Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-07-24

tleman about it. It was a difficult
position for me to be in"
II understand" Kent said quietly.
But you are atout the only woman
in the world who would have been a
gentleman about it. I can see now
how Dovie Inundated 20 A lot Of
things are clear to me-noW."
well, she did make my blood boil
once in a while" Vivian confessed,
"but I felt she would hang herself
If we gave her plenty of her own
rope. People like that usually do"
Kent Strengthened suddenly, and
looked at Vivian. He seemed to be
studying-puzzled. Then he smiled
gravely.
Strange as it may seem, I don't
think I'll ever c. for Dovie again.
This-this shock seems to have
taken her all out Of my system"
Vivian's heart leaped.
LET US hope, my dear" she tried
to make light of the whole thing, 1T
wouldn't take any more than this
to cure you"
II idealized her a long, long
time, viz. Ever since I was a little
boy. I can't remember when we
didn't play at being lovers. She is
the only girl I've ever thought of in
that way. Oh, Of course" he con-
feSsed with a Shrug, II had my little
heart affairs in college. But they
were mostly just pretty little girls
that us boys could take out nd do a
little heavy loving with under the
moon"
Vivian realized, then, that she
was sitting on his iap-and she
started to get up. He pulled her
back.
She settled back, with her red
head on his chest. They were silent
for several minutes. She could hear
the beating of his Lig, strong heart,
and felt she could never bear the
idea of being very far away from
him again.
Il feel pretty much at the end Of
my rope he sighed heavily, break
ing the silence. Il feel as though I
could never lift my head up in this
town again. How am I going to
face people after this?"
Vivian raised up and looked at
him scornfully.
"So-you are going to let your
false pride I'll away with you-are
you? I don't know whose business
1t iS-but yours. And it seems to
me you overestimate the interest the
world in general will take in it. Who
knows that you planned to divorce
me and marry DOVE? No one-but
the three Of us-aS far as I know"
He seemed relieved at her logic.
But still his face was clouded with
uncertainty. She went on seriously:
why should a man with your op-
~portunities and your position worry
about what people think? You r
a very fortunate boy. You've always
had money-and a fine old family
name-and so much to live for. If
you let this get you down you de-
serve to be a failure"
Suppose" she said a minute
later, you had lived my life? Sup
pose you had been in a narrow,
helpless little rut for twenty years
without friends - seeing nothing
ahead Of you tIt more and more
years Of emptiness? Then, you
would know what real sorrow is.
Believe me, I know"
Her voice caught-and he held her
tightly.
You poor little kid. You have
had a rotten life. I haven't helped
it very much, have I? / thought
We were being SO smart"
She stopped him with her hand
over his mouth.
stop that, Kent. You'll never
know what I owe you. Why, I owe
you every bit of happiness I have.
We were foolish kids-and we didn't
know what l. was all about a year
ago-really. But, where would I
have been If you hadn't come along
and married M to get the million
dollars and spite DOVE? I would
be the same little old, dissatisfied
f~riendleSs, hopeless"
He broke in on her with a laugh.
Hold up-before you run out OF
words. You couldn't have been all
those things-a1i lived. Do you
know what I think you are? I think
you r the finest little woman that
the Kansas sun ever Shone on. You
are SO big that you make me fee
like a-a-wen just plain darn fool