The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-07-10

sible to despise those who love us we are prone to like those who respect us. He did know that he enjoyed Irene's company. She made him feel important, as though he would some day be 8 real figure in ! the world.
 When Irene dropped suddenly out of his life and he did not know he could not say how he was af- fected.
 He had expected without ques- tioning that his old companionship with Irene woulud be restored. 1 Whether they would be sweethearts he had not. for his part, decided. It hadn't seemed necessary to come to a decision about it. | But after she was gone he asked himself what he'd been thinking of, anyway? Perhaps she might have stayed if he'd asked her to. And if she came back would he urge her then not to go away a second time? What was the matter with him? What was the matter with him :? Gaylord Prentiss was out there in Oakdale. He ought to be burning up with jealousy. Why wasn't he burning up? Was he so sure of Irene, so sure she loved him and would return to him?
 Tommy could get nowhere with these perplexities and deliber- ately turned to other thoughts. Love had been everything to him at one time-but that was over now. A man had other pursuits. He had to think of making good in the world. Love he must have but there were others things to keep In mind.
 Even getting married wouldn't be the same now. Tommy was not the boy he had been when Beryl had interfered and broken up his elope- ment with Irene.
 | Funny-he thought he'd never forgive Beryl for that. but now he had no hard feelings about it at all. He'd been pretty fresh all right to think of getting married. kid that he was then. Could 1t all have hap pened only last spring? Less than a year ago?
 Maybe he'd better talk it over | with Beryl now She'd say of course that he couldn't get married for years. No doubt she was right. | We'll, he wasn't so eager about get ting married any more. He could l wait.
 Tommy reasoned vaguely. but un- derneath his conscious thoughts he knew that when he was with Irene, when her eyes bestowed the caresses he did not take from her lips, when she seemed to say in every look, every gesture. "Tommy. please. :" he was going to do something about it.
 And he did not want to do any thing about 1t. He just wanted to let matters drift.
 Beryl thought he might want to talk to her about Irene and she had avoided him. What could she tell him. There was only her mothers explanation that Irene had gone to Oakdale on business. Tommy would think she was evasive. She had her own ideas, of course. but she could not give them to Tommy as facts. The situation to Reryl was just what 1t had been when Irene married Gaylord, except that now she did not fear 1t would plunge Tommy into dissipation or worse.
 There was no doubt in her mind that Tommy still loved Irene. Whether Irene had returned to Gay lord was a subject which concerned only Tommy and Irene and Gay i lord. It could have nothing to do with her.
 Beryl had plumbed the depths of hopelessness. She'd be glad If Tommy had let Irene go-slad for his sake-but it could not make him return her love. | Of course if Irene should re- turn
 Beryl raised her cup of chocolate to her lips. She'd been restless and feverish all day. Even her eyes felt hot and dry.
 | Tommy started to speak. He was thinking of Irene again. Before his words were out they were inter rupted by the long. loud ringing of | the door bell.
 tTo be COntinucd)