Evening star., 1930-12-05
The Secret of
MARGARET York;
BY Kathleen Norris

sha did. she put her hands upon his
shoulders, and the passionate gipay
face, proud and untamed attll, despite
the tell-taie signs Of srief. was close to
Held so-fcr his big arms instantly
went about her--her youth and her
dark beauty and the supple slimness
effect stanley smiled at her q little
confnsedly, his own laugh . Mttle
breathless and his voice unsteady.
Can't tell your big brother about II
"oh, stan--stan--what shan I dcs"
she whispered.
4 troubled look came into his face
"If its money, Margaret, why don't
you tell me? And II it's Q man, et
least I could handle him better than
you canI'
weakness, weakness, weakneSs-.-aeH.
cious and Intoxicating weakness waS
running through her being like . subtle
wine. She must not--she must not tell
him y -. ...-.-2--.. :.
"If it was neither, stanP If It. was
your" she breathed, with all the Rlovy
Of her dark beauty, proud and reluctant
even In surrender, held In his arms.
3 She saw his expression change. In an
instant he was standing by the fittfe'
table. one Drowned big hand resting
with q strong grip upon the thick great
history that happened TO be lying there,
hands locked upon the back Of Bic
tufted armchair.
Their eyes were fastened together;
neither spoke. Both were breathiHg
hard; Margaret looked frightened, STAN
ley only serious, thoughtful. -
The pause lasted for q long. rninute$
Then stan said: --.t---A'
"I'm sorry. ] never dreamed It. The
way you spoke to me that day"
He stopped again, and Margaret pres
emily said briefly:
Eyes, / know" sS4
Another silence, while neither one
moved q muscle. ~----
Il thought there was some one else"
Stanley said.
Margaret did not answer, or change
her frightened. fascinated look.
Gould you have liked me?" STANLEY
presently asked sharply. sS
7 don't know" she answered quickly.
IT see," he said. And after awhile
he added slowly, II see."
He came toward her, and to her fright
she found him close again, with hts
arms about her shoulders.
"You-you-might have come TO care"
he began, and stopped. -
raised the long black lashes that were
still stuck together with tears. an-
Swered the question. :.
II didn't knowl" abe whispered. And
she dropped her dark head I'm sharne.--s
Tim sorry" Stanley said slowly.
I'm sorry. I wish had knownl I
never dreamed It'll"
HIS arm was loosely about her; her
face dropped close against, but not
t011NhtnR hfe aek Ard Naps - vasan
long time they stood so. Margaret.
through all the blind confusion of her
senses, drinking in courage and peace
from the mere nearness Of his biRnoas
and gentleness, and Stanley staring
into the wide, dinnIy lighted room WITH
troubled and puzzled eyes.
Margaret suddenly freed herself.
looked up At him and manased .
Don't mind mel" she said, with an
unexpected composure that made stan
ley feel tremendously relieved. eve
been lonely, lately, and today, hearing
OF your happiness, ! felt-Weil, per-
haps ] felt . little left out There are
times, you know, when some people
seem to have everything and others
nothingl I don't know why I'm actire
90 foolishiy hope you'n forget e q
Stanley felt q. thrill Of admiration Tor
her; she had never seemed TO hinf so
lovable as she was ct this moment.
with her eyes still stained with tears.
her black, childish lashes sopping vet,
her rebellious Gypsy eyes Challenging
him. and her Gypsy body hrsced
proudly refusal Of any pity, any loft-
fiber OF her. Her defense, feeble as e
was, was yet so calamity, 90 cogfa-
geously presented, that he hastened TO
"of course, I understand" he as-
sured her quickly. Foote coming in at
this moment with no news Of the bag,
the two men left the hallway together,
Stanley only giving Margaret nod for
Her tears were dried, the storm was
over. Immediately and quickly, she
went upstairs and got ready for bed
refusing TO analyze, refusing =eveYf to
recall, the events Of the past is minz
utes. But her cheeks were still burn-
ing with excitement and shame, and
she was breathing hard. =
What comes over me when that
man is around?" she asked herself
scornfully. Hell think I'm an .abSo-
lutte imbecile. But / don't care in the
least what he thinks" Margaret assured
herself, getting into bed and opening
book. Hes Just engaged--he probable
monl" - -
The open page grew meaningless
her gaze wandered, her memory brought
back STAINS voice
Margaret could bear IL no longer. She
leaped out Of bed, reached for her
wrapper and went into Mrs Cuttings
room TO report Shirley's loss. Mrs
Cutting. was positive that Shirley had
not had the bag when she came up 70
the terrace that afternoon.
"But we'll never hear the last Of that
bag" predicted STAINS aunt, as her
gray hair was folded into kids. "ThatIf
mean more to her than Stan doesl Oh,
my dear" said she, signing; rI,m not
one bit happy about this. I've been
thinking about tit isn't only his poor
old auntie speakingl She's not the
woman for him, Margaret .n,sgsS@
The scene with Stan had diieted
Margaret; sheer fatigue and the blind
optimism of her youth had sootheE
heart and brain into a sort Of happik
ness again. But now the agony saII
came back with q rush; It was over, a.
was announced. They were engaged =
Continued In Tomorrow's starr