Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1927-10-07
CHAPTER XXI


It was not Sally Jerome's way TO
run away from things that were un-
pleasant.
True enough, she might long to
run from them-thousands Of miles
away from them.
But she faced them, anyhow.
For so young and gay and tender a
creature, she had a marvellous cour-
age. A courage worthy of q strong
man instead Of q little girl Of 20.
And so this morning, when she
faced Ted Sloan in the kitchen, her
head was held high, her chin vas up,
and there was q smile in the corners
of her mouth.
Don't think that you're being
asked to q wedding supper!" She
flung the words at him cheerfully.
1--WE haven't heard a word from
Beau and Mabel. We don't even
know whether they managed to rout
out some minister or other TO marry
them, last night"
She smiled again as she filled the
tea kettle for her dishes. But Ted,
perhaps because he cared for her as
he never was to care for another
woman so long as there was breath
in his body, saw that there was no
laughter in the blue eyes. A man
always watches a woman's eyes when
he is in love with her.
"Then why bother TO ask me to
support" he wanted to know, drap-
ing his body over the back Of q
kitchen chair. Wouldn't you rather
20 for a drive with me and pick up
a hamburger and q cup Of coffee
somewhere ?"
Sally shook her head. "No,
don't want you to spend money on
me for a long, long time," she said
soberly, rinsing put the coffee cups
with cold water. Beau must have
forgotten to give you that hundred
/ lent him last night. So Ill just let
him keep il for a wedding present
and I'll make good that check Of his,
too. Only you'll have 10 givs me
some time on il. / can give you q
couple Of dollars at least every
week"
She figured that she could.
Now that Beau was gone, the
household expenses would not be
nearly so heavy Is they had been.
Beau could eat a pound Of meat at
a meal. and his laundry bills were
terrible.
"See?" she asked, looking up at
Ted from the e~offee-cake that she
was wrapping in a clean tea-towel.
He laughed shortly. "oh, sure, ]
see perfectly" he told her grimly.
Beau just pocketed that money that
you gave him and walked off with
it-ana you're going 10 let him get
away with il, and pay all his debts
for him besides. . . Well, this is
one debt you won't have to payl"
While she watched him with wide
eyes, he took the two checks out OF
his trousers pocket and tore them into
bits. He came over TO the sink and
dropped the torn bits into the waste
basket under it.
Then, with another quick move
ment, he locked his arms around her
and lowered his face to hers.
He was going to kiss her, too. But
suddenly she was away from him
out Of his hands like water. And he
was left standing beside the sink and
feeling very foolish. His face was
flushed with shame and defeat.
4 tore up the checks" he reminded
her sullenly.
Sally nodded. "Yes, and I'll pay
you back the money even IL you
did," she said quickly. "But not
that way, Teddy. I'll pay it back the
way I said I would-two dollars q
week."
She saw that he was angry, and
she went to him and laid one hand
on his arm. you did a fine thing
just then, Ted, and | was horrid TO
you" she said quietly. But I just
couldn't help i'll don't want
don't want"
"You don't wan me. I get you'll"