The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-06-26
CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY
tive heard of women refusing to
i live with their husbands. That's
fair enough. One can change ones
mind after the ceremony just as
we'll as before. But people who
want to eat their cake and have
it. too-what can you make of
them? You don't love me. Yet
you want to stay here. Why?"
She wondered what would hap
pen if she told him the bizarre
truth. That queer perversity whose
impulses she had experienced be-
fore this evening made her tremble
on the verge of disclosure. That
was the simple way out Of the
situation.
But Eleanor would be destroyed
If she did this. Also she dreaded
the look that would appear on the
face of Dean if she yielded to the
impulse. That look might come
there some day, she was afraid, but
please God she would not be pres
ent to witness it.
It can't tell you why. If you
press me any further, I'll do what
my father wants me to do. If you
let me alone, permit things to go
on as they are"
For how long?" he interrupted
her. We've been married three
weeks. How much longer will you
need?"
Il can't tell" she replied.
Cant tell! If I listened to a
conversation like this between two
other people, I wouldn't believe my
ears!" he cried.
1--WE seem so nad?" she asked.
"You do! Ard 1 do, too-becauSe
1 tolerate you" Then anger left
him. He came to her and held out
his hands. Eleanor, I love you so
much that what you do seems to
make no difference. But we can't
90 on indefinitely. If you'll name
a time, if you'll promise at the end
of that time either to be my wife
or divorce me"
Three months" she said.
She could not have told why she
named this period. Perhaps she
read his mind and guessed the limit
OF his endurance.
"All right he said. And abruptly
he left the room.
A moment later she went TO her
bedroom. Her limbs were heavy, and
her mind seemed strangely clouded.
A most dangerous situation had
been bridged over temporarily, and
she should have felt that elation
which follows victory. But this was
such a cheap victory. More lies,
more evasicps and more hurt done
90 Dean.
MARY, the maid, was fussing
WI about the room when Cynthia
entered. and she struggled against
the inclination to scold the woman.
But that was vl1lgarity impossible
to her.
After all, servants are human and
gossip is innate among all classes.
But if the servants, with their OPP
portunity for intimate observation,
were already gossiping, how long
would it be before Eleanor's friends
knew that the marriage had gone
awry?
If Tom Sanver's valet dared even
hint to his master the gossip that
he had cleaned, how could Cynthia
be sure that the man hadn't talked
to other Wallets? Not that servants
chatter was of too great Importance.
but Eleanor's return must not be
made more difficult than necessary.
Still, she assured herself as she
went to sleep. there wasn't anything
that she could do which would make
matters any better.
But in the morning she realized
that there were things which she
decently could do that would help
the situation somewhat. There was
no reason why she should antagon-
ize all of Eleanor'S friends
There was no reason, really, why
she should be concerned over Flea
nors friends. but if she were to
continue in the role which she had
assumed she might just as well do
1t intellectually.
Heaven knows whether or not
Eleanor would return in the three
months grace which Dean last night
had granted. And Cynthia no longer
coild stay in the house awaiting a
rilssage. That Vas why she ae-