Evening star., 1930-12-16
The Secret of
MARGARET YORKE
By Kathleen Norris

Stanley left his chair and knelt beside
hers and laid one arm along the softly
cushioned low back Of 1t and smiled
at her.
AMI" he said slowly.
"I love you so!' Margaret whispered,
| laying her face against his and linking
her arms about his neck.
Then that's all the matterl" STAN
ley said.
mo" she corrected him, pushing a
lock of the mouse brown hair into place
and resting against him, there's some
thing else!"
"You mean that I love you with every
fiber Of my soul and body2" Stanley
asked her.
"You see, must 60 away, STAN"
Margaret presently said so marvel
lousy heartened and strengthened by
the mere touch of his arms that she
could speak in quite her usual quiet
voice "TheFe is no way out-for US.
It's just one of the things that has
to be forgotten-outgrown. And ! can
never do that herel / can leave you,
here before this fire, tonight" she said
steadily, with glance at her bed room
Iii d99T @as I viii, viii 60; d. But ,,t1, tonorrow T
denly the whole fight wouldn't seem
worth while. Shirley's rights, and the
fact that my husband is living-eyen
Jim's rights to look toward his mother
for his code would all be so much airl
You're the reality, dear, and It's taking
every ounce of courage I have to re-
member that I may never belong to
you'll"
Margaret, Margaret, can't We wait
Aren't we making the worst mistake of
all ever to be parted again?" Stanley
t1of fx,SfI ela
he was being reborn into this world
of love and pain and remuneration.
Perhaps we can, but / shall have
to go away, anyway" she said steadily.
"And, Stan, any day without you Is a
year now, and what weeks and weeks
and months, and perhaps years, will be,
! can't tlinkl" she finished.
There's no such luck as his dying
Yerke, mean?" Stanley asked bitterly
Of her husband.
There's always that chance. And the
chance that Shirley will change her
mind" Margaret said. "But not now.
Wen have to part now. I'll take Jim
and 60 somewhere"
"But Where?" he asked jealousy.
"Oh, not far!" Margaret promised.
you'll write?"
Stan dear, to what purpose? We
will have to wait now. 1t isn't as If ]
were afraid Of you or you of me. It's
all on the knees of the gods now,' -
Margaret said dreamily.
Margaret, you are me or I'm you
don't know which," Stan said. 81
can't sign a letter in the Office without
sort Of feeling of you fluttering up
in my face. I remember things you
said and they choke me and make me
get cold-I1l remember just the twist
of your head, and it sort of blinds mel
With Shirley, and with every other girl
I ever cared for, it's different. It's Just
one more thing in my life. But the
minute I leave you the only thought
have Is how to get back"
Does it occur to you how wonderful
marriage could be2" Margaret presently
asked him. "a young man and a young
woman going into a new home and
shutting the door,"
"Jim's coming meant such misery to
me-" Margaret said. 81 tried to be
strong and happy and hopeful for my
poor little babys sake. But all the
springs seemed broken. I couldn't be
glad that was to bear a ehild-to that
man. But he came, Stan, and you see
what q darling, sunny. giddy little idiot
he is2
But it makes me think" she went
on, her eyes on the fire and her cheek
still resting quietly against his own
"it makes me think what it would be