New Britain herald., 1928-12-05
CHAPTER XIX

over Emmy. She had told Robb |
once that it went to her head ana
made her drunk and dizzy. And SO
it did.
1t did now. She closed her eyes.
swaying a little to the rhythm OF I,
and holding her breath. She almost
forgot that HARRISON was in the
room until he spoke again.
II sat there in that restaurant,
with those people tonight" he said.
close behind her. land I realized
how little they-or anybody but you
Emmy-mean to me-"
She felt his hands on her shoul-
ders She wanted to tell him to take
them away. but she could not think
very clearly just then, with the mu-
sic unwinding all around her like
sold thread from a spool.
His voice came to her from a
long distance, along with the music
and. in some mysterious way. her
whole feeling for Wells HARRISON
seemed to he tangled up with the
music and its magic. Her feeling
tor him became part OF the thing
that always had stirred her ana
gone to her head and made her
drunk ana dizzy,
She did not know it. but she
would have been half in love with
almost any man while that mus.-
played on and wrapped her into its
enchantment-and Wells HARRISON
was far from being lust any man"
to Emmy at that time. He was the
outsta nding figure in her narrow
little life-the life she had made for
herself.
Emmy" he said and she felt
his cheek against her hair.
Even then she did not protest
and they stood there without NOV
ing until the last note Of the great
music died away on the air OF the
little room where the lamplight
flowed around them like sunlit wa
ter and the roses smelled like
June garden.
Emmy, I shouldn't say this, per-
haps, but I love you better than
anything in this world-or any,
body" HARRISON said, his face still
against her hair. And Emmy. still
under the spell of the music. nod
ded her head.
II know" she said. She had
guessed 1t for a long time.
Look at me, dear" He turned
her 70 that she faced him. He put
one hand under her chin. lifting her
face to his. He bent his head
The telephone rang again. This
time Emmy answered it, and 1t was
Robb at the other end of the wire.
1--WE been trying to get you for
an hour" he said. briskly; your
mother asked me to come down
here to Burkhardt's to call up
and see il you we're all right. She's
been worrying about you all eve
ming"
How silly OF her! OF course, I'm
all right" Emmy snapped. Tell her
I'll be down to see her soon. Good
night, Robb."
She came back to HARRISON. But
the spell of the music and the lamp
light and the roses was broken, and
she vas perfectly matter-of-fact and
calm. She stepped back from him
when he would have touched her
again and dropped down into chair
beside the piano.
HARRISON stood looking at her for
a minute or two. Then he sat down
in the window seat and began to
fill his pipe. He struck match to
It and turned to watch the FREELY
lights of automobiles in the rain
swept park below.
Emmy" he said presently, "come
over here and sit beside me. want
to talk to you. l want to tell you
something that should have told
you Z long time ago. but ] kept
putting it off because I wanted to
keep on seeing you"
He cleared his throat. Emmy,
I'm married"
The girl gasped. It was a full
three minutes before she could
make a sound.
II don't know why I'm so
amazed" she stammered at last:
i've half suspected that right
along" But she felt as if she had
been dropped several stories in an
elevator, nevertheless.
''Where's your wife,"
"She's herein this town. She's
been here all day." He looked at her
like a beaten dog. Emmy. ] told
you 4 lie when ] said I had to have
;rh wit h CT nc -
men. I had dinner with her-with
her and my young son. They've
been in Europe for two years. and
today they came out here and joined
me at my hotel. That's why I'm
here now. To explain things to you
and to talk them over"
He lied to me-" thought Emmy,
sitting very straight and still. with
her chin raised and her eyes staring
straight ahead of her at Chinese
embroidery on the wall opposite.
He's not honest He's liar"
II don't love her. HARRISON went
on with his tale. land ] never real
lied just how much | do care for
you until l saw her today. But be-
fore ! hurt her by telling her so.
want to find out how YOU feel about
me. I want TO he sure of YOU
There's no good of my separating
from her unless YOU love me. ! don't
want 10 break her heart for moth
ing"
Emmy nodded her head. and nel
eyes were grave and deep when Shs
turned them on him. ~ sec" SAID
she "She hasn't an inkling Of ths
way you really feel about her
them"
HARRISON promptly shook n.
blond head that cleaned in IN
slamplght like the helmet Of sor'
war god. NO. indeed" he said
But it won't break her heart who,