Evening star., 1932-11-18
A PATH 7
-Iy. Ca.asssIy
CHAPTER 26.
THE HAUNTED MARRIAGE.
.kp. Caalsssb

~ their train left st. Jean de
silly, Give. I'm homesick
for something
He was homesick for it, too-happi-
ness so gilt-edged that 1t would never
huctuate with the market.
AS they roared through pine forests,
unpeopled and resinous, ne listened W
the sleepy murmur of her voice.
Why can't they dodge responsibilities,
buy a cottage close to the Spanish from
tier and bask forever in sunshine? -.
"If we were to get of at Bordeaux,
abe suggested mock-seriously, we couio
be back in paradise tomorrow"
He smoothed his cheek against her
dark head.
make for you"
In Paris next morning there was bare
ly time to change to the boat train.
They reached Havre through Normandy
orchards. Then all became hustle.
They were waking from a dream;
rnercifully their awakening was gradual.
A little respite yet remained; the At
lantic was a No Mans Land dividing
illusion from reality. AS they walked
the decks, Santa's courage revived.
I'VE have each other; we can race
Tfae night before they landed, having
danced till the orchestra had stopped.
they were seated on deck, their chairs
drawn together Beneath the rug that
covered their knees, Give groped for
her hand.
Something on your mind?" she chal-
1enged
at least one lesson"
Which? It's taught me many. 5.
make a clean break with the past.
Wizard! When time kicks you, you
have to-"
I'm referring to what happened at
st. Jean--our humping into OAK"
The front she had been wearing van
ished. Relief expressed itself In laugh
ter
"Cnve, you're killing"
s'What I mean IS" he mumbled.
She snatched his words.
do I intend to perform the Sob Sis
ter Sadie stunt each time we bump into
him. I do not Having laid that gnost,
trot out the next?"
He folded the rug and helped her to
her feet.
There isn't a next"
But in the darkness of their cabin,
when he thought her sleeping, she ao-
dressed him.
Il can hear you tossing. Stop worry
ing. All your ghosts are the same as
Dicky"
whats that?" He sat up.
Imagined Nothing can hurt you.
Tn here to protect you"
He glanced across at the vague outline
of her childish figure. She, too. was
sitting up.
Protect mel"
Never occurred to you, did it?" she
giggled "You fancy yourself SO strong.
Accept or leave 1t, that was the chief
reason I married you"
Ogres shriveled. 1t was new to pre-
tend that she sheltered him.
On a Saturday afternoon in late Au-
gust, soaring above fiat shores New York
took shape on the horizon. The liner
which had been SO swift and competent,
slowed down to a crawl. To Santa and
Give it seemed they had never trav-
eled: they had stood while the world
had been moved by invisible scene shift
ers.
No one of their own was on the dock.
While trunks were being examined, they
were handed telegram, urging them to
spend the week end with Santa's par
ents on Cape Cod.
We've too much to think about,
Give dismissed the invitation.
thrust her friendly arm through his.
"It's bit horrid to land back into
20 much uncertainty. But heaps of glor-
ious things lie ahead, I'm sure"
He wasn't. She seemed to him an
other Nelson, raising the telescope to
her willfully blind eye. Nevertheless,
her confidence was reassuring. She
had the knack Of reducing his noun
tains to mole hills.
She continued to talk, making sunny
remarks. He responded, but paid scant
attention. The control of his life was
slipping from him. All kinds Of insid-
ious influences were reviving. He must
put up fight before the memory OF
their recent equality had quite escaped
her. While he was deciding how to
tackle her, the parched' greenness Of
Central Park grew up. A few minutes
later the taxi was halting.
As they gazed across the threshold OF
their apartment he recalled how his
parting wish had been that it and all
that it contained might burn during
their absence. Hand-in-hand they made
a tour of inspection. Save for dust
that had gathered, everything was pre-
cisely as they had left it. Without
warning Santa swung round and Rugged
him.
Its good to be home"
He recognized the familiar intonation;
she was expecting him to be grateful.
But since then they had spoken frankly;
she knew how he detested the home Of
her providing.
We're back-if that's what you
mean" he grinned. "The dreams
ended"
But, old down-in-the-dumps." she
flashed, dreams begin again.
do we sleep here? What are our
plans?" he asked abruptly
Guess So" She patted her hair
wont take long to make bed. Well
have heaps Of fun camping. Monday
I'll engage a maid and we'll settle prop
srly." .
So that was the programl It was
news to him. He wished he'd discussed
with her their future on the voyage The
strong thing to do would be to brush
aside her pretenses-to treat her with
the cold logic Of a lawyer tnterrogating
q witness. Abroad-especially that
night in Paris-she'd been genuinely
conscious-stricken In recalling the hu-
initiation she'd caused him by COM
pelling him to live in uncongenial sur
roundings. All he had to do was to