Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-09-15
w E d. O C. X E ID
BY HAZEL DEYO BATCHELOR.

binding her to Tom and the past had
been suddenly broken. And Curiously
enough ii didn't hurt her actually TO
face this thought in her own mind
Tom was dead. Those sweet box and
girl days with him We're over. Now
she must so forward. Muriel needed
her-and Martin did
Her thoughts were clear and
orderly. She knew exactly what she
wanted to do. Strange how clear
everything was now, when it had been
confused and dark in her mind for
so long.
Martins face broke into a sheer
that was half ii grimace of pain.
And you think that is all | want
or have wanted? You come back TO
me and offer me pity-now, l don't
want your pity. / want nothing
from any woman who gives it as a
sense of duty. But remember,
don't blame you, I only blame my
SELF
He had whirled about and was
facing her again. and she was still
looking at him out of those wide eyes
Now she came nearer to him, near
enough so that through the black
clouds that were swirling in his brain
Martin could see her little heart
shaped face, white blur beneath
his own.
She put out her hand. The
muscles of his arm leaped as her
fingers touched his sleeve.
You must listen to me, Martin
you must. Just give me a chance
to try and explain TO you. l don't
offer you pity nor even duty. Do
you really think / could do that
now? l came hack tonight to offer
you myself. ! want ours TO be a real
marriage"
He was staring down at her incre1-
uously. question after question hurt
ling through his mind. But his
throat felt dry and hot. He couldn't
manage more than the single ejacu-
lation.
"Why?'
Because" and Mans voice was
very quiet and sure, because have
grown up. You say that you blame
yourself for marrying me, but it was
my fault, only that / have been too
self-centered to see it. You loved
me and offered me safety at a time
when ! was desperate. ! accepted
everything, but what did ! do in
return? Instead of trying to meet
ed in clinging TO the past. You
have always met me more than half
way; now | want to do my part.
1t is all just as clear as daylight
to me-that is. if you really need me-"
There were tears in her eyes now.
They glittered for moment on her
lashes and then spilled over on her
cheeks.
Tom needed me in the past. Muriel
needs me now and want you to need
me both now and in the future. Do
you understand at all, Martin? Please
say that you do"
Hope was leaping up in him. 1t
smoothed the bitterness of the lines
about his mouth, it looked out shyly
from his eyes. At the last moment
when he had believed the cup of hap.
piness dashed from his lips forever,
she came to him offering it volunta.
rily. And he loved her so, it was
more than he could refuse.
Perhaps he only dimly understood
what she had meant to convey to him.
but surely there was nothing of pity
in her attitude now He longed to
catch her up in his arms and shelter
her there forever. He longed to kiss
that soft child's mouth and feel it re.
spond against his own.
But this was no moment for pas
sion. There was something almost
consecrated about it.
He took her face between his hands
and kissed her forehead twice. Then
she went into his arms and he held
her against him. But he did not hold
her as il she were Nan, the woman
he loved better than anything in the
world; he held her tenderiy, as If she
had been Muriel.
fCopyright 1927
Concluded in tomorrow's Starr