Evening star., 1932-06-04
CHAPTER LII.
THE TIRED HEART.

urea OTOOp u IlcT uOoy, lICi
head resting against his shoulder a!
though she found it good to rest for 6
moment.
She spoke in a peculiar voice. hesi-
family, as a child might ask.
"But-the money, Norman. YOU
know-Roger's will-if marry within
five years-it is taken from me-"
He spoke eagerly, as one who hac
thought it we'll out: That's true. But
darling, we can be engaged"
The horse stirred restlessly, jerking
the reins in Joyce's hand. For mo-
ment she turned away, soothing him.
Engaged for five years. :" She
had not returned to Normans arms
She was rubbing the velvet muzzle ol
the horse, and her eyes were far out or
the distant horizon.
Its long time" Norman frowned
"But-we have to be sensible. It's
lot of money. too, Joy. You have tc
look at it that way. An unfair will
but after all, five years goes quickly
and many men spend their hfetimes
earning far less than that"
Then, because she was so still. ht
spoke anxiously: You believe l love
you, don't you, Joyce? I'm crazy about
you-but l don't want to be selfish
about it. It's because I do love you SC
! that I want you to wait; you see that
don't you?"
Yes see" Joyce spoke slow
ly. Her eyes had come back and were
fastened on him. deep, mysterious pooi'
him, but to be looking at some one be-
hind him.
But when he tried to draw her into
r. ho ho1
gloved hand against his chest.
mo, please, Norman-I must think
And we have plenty of time to think
about it :" sudden little laugh
Five years! That is not rushing i'm
petuously into marriage. is it!'
Something in Joyce's tone made him
glance uneasily at her. She had droopeo
her head against the brown satin OF the
horses neck.
Once she would have waited q life
time for Norman-grateful and content
only to know that he loved her. He
was right, of course-why throw away
a fortune for few years? Five
years were little in ones lifetime. .
And she had nothing to do with that
thrilling, glorious love which flashed
down through the night like white
comet.
But she would not give Norman hi:
promise.
That night she stood at the window
Of her bedroom looking out over the
garden Mild and quiet the lawr
was freckled with patches OF moonlight
slanting through the tree tops. Placl.
moonlight-not like that white-hot sill
yer she remembered in the bow of tho
Neptune . A lapis sea and dark eye:
dam into her Oun
I've tried to hate you. I'm not
sure don't yet. :"
And her own voice-torturing hel
with humiliating memory-"I love you
God I love you. . . :"
Love or hate what did it mat
ter! He was gone, and she stood here
IN dark emptiness with her tired heart
Still night-still heart-and a moor
FLASHED lawn sloping away under the
dark. dropping boughs Of the trees. How
many empty years was she to stand TINS
way-looking out on this house, thi:
garden-her house-her garden-gift:
of the strange old man whose will hac
so strangely tangled the skeins OF hei
life?
Joyce had leaned her head against
the window frame and was quietly cry
ing.
1t was time of breaking hearts ane
swapping nerves. Day by day reelint
off a fresh film in the silent drama
Roger Cameron had staged.
Joyce was shut behind wall OF Ice
like fairy princess in an enchantment
Natalies spite, Mrs. Camerons Jealous
fury. did not seem to reach her Bu'
there were many clashes with Kitty
Loval. quick tempered Kitty. whose
Irish temper sometimes ran away with
her. She detested Mrs. Cameron, anc
the sound of that ladys voice. speaking
her name in no uncertain tones. brought
her to an abrupt stop in the hall one
morning. In the breakfast room. Mrs
Cameron was holding forth to Natalie
on Kittys latest brush with her
These humiliations are more than
can stand!" The lady's voice was low
and furious. Not only to have th1.
adventures claiming the very roof ovel
our heads-but this common Dawson
person here. too, eating with us, min
Cling with us-quite as though she were
an equal"
Joyce is doing that only to spite us
mother" Natalie's voice sounded OF
| the verge of peevish tears. She know
how Kitty Dawson CRATES on us. ant
she's keeping her here for that YER!
reason"
over the face of Kitty. listening IL
, the hall, blank amazement chased ret
anger.
Mrs. Cameron's voice sounded again
| Its an outrage to be inflicted wltf
such a person! I am going to insis
that she be sent away-and at once
There's nothing In the will that w
/ tu-n Of
| send her away myself when I see her.
/ well, here she Isl" The words burs
from Kitty, as she barged into the room
her eyes swapping blue fire. She stoOt
before them. painting with anger, look
ing from Mrs. Cameron's stout figure
] to Natalie's tense figure in the loung'
! ing chair.
"Here she is! Tell her all you wan
to! An in return I'll tell you some
thing, my lady-there's only one per-
son in this world can make me 20 away
| from here. an that's Mrs. Roger Cam
eron herself"
This" began Mrs. Cameron in .
deep voice intended to awe and abasf
the offender. "is unforgivable-"
But Kitty, unfortunately. was neither
| awed nor abashed. She continued. ir
a rapid torrent of words which swep,
Mrs. Cameron's majesty and Natalie''
shrill fright before it.
There isn't any real thing you car
say about me, you two, because. tnt
Lord is my witness, I've bit my tongue
till it hurt to keep from maxim gooc
stiff reply to you! I've kept out ol
your way SOS you couldn't strike a,
Joyce through me- You know I'm thu
only one she's got cares about her: an
you're tryin' to take away the little
comfort I can bring her! Tryin' te
make her life as near hell as you can
so she'll run away In self-defense ane