Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1931-05-28

ally marry nm on lnluSuay ilere
must be time, at least a little time, for
that essential reiteration to herself:
Yes, l love him. l need and want
him. 1 want to be his. l want to be
his wife"-over and over until there
was no denial.
But there was a fear also, a fear that
what she had, his trust OF her, his
utter lack of jealousy, his infinite ten
derness, might be lost to her If the
dark shadow of Rob Holt stalked into
heir momentarily sunlit world. "Yes,"
she said finally. you're right, Philip.
Wen go to some little place where
he can't find us. We won't ever delay
to be married. It's complicated in
France. Wherever we go it will be just
as easy, and it makes no difference if
we're together, does it, Philip"
He drove some distance before an
swering. Yes" he said eventually, "it
does make a difference. Not that you
can't trust me. But it's something
conclusive. That's what I want. We
can stop at Bagnoles de lOrnes. That's
about half way. There's a good hotel.
We can be married there tomorrow
afternoon"
Yes, it was like Philip to protect her
against an impulse. Somehow that
provided just the last assurance.
The one side of the Square Alboni
which is not blocked by apartment
houses lay open upon a long, slow turn
of the Seine, glittering at the moment
under a low 0 Its misty glow
filled the whole square and made the
street lamps and the single lighted
window Of Peggy's apartment seem a
dull and dusky red. Philip slowed
down under it. III call for you to-
morrow at nine-thirty, Peggy" he said.
III get the car ready tonight. What!
For heavens sake?"
For Peggy had seized his arm. She
was gasping a little. That mar
standing there staring up at my win
dow. 1 think it was Rob-
you'd better go to the corner and
make sure its he" said Philip. He
opened the door for her IF it is, he
must have come on the Bremen and
motored down from Cherbourg like the
wind. 1 saw a car standing there. The
boat train isn't due until morning"
From the corner Peggy saw the tall,
dark figure, shouted against the
white light from the river. He paced
back and forth in front of the build
ing, glancing occasionally at the light
ed window above, and by that in
definite recognition of movements
which a wife knows, or even an ex-
wife, she knew we'll enough who it was.
Even the dimmed headlights of the
car which stood in front Of the door
way had a familiar slant upon the
street.
Philip joined her. tits Rob?" he
asked. "Of course. I felt sure of it.
How are you going to get in? Shall
we drive somewhere for a drink and
wait until he goes?"
NO" said Peggy, I'm too tired.
There's a side door. You get to it
through the garden"
There was something of the sur
reptitious about the actual accomplish
ment of the maneuver, however, which
made her uneasy-although Philip
found a special JOY in it. He held her
long and ardently at the garden door,
as if she could prove something TO
him anew.
In her living room again, Peggy put
off her evening wrap and rested on the
lounge. Was it really today and not
yesterday or last week that she'd ar
rived from Geneva? And then, as
though she'd been planning to do so
all along, she went to the window.
Below, still pacing, was Rob Holt. A
curious little drag in his step puzzled
her. His face, as he turned to glance
again at her window, seemed pale and
drawn. But she had to dart back too
quickly to be sure of what she saw.
Suddenly the absurdity of a woman
hiding from her husband, or from any
mar who had crossed an ocean to see
her, occurred to her. If Rob wanted to
see her, why shouldn't he? She wasn't
afraid of him. She turned abruptly
and went into the corridor. The lift
was not running and she had to walk
down two flights. Unlatching the
heavy front door, she called to him.
Rob? Are you waiting to see me?"
He was beside her in two steps,
towering over her again, frightening
her a little. Yes" he said. This
concierge, or whatever you call him,
said you weren't in"
II wasn't said Peggy. Come up
stairs, Rob. We can talk. 1 received
your r%adiogram only this afternoon"
He stood in silence in her living
room while Peggy chartered banalities
to fill the awkwardness of the moment.
1t gave her such a strange sensation
to be alone with him again after
months and to feel once more that
force, both mental and physical, which
emanated from Rob's person and to
which during those other years she
had become SO accustomed that she
ceased to be aware of it. Now she
was aware of it to some central core
of her being, more disturbed than she
would let him see. But he was not
angry. please sit down, Rob? What
brings you to Paris? You don't look
very well, and you seemed to be limp
ing when I saw you from the window"
His eyes left her face-kindly eyes,
she'd thought once, hazel. with tiny
points of light in them. His hand
brushed a dirarranged forelock of dark
hair from his forehead with that de-
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