Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-06-20
CHAPTER u

80 @8N
She lifted her head and looked at
him. II was interesting to find that
she could. I'm sorry about that.
hard, and ! was confused. see that
now"
II thought you were e free spirit,
Stella"
Their eyes met. She said: you're
a Nietzschean, Ernie"
He nodded. Gravely she considered
him. The thought rose that she'd
never before looked at him with any
measure of detachment. "You recog-
nize no human obligations"
Il think ! have an artistic con-
science" said he.
THAT, yes. / see that. But apart
from that you know no law"
Certainly. If by law you mean
the tangle of se~ntimentality and
tribal custom and materialism that
governs this absurd country"
you hold yourself bigger than this
absurd country"
Isn't this rather silly, Stella? Let's
be honest, at least"
I'm trying to be-"
You're only succeeding, I should
say, in being rather unpleasant"
I'm sorry. | don't mean il that
way. But I'm beginning to think.
For the first time in my life, ! sup
pose. Don't misunderstood me,
Ernie. You are a fine artist. And
you're a personality. You've sue
ceeded in cutting yourself free.
Quite possibly you're right in your
philosophy. As least, as far as you
yourself r concerned. / simply
don't know about that. And / can't
undertake to decide it. I'm too tired.
What I'm trying to figure out is
whether your independent ideas ap-
ply to me-"
"Why' shouldn't they"
I'm not a great artist. I'm just
a girl with a Job. I'm not big, GER
tainly not bigger than the life
around me-"
That's the question, of course,
Stella. The whole question. But look
here, we're both tired. And I'm sorry
to say I've been pretty mad. The
thing for us to do is to drive on TO
New York and get some sleep. Then
we can talk nationally"
mo. My place right now il In
Ackland. I'm needed there. You
had no right to take me away"
4 did that with my eyes open. II
you were really the kind that could
mt cut yourself clear of that con-
ventional little village, the sooner I
found you out the better"
We'll you've found me out"
What do you mean By THAR"
ID you know where we are now ?"
Where we are? . Oh, New
Haven"
Then there will be early trains to
Boston. I'm going to ask you to
leave me at the station"
you propose to break like that -
Eyes. Break"
His watching eyes flashed anerily.
but she could face them. "Look here.
Stella" he asked, abruptly, shave
you been falling in love with that
boy?"
The question struck home. She
couldn't control the color that rushed
up into her face. and she could no
longer look at him. Her temples
were punding again. He had found
her out, indeed He had dragged
their oddly impersonal conversation
from the plane Of reason and plunged
1t into the narrowly personal. If
only her heart wouldn't beat so fast!
What would Homer think OF her II
she confessed? He needn't know, Of
course. Ernest wouldn't talk. He
wasn't cheap.
The instinct Of truth was strong in
her She slipped at the cooling cof-
fee: then lifted her eyes. YES" she
said. 81 am"
"Mmi i see. Just a washout,
isn't it," This wasn't a question.
Well, what do you want to do?'
I'm going straight back there"
Very well. I'll drive you"
i can take a train"
"IIl drive you"
It was a little after ten in Ackland.
Church bells were ringing. The folks
OF the Center, dressed more sprucely
than on week days, were moving
~sedately through the quiet streets,
under the arching elms.
The roadster pulled up by the drug
store. Stella said: "I1l get out here"
She gave him her hand. Without
further words, he drove off. She