Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-09-07

to take care Of her, to guard her
against the world. And that night
he had carried her off to the Port of
Missing Men.
Unable to keep away, he had called
again shortly after that to find her Ill
in bed. He had sent his chauffeur out
for dinner and had watched over her
while she ate every bit.
That night-that night
He remembered now his impassioned
words. You aren't strong. / want to
take care of your And then. amy
kind of life that you want to live will
suit mer'
He jammed down the accelerator
viciously as he reached this point in
his thoughts. Yes, he had said those
very words to her. But had he kept
his promise? No-nol A thousand
times no! He had forced her to live
his life and to know only his friends.
Therefore he hadn't kept his word.
Was it because he hadn't been able to
win her love? Was it because she
had married him in her extremity and
had seemed to withdraw herself from
him ever since? He wondered.
Then had come her marriage. Helen
had told him first.
Yes, to poor artist, a nice enough
boy, but they won't have a cent be-
tween them" He remembered the
feeling of a shutter closing down in
his brain. He remembered murmuring
polite platitudes to Helen, things that
meant nothing. After that he had
Kept himself pretty we'll in check until
the night Tom had died, save for those
Few glamorous days at Vineyard Ha-
ven when Nan had sat on the sands in
a slim Jersey swimming suit or played
very bad game of bridge in an eve
ming frock trimmed with ostrich. He
had even remembered thati
But the night Tom had died he had
lost control of himself. He had merely
called to bring her flowers and ex.
tended his sympathy, and then-he
had forgotten everything in the world
| but her little white face with it's sweep
| of black hair off her forehead. He re-
| membered blindly kissing her again
and again, and then plunged rather
drunkenly down the stairs. He had
been shocked later to hear that Tom
had died that night.
Then he had bided his time. When
he had found her ill and in need of his
help, he had called in the best physi-
clans. He hadn't even f1inched when
he had discovered that she was to
have a baby.
But something in her had definitely
withdrawn from him. Married to him
she did not treat him as she had when
they had first met. And so a barrier
had been erected between them, bar
rier that had grown and grown until
now it was insurmountable.
There was nothing to do but give
her up. He realized that. There was
only one thing that could save their
marriage-if Nan in some miraculous
way could love him, things might still
be adjusted.
But of course he knew that was i'm.
possible. Her heart was buried with
that artist husband of hers, and what
she had left she gave to Toms child.
Alicia was right, he must give her up.
If there had ever been any possibility
of winning her love he had gone about
it the wrong way.
He came to himself with the knowl.
edge that dawn was breaking. A soft
blue haze lay along the horizon and
overhead the stars were paling. He
had driven all night, and he had no
idea where he was. His practical mind
told him that he must turn the car,
get his bearings and drive for the city,
but he didn't care. Nothing mattered
save the fact that he must give Nan
her freedom.
Copyright 1877
Continued in tomoroW's Star.l