Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1930-06-03

greeted her. The bellboys on their
bench were watching her furtive-
~; the second gentleman nc the
desk leaned on his pointed elbow
70 lIsteA TO her, and watch. All or
them saw the new expensive hart
and the pearls slipping from her
rich fur.
NY letters, please" Linda's
voice was sweet and very low. She
spoke as little as possible to such
persons Us these. The letters were
in her hand, and she was turning
away before she said "Thank you"
In a negligent tone as though that
grilled-in group had no meaning
far her.
Trey looked after her ~hopelessly.
She seemed rich and prosperous
The CLERK looked doubtfully at q
letter thai had been separated from
the rest; finally he tucked IL away
In a private pigeon hole. III would
not do 10 make a mistake in this
case.
But Linda knew nNthlDg of this.
she passed on 70 tie elevator.
leisurelv examining the letters in
her hand.
Linda no longer occupied Cousin
Amy's house when the family were
away. The nasco OF her marriage
was n hatfield secret. diScreetl
ignored by her relatives. who's,
number seemed IN have dwindlec
perceptibly. IL II n thing to
chaperon and champion a young
girl, very beautiful and pathetical-
Nv poor. but quite another 70 he
responsible for a widow. however
young and beautiful. whose affairs.
10 say the least. are III a middle
and deeply mysterious
Cousin Amy Ralston told some Of
the others that she always felt q
cold chill down her hack when she
heard Linda's voice tn the hall. so
il happened that Inv degrees her
own voice became "a cold. "a brief.
that Linda. not wishing ~ give
pain. refrained almost wholly from
communication with her sensitive
relations.
she had plenty az friends. Any
woman free and pretty. dressing
more than well and seen az her
hest everywhere. is bound 10 have
friends and invitations. Only 10
Linda the people who took her
about and entertained her seemed
oddly le-s like friends than adver-
saries. II was q curious feeling
that had grown upon her lately.
she was always on guard. always
standing on n little while she
smiled and talked softly. II was
as " a hundred pairs III eyes were
seeking for n crack in her armor
which she was determined they
should not find
For n long time she had had q
splendid time. She was not In the
strict sense Of the word a woman
or society. Rather. she took what
she wanted Of society and let the
rest, the bores, the dull parties. the
committees. alone. The people she
was seen with were Usually charm
ing. though some were o. little
vague about themselves. There
were always plenty cf hosts. daZec
BY the ease, the grace CT Linda and
her friends. who were quite ready
10 pay for the party.
It had puzzled them all that she
had not married again There must
have been plenty OF men 10 marry
her-rich. desirable men who could
give her the setting she deserved
But Linda was family amused bS
this wonder. Talk Of marriage al
wavs brought p~oignantly before hel
the vision Of the aftermath Of her
twenty-four hour honeymoon, fol
IL had lasted no longer than that
she knew.
But after she met Brian Anstey
she began TO think OF marriage
again.
Not consciously. though. Mar
rage a. q form az ceremony diC
not enter her mind. She woulS
have checked the idea In it, birth
IL her conscious self had not heel
drurged by the artful subc0nsciou
that knows 20 we'll how TO take IL
victims unaware. Linda could havl
argued herself out Of love with
poor young man II love had no
stolen upon her and hlinfed he
eyes with beauty and sile1ced he
lips and deafened her vit5 dream!
She never thought Of marriage bu
she began To chafe at thf life III
led.