was always hay ing.
 Sylvia knew that no woman in the world but herself loved Ranny as she loved him. No woman would take care of him as she did. No woman would give up everything worth while for him, as she had. Why, he was her man! He belonged 10 her. He belonged, rot 10 Babs Delano, but to her. No matter what he did he would always belong to her.
 NO" she said, looking straight into his eyes. mo. I won't divorce you." Her tone was as calm as summer sea al sunrise. There's no use in asking me to, because won't"
 She could see that she had stag gered him. He gave a start. and looked at her as if he doubted what he had heard,
 So she said it again, shaking her head. 'J'n never divorce you. This this crush of yours on Babs won't last long. Then you'll come back to me. just as yor always have"
 He got up brushing the gray ash lightly from his coat and trousers His smile was a sheer, now.
 You may not divorce me" he said. brutally. but don't kid your self that I'm ever going 10 come back to you. l wouldn't live with you if you were the last woman on earth"
 He was gone then, shutting the door behind him so violently that all the family portraits shook and trembled against the old-fashioned wall paper of the room.
 Dry-eyed, but quivering from head 10 foot. Sylvia stood where he had left her. and watched him go down the front walk 10 his car. When he was out of sight she went back to the dining room.
 Only four or five minutes had passed since he had rung the door bell and she had rushed to let him in. Aunt Agony was still reading an article by Lady CathCart, on the front page O. her newspaper.
 But Sylvia felt as if a hundred years had passed over her head, in that five minutes. She felt old and hrolyen apJ ynry very fired