Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1930-06-09
Fourteenth I~nsta!Iment

Fourteenth lnsta!Iment
'sThe right Of love-" he said stub
bornly, and then he told her what
she had known all along she would
hear. All about his swift love for
her and the wonder she was 70 him
and the dreams he had had for
them both. AL the foolery that
men believe when they speak II 70
the one woman and forget Sc easily.
But as Brian told 1t. il was very
t-Ie and real and Linda had 10
shut her eyes tightly to hide her
tears and her lips more tightly still
10 keen from saying that she be-
lieved IL all and would take her
chance like any other woman. That
was what she had meant TO say a
few hours ago-but not nowl
We'll. then" she cried desper-
ately, for she was nearly to the
end. 'what must I say-that you
amused me for a little while and
that IL Il all over? / cannot laugh
AT you any longer. IL Is all too
absurd. Because I have been kind
to you. Try 10 see how ridiculous
IL IS. Could you give me anything
like this:" She lifted the pearls
and held them before him. For so
long they had been q part of her
play that the gesture came natural
ly. The pearls were n defense.
She could hide behind them as she
had before.
lie stopped her with a look. He
was stupefed by the situation
which was developing into tragedy
for him. IL seemed impossible that
she could be saying these things
that were hurrying them apart.
The whole scene began to be night
marish 10 him. The pale woman
who was insulting him 50 determln-
e6ly could not be the Linda who
yesterday had blushed and smiled
under his eyes. There must he
something that would explain this
madness and make IL clear.
Linda he said softly, won't
you tell me what il means:'
He thought her lips quivered; he
thought she was about 10 speak
and then the swiftest change Of all
came over her. She was looking
beyond him and her eyes dilated
and then turned TO fee as II all
the tenderness had gone out OF her
forever.
rs there to be an end to this7
7 would like 10 20 back. I would
like to dance" Nothing could be
colder than her voice.
And now he saw that she meant
II. This incredible scene was
based upon something deeper than
pidue. He began To be afraid.
"Ycu mean that I've been wrong
to hope-to believe that you love
meg'
'Afore than that" She stood Ut
making ready to 20. IL was near
ly over now. Soon she would he
free. eff you have believed that
you have been presumptuous
than i thought. You had no right
to think of me at all. You have
made an absurd error-your vanity
is responsible for that, no doubt
Butt am tired now. I must 81
back-go back"
Behind him a face suddenly ap
peared IN the banked greenery a.
the end OF the room. Thal
face, expressionless and unmoved
seemed 10 be sending her a mes
sage from lips mute as one OF the
brOnzes that brooded from theil
half-concealed ~pedestals. She trieC
TO keep the dread from her owl
face but It escared in a little CT,
smothered at her lips. There was
a sharp rafting sound. The rop'
Of pearls had broken in her twist
Ing fingers and the released stones
showerei In a milky rain upon tn
floor, rolling everywhere.
Brian AnStey bent instinctivel,
to collect them and felt a jarrini
scrunch beneath his foot. III