San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1926-01-09

her head, her eyes closing restlessly.
She was going home. After eight
months she was returning. A short
while ago this prospect would have
filled her with shivering revulsion.
She now welcomed it.
I've got to co. she told herself
feverishly. They need me. 1 can't
refuse. .-f
She reached this decision in n furry
of intense relief; glad of any excuse
that would, life her even momcntarily
out Of the depressing monotony where
she was plunged. q
Alice wrote
Poor mas had relapse. Gosh,
what house. ] don't know whether
I'm coming or going. OF course, dad
had to choose this time to come down
with lumbago, so l had the two of
them on my hands. But mammals a
wonderful patient never com
plains. She's eating her heart out
over you. She asked me today: Does
Sandy know how sick her mother is
Has she written today? Do you sup
pose, Alice, that she'd come if she
thought she might not see her mother
alive again? All of which makes it
rather tough on me. I'm sleeping in
the room with her and staying up most
OF the night. sure am Weary Willie
The doctor says we should get a
trained nurse. Can't you feature it?
l wonder who'd pay the bills. seeing
that dad is up TO his neck as it is.
So l guess Alice will continue to be
the goat.
Il hear your husband is planning
to sell his house, so evidently he's not
counting on your return. He comes
in regularly TO visit ma. I'm convinced
she told him where you are and that
you're working, but he has sense
enough 10 know he can't drag you
back by main force.
Ever since that phony automobile
accident of his there have been ru-
mors that he's doing a bit Of gay
phllanderlng on his own score. May
Arliss tells me that Hcinie Rivers says
he's having an affair with Juanita
Morales. What any woman can see
in him Is certainly a mystery. But
Juanita is flying about here in the
spifficst little Marmon sport car YOU
ever saw. It's the berries Gosh.
what 4 loon you were that you didn't
work him to a fare-thee- well. Be
heve me, I'd have spent some Of the
Murillo ducats if I'd been in your
place. You wouldn't see a halfbreed
like Juanita Morales all snaked I'D in
the roadster that ought to be mine.
Sunday when he called j said by
way Of being gracious L hear you're
going to sell your house and all the
furniture. In that case Id like q
chance to bid on your wife's clothes.
There's coat belonging to me among
them
He gave me n sweet, murderous
smile and answered: Ny wife's
clothes are no concern to you, Miss
Mcneil. I'll thank you to mind your
own business
1T certainly must give him ven
omous thrill TO feature you clerking
IN one-horse insurance stand. Who
IN the world would have supposed
you'd pick out a jay town like San
Jose. With your looks | should think
you'd have hit for the city and picked
oft stunning apartment for yourself.
can't fathom what's got into Won.
Surely not scruples after the way YOU
stepped before the wedding bells rang
out. How do you figure that you've
got anything to lose now?
well. I'll write more as soon as |
get chance to rest my weary bones.
Fate certainly handed the McNeils a
dirty deal, I'll tell the world /
The letter from Sandy's father was
moro explicit.
II ask you to forget yourself and
return TO your home. You are greatly
needed here. Alice, poor girl, has
more than she can do and your mother
requires constant attention. You were
always. her favorite and she is griev-
ing sorely over your long absence.
Come nov Or you may not be in time |
to see her again. / fear she is pass
ing: You scan be assured / won't in
terfere in your personal affairs. much |
as ! depiOre the blind and obstinate
you are taking"
SO Sandy was now tossing her few |
belongings into her suitcase, telling |
herself excitedly: "I've got to go. |
| can't refuse.
She ran the back of her hand con-
temptuously over the crochet dolly |
on the little horsehair rocker. Old |
fashioned. musty room with those
Idiotic gilded brackets. There'd been |
pine cones gilded, too. and suspended |
from the chandelier when Sandy took |
possession. Miss Crumps, the Cougar
DID maiden daughter. now in possess
sion of this old home, had a passion
for. gliding. Any afternoon you
,ould come home and find her i'll apron
md gloves, the smell of turpcntine
filling the house.
And there on the kitchen table
would be the saucer of gilt and the
ancient bronze clock due for little
touching up as Miss Crumps would
'milingly inform you. She gilded
tables, chairs. picture frames, cigar
1oxes-even the coal scuttle, after the
fashion of her mothers benighted
artistic sense.
Lord, anyone would be glad to get
nut OF this y Sandy whispered. snap
ping down the cover of her suitcase.
But she folded her arms over il.
listening TO the excited humping Of
her Misunderstanding her own breath
hat became more and more hot and
Il can't help it," she protested.
shutting her eyes quickly against the
ruth that she saw, yet wished to
ieny.
This truth told her: ''Yon don't
mind the gliding! You wouldn't care
( she gilded her teeth You want 10
You don't want his love.
I weighs you down. You're afraid
# IT. You don't know where it's
You want to get away"
The thought of Ramon troubled her
utterly. Love that she had craved