Evening star., 1932-11-27
CHAPTER 35.
HEART TO HEART.

HEART TO HEART.
ORGIVENESS is up to you.
80 Santa" said Give. ITO kiss
and cuddle isn't forgiveness.
Il Before one can forgive one
needs to understand. If one
doesn't upIoot the causes Of disaster,
he walks straight out and tumbles into
the same traps"
There oughtn't to be traps on the
road to hestSen," she whispered.
Don't get you"
Your road to heaven you called
me"
did I? My steep ascent to heaven
would be closer to facts. expect that's
how I appear to YOU
mo, Give. Every day you grow
dearer."
cant we stop exaggerating?" He
bit his lip. There are things We ought
to learn about each other"
She became wide-eyed and panicy
"On my honor, I've never kept any
secrets"
only the ones that I've prevented
you from telling On what grounds
did you obtain your divorce from Dak?"
You could have learned that any
time. You would never allow me to
mention him. The grounds we're
cruelty"
What constitutes cruelty?"
The phrase is elastic. It can in
clude anything from yawning to feeding
vitriol to babies"
ut could include, for instance, the
scene we're now enacting?"
She flung herself at him, needless Of
whether her embraces were ignored
"T'he fool I've been to kill your attec-
tion!"
For the first time he ceased to look
through her. Her soft arms were about
him. The weight of her body dragging
on him. Her head was thrown back,
the masterful young matron who'd
sailed ahead, shaping both their lives.
She was yielding, adorable. adoring.
STOPPING to her long, white throat, he
met her half way in forgiveness. Not
a word spoken.
He laughed and snatched his dress
ing gown from the bed and wrapped
it around her.
And now where shall seat you?'
I'll flop" Collapsing croSs-legged
on the carpet, she grimaced up at him
1T smells of you'll mean the dressing
gown. 1t smells Of forgiveness. I won't
bleat. Let's have what's coming to
me-"
Coming to us both" he corrected
Il wish you'd smoke-do something
natural Here!" He handed her his
lighted cigarette.
Seizing his fingers, she drew her lips
| across them.
Il daren't be tender" He patted
her head and dived for the chair he
| had vacated.
Having regained it, he crouched
shaking a finger at her as though she
were a puppy.
Il mean busineSs-so let's cut out
| the pathos and the comedy. Yesterday
! you walked cut on me and didn't
| find it a bit funny. To-day your guilty
! conscience has made you afraid that
| I'll do the same by you. II you were
! only trying to throw scare into me
| YOU were idiotic. I might have taken
your distaste for me at face value.
That's how divorces start by one
party taking the others actions at face
| value Perhaps I haven't been easy
| to live with. At first I didn't earn
| enough to contribute my proper share
/ Then losing my job AS regards youl
! previous marriage, own, haven't been
reasonable"
: You've been a lamb" she purred
| I'm the one who's been unreasonable
| But why did you ask me on Wha'
| grounds L got rio OF DICky!
| Because He interrupted him.
| self you're not playing the game
! Santa; you're edging nearer. Because
| I've found him to be an exceedingly
pleasant fellow"
PARTY manners" She shook hel
| head "Try being married to him. Toss
me another cigarette" =,
| But the same thing might be sale
! of me. dearest-that any pleasantnesS
| I possess is party manners. II l allow
! nv wife to contract the habit OF bolt
! ing. where do 1 get off?"
"Get this into your thick head :
Surreptitiously she shortened the dis
tance that separated them. You're
not Dicky. Dicky and l flew apart
| because we were never really married.
! "As much married as you and l.
I he insisted. More so, if 1t comes tc