Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1932-04-22
SEVENTH INSTALMENT

SEVENTH INSTALMENT
She went downstairs into the room
and shut the door behind her.
Rathbone was standing by the table
turning the pages of a magazine with
impatient fingers. He threw it aside as
Diana entered.
"Well?"
She thought there was not quite the
old friendly tone in his voice, or was
that her Imagination?
Diana echoed, "Well?" and could
think of nothing else to say.
She stood leaning against the door,
still trembling a little from her sudden
awakening from sleep.
"You asked me to come" he said.
"You said it was something urgent"
Eyes . yes, it is" But for the
life of her she could think of nothing
to say, no excuse wherewith to justify
her hurried letter.
He glanced towards the window as
if impatient to be gone, even while he
drew out a chair for her.
"When are you going away?"
early o morning"
Her eyes grew unconsciously pa
thetic.
"For long?"
vI shall not be away for very long.
l am going t. Paris. It's not a holiday,
if you think that" There was a note
of wonderment in his voice as if he
was asking himself why it was neces-
sary to make this explanation at all.
cts an urgent case-one OF my pa
tients who is we there has been TAX
en- seriously ILL.,"
He broke off, and Diana sad in a
queer voice:
"Then you're going %alone?"
alone? Why, certainly | am
going alone. He stopped, then asked
slowly, "What do you mean? Why do
you ask such a question:"
Nothing -. only ..."
He asked rather abruptly:
what was the very urgent thing
you wish to see me about?"
Diana flushed a little, but the flush
quickly died away, leaving her palel
than before.
'I've told you."
"You've told me?"
"Yes that l didn't want you
t o go away" :,
"You brought me ten miles to tell
me that?"
"Yes-at least, it's only five, isn't
it? Ten, if you count going back,
upp Oh, are you angry?'
care you ever going to learn self
reliance?" he asked whimsically.
'Self-reliance?"
81 mean," he explained, THAT I
doesn't do to lean too ha1d Oh other
people; there's such a danger o. be-
ing let down."
Diana shook her head, a little wav-
ering smile on her lips.
YOU'D never let anybody down.
she said confidently.
"You say that" he answered, "anl
yet you took he trouble to dive five
miles through i scorching sun to fine
out for yourself something about mt
which you could not find OIL from
other people,"
She stared at him, fascinated.
81 49,. how do you know?' sht
whispered.
Because all women are the san1e,'
he answered ruthlessly. "You tell
man you believe in him, and directly
his back is turned" He broke oil
pulling his shoulders together as If II
anger at his unwonted display of emo.
ton.
"Well, l must be off," he said once
again.
Diana barred his way to the door
cit wasn't that didn't believe II
vou," she said rather breathlessly III
was just-oh, l can't explain, but
think perhaps it was a queer sort Of
jealousy"
"Jealousy?"
Eyes. Her heart was beating fast
but she kept her eyes on his face
81 expect you'll laugh at me, or per.
haps you'll be angry, but though
don't know why it is, | think SOM
how love you. Not the sort of love
. like | love Dennis -. you're SC
much older than l am, and than he i
too, but you make me feel so-sate'
You make me feel that no matter wha'
went wrong, if the door opened ane
you came in, everything would be al
right"
She put her hand wei her eyes fol-
a moment as if trying to make sure Of
her own thoughts. EYES," she sale