Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1930-05-30
CHAPTER "
Flutterlnns.

ftI~H
linda was dining with Senator
~ Converse.
IL told Henri 10 see 10 the duck
ling himself" he grumbled. "and see
what he has brought. No wonder
you're not eating. Where is hei"
He glanced around the room, but
Linda i~nterfered.
There Is nothing wrong. Pray
don't made a scene" she said In her
icy sweet voice.
She never touched anything when
she dined with him. To watch him
paving over his food. ordering more
and devouring 1t with his eyes, was
too much. The dinners were AL
ways perfect. and size felt Henri's
eyes, humid with reproach upon her
every moment. But unless she
could have closed her eyes and ears
throughout the meal she could not
conquer the diStaste with which
Converse always affected her.
Their meetings. intermittent and
infrequent for two or three years,
had begun 10 occur with some reg
ularity. Linda did not dread see
ing him as she had before Courtney
Roth's time. Something hard and
brittle, like a thin shell. had grown
over her spirit In this time SO that
words and ~lOOks-even the contact
OF his hot hands-could not reach
her. She did not fear him. There
were remote Businesses within her
where she could retreat and where
he could never follow.
The unlucky duckling had gone
its way when the senator, mum
bling behind his napkin. wanted 70
know the reason 70 which he owed
the pleasure Of her society.
She flushed slowly, playing with
her fork.
"why are you so certain that
there Is a reason? Perhaps I was
only bored"
He gave her the little glance she
hated. Those small eyes from
their ledge Of flesh seemed 10 know
everything.
Nonsense, my dear; all women
want something besides food when
they telephone an old man and ask
him 20 dinner"
His allusion TO age was m0ckery.
He was exactly as he had been for
fifteen years-not old. not young.
His ponderous body would not re-
veal the time II had lived. Linda
disllked the smirk with which he
always accompanied these hypo-
critical references TO himself.
TT IL the penalty you pay for
being my friend" she said in a
light, artificial voice.
The senator received the next
course with a pleased air. He was
prepared 10 enjoy anything that
Henri brought, knowing that soon
Linda would be at his mercy. He
\ could watch her writhe while she
told her trouble and asked for his
aid.
You've seen N sable coat you
must have?" he ~bantered, 'or this
time IL is a town car"
She did not trouble TO reply. She
hHCW HC was BA&IAE Win ACA
They had talked OF sable coats and
town cars long ago. but Linda had
not wanted them badly enough.
She owned very good furs and
she could always purchase a car.
Their interviews always began
with light fencing; with a playful
sarcasm behind which lurked the
deadly barb Of reality. If he but
once pierced her shield
Il have not heard from Stevens
about the traction stock" she said
at length. II wrote TO him in DC.
tober but he did not reply" Stew
ems was the broker who mysterl,
ously turned Jim HaverhilTs fan.
tastically colored paper into occa'
sional drafts.
Money! Oh. it's merely n mat.
ter OF money. :" the senator ex.
claimed, with an air OF relief
MY dear child. you looked 81
gloomy Y really feared ID was
something serious this time. Money
How much this timeg"
: She looked at him levelly, color