Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-07-14

IIl-leave you" She said the last
with a laugh.
TN that case I never WILL" he re-
turned, and looked out the window.
Il certainly don't see what I'm
going to do when you do 60 out Of
my life"
What had he said2 She must
have misunderstood him.
We'll" she said, finally, with an
effort to force a little naturalness
into her voice, I'll always be your
big sister"
Cuddles "yoo-hooed" from the
front door, and they went down
stairs. She was with Mann. Vivian
saw that there was worry in his
face, and wondered what was the
matter.
I've been called to New York
suddenly-and must leave tonight"
he said, regretfully. 1t seems too
bad to have to say goodbye for a
while"
Vivian caught a look behind
Kent's back, and saw Bark lift a let
ter from his pocket. She knew it
was for her, and while they made
small and sympathetic talk she
crossed over to the big dictionary
and put her hand on it. He knew
then that she wanted him to place
the letter in it.
Kent was unusually cordial to
Bark, and said they would come
and get him and take him to the
train. Vivian thought she had never
seen Pat so quiet, and again a little
jealous barb flashed through her
heart. Pat really was crazy about
him. Well, a lot of good 1t did her
if she knew the half of it, Vivian
thought inwardly, being red headed
and a woman!
They had dinner together, as they
had once before, but it was not
quite such a noisy foursome. Bark
was sobered, and Cuddles looked as
though she wanted to cry.
Afterward they went to his cottage
for his baggage, and the great artist
waved a sober farewell to the little
hamlet that had been his home for
so long. 1t had seemed hardest of
all to say goodbye to Vivian with
out even so much as taking her in
his arms for a second. But he had
gripped her hand until it hurt, and
looked for just a second into her
eyes.
Bark saw that Vivian was pale
and shaken-and did not know the
reason. So he thought it was be-
cause he was going away and it
made him happy TO see she cared so
much. Cuddles saw it, too, and went
home and threw herself on her bed
and Sobbed for an hour.
While Kent went into the drug
store for cigarettes Vivian took the
letter from the dictionary and read
it. It was full Of love and sorrow
that he must leave her.
II could not bear it, he had said,
eff I did not know that you were
so soon to be my wife"
It sent q cold chill through her.
How was she to face her future?
But she had given her promise. He
was good, and he loved her, and
she would be Mrs. Mann Barlow,
wife of the famous artist. The
world would be her playground. Her
grandfather might be very proud OF
her marriage.
She tore the letter into small bits,
and threw it in the waste paper
basket. Someone might see it-and
that would never do. She didn't
want anyone to know about it yet.
Kent came in and heard her
washing dishes in the kitchen. When
he went out and saw how tired and
drawn and worried she looked. he
asked for a tea towel and offered
to dry them. The little service
touched Vivian. He looked so seri-
Gus. and so much older than he
had a few weeks before, that a little
pain stabbed her. She wanted to
reach up and kiss the curl that had
strayed from the middle of his fore
head. It made her think of the lit
tie ole nursery rhyme about the lit
tie girl with the curl down in the
middle of her forehead:
When she was good she was very
good, indeed,
And when she was bad she was
horrid."
That was Kent. too. He could be
SO devotedly sweet. And so amaz-
ingly indifferent and selfish at other