Nogales international., 1931-01-17
WHAT HAS GONE BEFORE

She sat besides him, and her volc9
and her laugh, and her little tricks OF
manner sometimes made 1t seem i'm
possible that she was not the same
woman who had come so happily to
his arms in the cold, bleak room Of
the little hotel high up in the NOUN
tains.
She told Giles frankly that she had
been little nervous Of meeting him.
Il thought perhaps the family hatred
had extended itself to you" she said
bitterly. Life is very unkind to some
of us, Mr.. Chittenham. am glad you
do not hate me as badly as | had ex-
pected you would"
Chittenham hesitated.
"When l was on the other side Of the
world my hatred for you was very
real and vital thing" he said gravely.
81 used to hope for an opportunity to-,
we'll" He shrugged his shoulders
and smiled. 'Avenge' is such mel
odramatic word, isn't its"
"There is no other word that gives
quite the same explanation" she an
swered. Don't you still hope for 1t ?"
"No."
"What made you changer
Giles looked away from her down
the crowded little restaurant, and In an
aching imagination he saw again the
bare, ugly room of the mountain hotel,
and heard the wind bowling as It flung
the soft snow against the windows.
Something happened" he said.
She did not answer at once, then
she said quietly: ~@s@s: -.
"Well, whatever it was, am glad
I don't want to be hated any more.
don't think any one-even your mothei
could hate me any more i she knew
what ! knows" '------ 1ds4-''
'7Vtat Go ycu IreAn7"
Julie lowered her vuice.
I'll you vuud like to drive home
with me afterwards | will tell you"
"\1'nat IS i: you were going to tell
me- Cilc3 asked after they got into
aer cal. he icit an immense curiosity
il! this worutn, anc also az inexplic-
able Pity icr her, which somehow
anacred hi,a.
According to all accounts she was
worthless and heartless, and yet {.
once before he had blundered into
tragedy t:::cus!; listening to and be-
1!ev;is 1,e Ihi.1gS other people said.
IL: tar stopped. -,
"Wo are Just home, Julie said
"CCnsS Il, and will tell you"
Julie ;ir.w herself down into big
CHAIR with hail sigh.
Giles said nothing. He stood lean
ing against the nantelshelf looking
down st her, vaguely conscious OF
something tragic that seemed to have
stolen into tl,,: :oo;a during the last
few moments. Suddenly Julie raised
her eyes:
questions" she said: you're such a
restful person, Mr.. Chitteriham. l car
Sc quite sure tina. you went say Oh
my God!' or anything like that when
1 tell yor that am going to die"
II don't ioot: like it. DO Il" she
oueried whimsically. "Bat it's true,
all the satns. It's quite signed and
sealed, with no hope Of a reprieve
I've been to every specialist i'll London
who would take M lnoacy, ard they
all say the same thing. Thsre could
be an operation, but | wont have it
I late the idea Of the knife, especially
as it can BE- cure--buc only just a
way of r:olcrglng lie for little
while. I don't think l wGn. to prolong
it cither. It's not been s7lch fun when
one looks back" =,
'Whar arc you going to do then?
"i'fn going abroad. Couldn't bear
the idea of dying here i'll London
where so many people know me, so In
going right aMay where | shan't know
any one, and nobody will know me
What do you think ct it, Mr.. Chitten-
ham?" q,
II think you're very brave woman,
Giles said, and sndderly he Leaned
down ard took her tetlf. To his sur
prise the tears wellcd Up into her eyes
and spiashed On to her frock.
"Thats foolish oE me, isn't it?" she
said. "And they're rot because I'm
frightened these tears It's just
because the way you took hold of my
hand reminded Inc of some one :.
She drew a hard breath as if of pain
"Some one I really loved. There qVai
man 1 once really loved, Mr.. Chittef1-
ham,"
'I am sure there was" -.
"He died. :" Julie sat very still
for moment, then she gently drew her
hand away. "That finished me, in the
same way that something of tire kiad
has finished the other Julie too. lie
died, and then it was as If died too