Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-31
THE PROMISE Apb;e Carter %9s1 cooaloe


to her with despairing gesture
See here. Remy~~I'm an untamed
creature. All my days I've lived out
In the open. If you loved me enough
to live my lfe'
She stopped him with n gesture.
I'm quite willing to go out to
Idaho in the Summers and spend a
few weeks at your ranch-~"it's a smart
enough thing to do now~-spend n
while at a dude ranch Warner
winced~"but as for living there,
You can't seriously think Id want to
live there?"
"Oh, no. I'm convinced Won
wouldn't" Warmers ~ibrart voice
had gone fiat. I'm ms convinced Of
1t as | am that 1t Is the only existence
for me. I've honestly tried To change
I've meant to do all YOU ask and
expect Of mo. but ! suddenly knew to-
night that | couldn't. Two got to
have freedom" He stopped and look.
cd at the girl mcditatively III there
Is a sane explanation OF what I'm do
ing tonight it's that. | suppose-~~the
horror Of putting myself in n stu
alton from which there lis no escape
And. feeling as | do. decided that
the only honest thing was to tell you
all this before II was~~too late"
You call this belated refusal to
tulnll your promises 'honest'?"
Yes. Perhaps il ours could have
been real marriage, IL you had been
willing to follow me. TO have walked
out there in that spacious tranquility,
hand In hand with me, under the
quiet stars--then love might have had
the illusion OF liberty. But here
in this cramped life. hedSed about by
thousand conventions good
heavens, I've the suffocating feeling
that I've walked into a trap, cave,
an endless tunnel. / know you de.
spise mel despise myself But |
can no more control this feeling than
| can control the color of my eyes.
It's physical terror feel. mind you
AS though | were helpless, shut in,
bound--cant YOU understand, Remy?"
Il understand that you are coward
and welcher. understand. you
once wanted me and that now all you
want is to leave me 1at-~to humiliate
me before my world-to be free of me
to get away! That's 1t, isn't it,"
demanded the girl passionately.
That's the way 1t looks to you,
suppose" said Warner slowly. "And
it is true that / want to be free again
to be rid of this unconquerable fear
that grips me-"
THE girl turned pale beneath the
rouge on her round young cheeks.
She rose with unaccustomed dignity.
Il would never dream of holding a
man who wanted to leave me-" she
said. in a tone Warner had never
heard her use. She glanced at the
clock and struck her hands sharply
together. "But--but what can we do?
It's too late to get a notice into the
papers-the usual the engagement
has been broken by mutual CONSENT
She smiled bitterly.
"I'll do anything under heaven you
say-anything to make this easier
for YOU
TT is only fair that you should
bear the brunt Of it," said the girl
coldly.
why not tell everybody that I am
a coward and a welcher,' as you nut
it? That will set you straight and
serve me right"
The girl moved slowly away and
stood by the table. drumming lightly
on it with her finger tips. She gave
a short laugh.
Its just like you, Phil, to suggest
that, 1t would be the very last thing
I'd do. Inform an amused world that
I've been thrown down. abandoned by
my young Northumberland YOU"
II see. I was only anxious that no
blame should attach to you. But. of
course. I see now 1t wouldn't do"
"Of course not. In a case like this,
1t Is better for the woman to be wrong
than right. If there is any throwing
down to be done, I must do it--you
owe me that much at least"
II owe you everything"
Everything, except" There was
the hint of a break in Remy's voice,
but she pulled herself sharply to-
gether. 1t wasn't her way to show
emotion. She stared down thought
fully at the table. still drumming
lightly on it with her polished finger
tips. Suddenly she looked up at
Warner, and there was a curious.
bright light in her eyes.
1--WE thought of a way-but 1t will
be hard on you. / admit"
1--WE told you I'd do anything under
heaven you want done. Punish me
as you see fit deserve to be
punished"
1T will be punishment all right"