Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1930-07-29

and bottom. and felt the fresh air
rush In and purity the place.
He felt very queer and cold. What
had happened to Chummy? Had she
gone mad? Or had she been clean
ing her gas stove and succumbed TO
the fumes? But one didn't clean a
gas stove with the burners turned
On.
Curiously enough, Bastien had
once before been present when a
friend had been resuscitated after
having nearly killed himself in this
self-same way. He knew what TO
do. and he did il without going for
a doctor. Chummy was very far
gone; but he satisfied himself that
she could be revived: and he knew
she would not wish him TO call a
doctor.
For by this time he realized that
Chummy had intended to COMMIT
suicide. He was still numbed. 1t was
so sordid-Chummy lying there. with
her head in the gas oven. Chummy
so badly hit by life that she sought
a way out:
she looked wonderful as she lay
on the couch, so fair and aristo-
cratic, so delicate and rare. she
had never been like the others. It
seemed worse for her TO have done
this thing--almost more than Du-
mont could stand.
He could imagine other girls do
ing it-even Judy, under certain
circumstances; but not Chummy-
/ Chummy. who had made up her
mind that love came before work,
and who was going to be married
and live happily ever afterl
Her eyelids stirred, and she
moaned family. Dumont held cold
water TO her lips. She drank o
little. Then he hurried out to the
galley, and. knowing II was now
safe to strike a light. put some
water on TO boil.
When he came back she was sit
ting up. greenish white about the
face. but breathing more or less
normally.
"Bastienl" she sasped.
"Chummyi" he replied. with as
much reproach as relief. What q
dreadful thing to do II wac luck
that I came In time!"
And then the proud. reserved
Chummy came 70 the end Of her
self-control.
Il wish you hadn't comet" she
cried. II wish you hadn't come"
She broke down completely. and
II was terrible 20 watch.
Little by little Dumont managed
TO soothe her and TO bring her back
70 normal behavior: but she was
completely demoralized mentally.
and could no more control her words
than q person out of her mind.
She did what she would never
have done, what she would rather
have died than done. II she had
been herself-she told him the truth.
"Bastien, you should have let me
be. It's the only way out Of 1t. Judy
and Sian love each other, but they
won't take their happiness because
Of mel"
At first Dumont thought Chummy
must be mad He had not had the
faintest inkling OF such a situation.
He put It down TO the gas. It had
poisoned her mind. But little by
little, through her disorgsnized Volt
ton and her eloquent words, ne
came TO see that she knew what she
was talking about.
She gave chapter and verse.
While the floodgates were open. the
flood flowed through.
YA. - 49, 1880 AmAA AAAAw
They had loved even more strongly
since Alan came back. Alan had
cutie forgotten her, she said. Prob
ably he had never loved her. He
had been very fond Of her as q
friend-that was all: but he loved
Judy. How could any man help
loving Judy?"
The last sentence was so true
that Dumont laughed. and Chummy
did not know that IL was the laugh
ter Of despair.
But why did one never guess7"
loving Judy7
Because they didn't want any
one to guess. Bastien." she said,
still unable TO keep anything back
They wanted to keep 1t from me.
II was Judy at first-you know
Judy; but afterward 1t was Alan,
too. She made him see 1t that way
How do you know?"
Because I do KNOW can't help
It. 10 was Just before we were GO
ing 70 be married the first time
last year, can't tell you. but
saw them together. and I knew
They were saying goodhy. Judy
knew ! loved Alan. She wouldn't
take him from me. You know Judy
They didn't know I'd heard and
seen"
And then" said the young man
growing enlightened. "ycu suddenly
decided that you must put your
work before Steyne?"