The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-06-21

1o sa' nsI,. !, !. wouldn't be unlike you
Sandy was washing her hands a
the small basin. She said absently
There's five days before we neet
to bother shout Alice. mother"
, She chung to the thought OF thes,
! five days. Her imagination pro
longed the moments into hours
weeks, years. Five days yet-th,
two words became . paean. Fiv,
full days Of frecdom--sweetn
| Why should She darken them with
forebodings? What had she to fear
Her problem was settled.
Yet the mere mention Of HON,
! disquieted her; filled her with un
easy breads.
She stood on the upper deck.
A moon, saffron-hued drew glim.
merlng wells across the water. In its
light the phosphorus showed in
pools-flashing like opals living in
the waves.
1t was after midnight--quiet blu,
for the lap-lap against the boat.
An hour ago Sandy had whis-
pered: Il must 20. Ramon" Blu,
he kept an arm about her, his hand
pressed on hers.
Now he said: you're unhappy
Sandy. Is it because of what / said
this morning?"
81 don't know. OF course not!
It's because things are"
"And YOU wish knew nothing
about you?"
mo. That wouldn't make much
difference"
"You look like person who
should have everything on the earth.
Sandy"
She laughed: II feel like that kind
of person, Ramon. But isn't IL
strange what little trifles may alter
= whole life? For instance, such q
thing as battery on an automo-
bile running down at the wrong
moment"
well. how could that do it?"
"Oh. l don't know! But don't peo-
pie do things quickly without much
thinking? For instance. You! you
packing your buds and grabbing this
boat. You may change the course
Of your whole life" !.
care you that dangerous? lie
stopped till his cheek was near to
hers. ''l've done quick things like
this q good many years, Sandy.
] hope I'll be doing them a decade
or SO more. What about you?
Aren't you glad I'm along? Here
don't turn your face away"
"Yes-I will"
But you like to kiss me. You
said So"
I'm not going to. though. Not
again. But I'm glad you do know
about me, Ramon. ! wouldn't want
you to think I'd kiss you or. anyone
even lightly if things were different
than they are. l did before--of
course. l mean when was a girl.
But ! wouldn't now. I think it shall
low and meaningless"
her cheek. He could see the exqui-
site curve Of her lips and the black
ness Of her long lashes on the pale
cheeks. He said huskily: but things
are different, Sandy. / know what
you mean. You mean that the kind
of great love you were talking about
yesterday doesn't admit of any
snatching at flowers along the way
side. But for those who haven't this
great love?"
II don't know"
ayes you do. You think you've a
right to be happy, to laugh, to live.
And you want to do all these things,
don't you? They mean life to you.
In your heart you feel that the
whole world is yours and it's all be-
fore you, don't you? You do Let
me have the kiss. then"
MO and drawing her hands
down from his. ''No. Because 1
mean to start clear--That's WHY" 81
She felt excited. drawn tight, and
glowing. She closed her door noiserI
lessly that her mother might not
awaken.
She said to herself: "Why did l
say that? One day gone"
And she knew that It was not her
scruples that kept her from kissing
him, but an odd, uncertain fear. She
repeated with sense Of triumph:
"Well-one day gone!"
(COntlnued.)