The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1929-08-02

kind of futtered them. You know
the way some girls do, when they
talk.
Il used to wonder if those white
hands of hers held the secret O
all I'd forgotten. don't re
member of having been conscious
of any scent about her. But nov
it all comes back. | can Close
my eyes, and see her sitting there
"She always wore black. Frencl
women do mostly, you know. Hel
hair was sort of goldy-bleached
/ suppose. And it used to kind o.
slip out from under her hat. Shed
sit there, toying with a glass, and
smiling quietly. Sometimes
thought it was her smile that
would bring things back"
Didn't you ever talk with her?'
demanded Sybil.
John raised his shoulders.
YES" he said heavily. 81 talk.
ed with her-after a while. II
didn't do any good, of course"
ooh, we'll" Sybil slid her arm
through his. Lets talk about
something else. Come-sit down.
Well talk about me. Have
changed, John? Much. mean
Of course I've grown older"
They sat IN the divan in front
of the fire, but he did not touch
her.
Look at me-" she commanded,
"and tell me- She laughed.
Talk to me tenerly," she
begged. Tell me lies"
"Lies?" he said. 81 don't have
to tell you lies, Sybil. You were
an exquisite child, my dear, and
now you are a beautiful woman"
She clapped her hands softly.
Hear, Heart" she cried. Tell
me more, John" And she drew
closer to his shoulder.
"You were a w~hite-souled child"
he said, and said it in the voice a
man uses when he speaks of the
dead. $50 sweet and good"
He looked deeply into her face,
so that she felt herself flushing
holly, and put our her hands be-
seemingly.
YES" he said g%ravely, 81 should
say you have changed"
But she stammered, "you-
really don't know anything about
me. OF course I've grown older.
1--we lived so fiercely-and loved
and hated. | suppose l have
changed. I'm wiser-and hard,
guess"
With a touch of unconscious co
quetry she laid her hand on his,
and lifted her eyes, swimming
now in ears.
Marrying and having a child"
she said, changes and improves a
woman. | think l am far more at
tractive now than l was when |
was IS, John"
He had put her on the defensive,
and she found herself growing
angry with him in the first hour
of their ecstasy.
ooh, you're beautiful" he cried.
Its not that"
And then he fell silent.
She held his hand in her lap,
lifting his fingers one by one, and
letting them drop back again.
Then" she whispered, "all the
things you loved me for are gone?
And all the lovely dreams are
dead. Nothing could ever be the
same again."
Nothing is ever the same
again." he told her, and turned
to meet her eyes. You're disil-
lusioned, Sybil."
He looked at her SO ~intently
that she felt e-mbrassassed, as if
being disillusioned was like being
pockmarked.
81 suppose | have" she agreed,
and sighed deeply, so that he
might be impressed with the bit
terness and the tragedy of her
life. you couldn't expect a wo-
of 2S to be as idealistic as a
girl of IS. Women don't keep
MANY Illusions. Not outside of
n~unneries. And life's been cruel
% me since you went away, John"
1t was humiliating-this feeling
hat she must defend herself.
you used to be a knight sans
1eur ct sans %reproche,' she re-
him. You've probably
changed a good deal yourself"
"Oh, yes" he agreed. Men do,
you know. I've been a bit of an
egg" He smiled ruefully. "But
is different, somehow, with a
voman." I
"Why, think you're horrid! {
Andbody'd think" She drew back
rom his shoulder, and settled her
hort skirts primly.
john We're not going to t
quarrel today" {
81 should say not"
He gathered her in his arms
gain. and kissed her fiercely- I
.ot at all as he had kissed her 10 I
ears before. And when she had \
reed herself, she was breathless
nd more than half indignant. $
"You HAVE changed" S h e !