Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1930-12-29

and ! wasn't 70 ask questions or
worry about him"
But she did accept you Thursday
night?" Penny persisted.
Yes" the boy admitted. his face
darkly flushed again. This is aw-
fully hard, honey. but I'll tell you
once for all and get 1t over with. 9.
I took her TO dinner. We drove to
Burnsville because she said she was
sick OF Hamilton. When We were
driving back she suddenly became
very queer-reckless. defiant ....
And she asked me II I still wanted
to marry her. and ! said I did. I
asked her right then to say when.
and she said she'd marry me June
first. but she added" and the boy.
TO Dundee's watching eyes. seemed
to be genuinely puzzled again by
what must have sounded odd at the
time-that she'd marry me June
first IL she lived to see the day"
Obi" Penny gasped. then. con-
trolling her horror. she asked with
what sounded like real curiosity,
Then what happened. Ralph? Why
do you propose to her on Thursday
and TO me on-on Sunday2"
"A gorgeous actress sacrificed 70
the typewriter" Dundee told him
self, as he waited for Ralph Ham,
mond's reluctant reply.
Cant we forget It, honey? ...
You do love me q little. don't you?
Can't you take my word for 1t that
I'm cured now-forever?"
Penny's hands went UP to cover
her face and Dundee had the grace
to feel very sorry indeed for her
sorry even If she intended TO give
her promise to Ralph Hammond. as
a sick feeling in his stomach proph-
esied that she was about to do.
How can I know you're really
cured. II ! don't know what cured
you?" he heard Penny's faltering
voice ask huskily from behind the
screen Of her hands.
II suppose you're right the boy
admitted miserably. There's nc
need to ask you not 70 tell anyone
else. Although / don't want to see
her again ever-Why. Penny, ]
wouldn't even tell Polly and Give
yesterday. after it happened. though
Polly guessed and went upstairs ..
I tried to keep her back
i don't - quite understand
Ralph" Penny interrupted. You
mean something happened when
YOU we're az Nita's house yesterday
morning."
Les. Judge Marshall had prom
ised Nita to have the unfinished
half Of the top story turned into a
maids bedroom and bath and q
guest bedroom and bath. Give let
me 20 to make the estimates. OF
course I was glad of the chance
TO sec Nita again-I hadn't beer
with her since Thursday night.
But she had TO take Lydia in for
a dentist appointment. and they
left me alone in the house. I had
TO 60 into the finished half tc
make some measurements. and in
the bedroom I found-oh. GodlT
he groaned. and pressed a fist
against his trembling mouth.
you found that Dexter Spraxue
was staying there. was using the
bedroom that used to be mine
didn't you?" Penny helped him al
last. in desperation.
How did you know" The boy
stared az the girl blankly for a mo
ment. then seemed TO crumple as
II from a new blow. II suppose II
was common gossip that Nita and
Sprague were lovers. and I was the
only n she fooledl.. My God! To
think all Of you would stand BIZ
and let me marry her-a chear
little gold-digger from Broadway
living with a cheap four-flusher
she couldn't get along without and
had 10 send for"
Did you-want to kill her
Ralph?' Penny whispered hoarsely
touching one OF his krotted fists
with a trembling hand.
XIII her?.. Good Lord. MOI
the boy flung at her violently. I'm
not such an ass a. that! You girl
are all alikeI Polly had so It'll.
sense az to think I'd want to xii
Nita and Sprague bothl She
couldn't see, and neither coulc
Give, that an I wanted was to get
away from everybody and get *
drunk ] could forget what a foo
I'D been"
What did you do, Ralph?- Pen.
ny asked urgently.
What, ] got drunk OF course
the boy answered, as II surprised
al her persistence. Darling. you
wouldn't believe me IL I told you
how much rot-but Scotch Il took
10 put me under, but that filthy
Dootlegging hotel clerk would have
charged me double II he had known
how much good it would 90 me-
"Hotel?' Penny snatched at the
vital word. Where did you 20 Il
get drunk, Ralph"
X never realized before you had