Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-10-02
CHAPTER XXVI


Thank YOU said Jane. drawing
her cold hands away from his.
Good night" With a quick, half
frightened smile she closed the bed
room door. If he responded to her
good night wishes, she did not hear
him. On the bed lay a suit Of silk
pajamas. very sheer ana pink. Mrs.
Galloway, she decided. must be both
young and frivolous. She had pic
tured her an older woman For an
instant curious little doubts began
to assail her. Was there really any
such person as Mrs. Galloway at all,
or had Tony invented her 10 suit the
occasion? Angry with herself. she
thrust the thoughts aside; even the
momentary suspicion that her belief
IN his honesty might be misplaced
gave her poignant pain. She would
not even imply distrust by locking
the door. She put out the lights and
crept into bed.
For long. silent moments she Law
thinking, listening to the low "plash
-plash' Of the waves along the
beach. Why had Tony not said good
night to her? she was certain ne
had not. and all at once the fact as
sumed tremendous importance. Did
ne mean to come 10 her-to say good
night to her now? For a delicious
moment she found herself hnnin.r
that he would-feeling. in her imag-
ination, the pressure Of his arms
about her, the keen warmth of his
kisses, and in that moment knew
that she loved him. But-what were
HIS feelings? Were they love, or
merely the passion that so fire.
quently aped il? Had their whole
day together. their long evening.
been just a clever trap ID snare her
into her present position; his offer
OF the lead in the new picture he was
at work on, the tempting bait? Low
ing Tony, she felt that she would
rather die than believe such a thing
Of him.
The silence. 70 one accustomed to
the noises Of the city. was uncannv.
With the exception of the muruaur
Of the waves she could not hear a
sound. From across the studio she
fancied she heard someone cough.
but could not be sure: a moment
later she was laughing at herself.
No doubt he was already sound
asleep.
Suddenly there came A sound hat
thrilled her, left her trembling
weak. The catch Of a lock clicked
sharply, followed By quick footsteps.
the creak Of a floor board in front
Of her door. She held her breath.
IL was Tony. she realized, coming ~
her. What should she do-what
could she do-now? If he loved her.
then a good night kiss
A knock upon the panels III the
door ended her thoughts.
IL was repeated more Loudly, when
her emotions held her silent.
Jane" said an eager voice out
side. Jane"
The beating of her heart almost
smothered her. Love or passion
love or passion? The question ranc
necessarily in her brain. WeIl-he
alone could answer il.
She raised up in bed.
Come in she whispered.
From the moment Of Tony Hull's
knock upon her bedroom door. 10 the
time Of her tremulous "Come i'm il
seemed 70 Jane Dare that hours
passed. She could hear the insistent
beating of her heart. made the more
rapid by the agitation which possess
ed her. What would she do, il AZ
took her at her word and came in ?
She did not know. With a SILVER Of
apprehension she drew the coverlet
about her and gazed in a frightened
way at the door.
And yet in spite Of the fears which
swept over her, her response to his
knock had been deliberate. She want
ed very much to know just how Tony
regarded her-to find out whether
nc really cared for her. in the way a
man cares for a woman he hopes 70
marry. or whether his feelings were
OF a lighter nature. contemplating
no more than a passionate adventure.
n the latter proved to be the case ne
was doomed to a sharp disappoint-
ment, but she would know, then, Just
where she stood, and be able to act
accordingly. II would not be the
first time. she reflected. that a sue
cessful director had offered to make
a girl in her position a star-if she
would pay the price. Was Tony,
then, trying her out, testing her, as
! she was testing him? 1t was a sin