Evening star., 1932-06-10

Then I'm 3 happy fooll" she
answered serenely.
Norman stopped and regarded her
angrily. head lowered, and she found
faint wonder in her heart that she
had ever found this man handsome.
He gave short, angry laugh
Come. Joyce-youre not a lovesick
girl any more 1t should be possible
to talk to you straight from the
shoulder"
do you think 1t necessary, Nor
man?" she asked mildly. Perhaps
know what I'm doing. Perhaps there
Is no call for any one else TOTO step
in"
You can say that 10 me after all
we've meant TO each otherl'
A hot flush on her face now. Her
chin went proudly up.
What have we meant to each other,
Norman? When 1 was a girl I wove
love dreams about you'll was fool
about you. Butt was very young.
Life teaches us many things, Norman
among then-that life slips fast away"
And SO you're going to let this man
rush you into marriage which means
that you lose your inheritance! A self
ish love, I call it!''
For 3 moment q gleam Of mischief
was kindled in her eyes. But not cal
culating! Even you must concede that,
Norman! He wants me-not the Cam
eron money!"
Norman was restlessly pacing the rug,
but at that he stopped and turned. His
face vas red. That's hit at mel" he
said hotly. And as q lawyer 1 was
merely looking out for your interests
when 1 asked you to be. engaged to me
for five years.
He was still, his eyes rowing over
her. AS though for the first time, he
saw how sweet and slim and altogether
lovely she was. standing there watching
aristocratic portrait come to life, every
thing from her shining bronze hair TO
her slender feet speaking Of exquisite
care. He laughed-and 1t was rough,
like a sneer.
"Ycu-giving up all this" again
the toss OF his arm At the room. Civ
ing up all the things you've come to
care about, to go out on q rough West
ern ranch. You'd be mad!'
Joyce's narrow, dark brows went up
qui2zically. She held out her hands,
white and smooth and bare, save for
the jade and gold ring Jim had given
her, so long ago.
They look pretty useless. don't they.
Norman? Yet you know how they can
work-how they have worked. They
can do it again"
'Heroics!"
Joyce shrugged. Dropped her hands.
Il didn't mean it that way. 1t doesn't
call for heroics. You see-1'm perfect
ly happy. You can't understand we'll.
no that's the trouble, you can't un-
derstand-but I've been unhappy"
she spoke slowly. gently. as one would
reason with child. Very unhappy.
Norman. 1t didn't seem that life was
worth living. And then-Jim came and
everything was all right"
The m!ldnesss of her words was
by the sudden tender smile which
touched her lips. Norman Weaver saw
it and was Stung to a sudden jealous
fury.
In that moment had she only known
it. Joyce had her revenge for the old
dreams-for the old tears she had
wasted on Norman. Now that he saw
her receding from him-now that he
saw her face alight with love for an
other man. Norman suffered as she had
once suffered over him.
"Joyce-Joyce. this Is perfectly mad
OF your his voice broke. He grasped
hCA. SAiah1lB IfSl III llCIlbS. L lONC
YOU! I'm crazy about you! I always
have you've always had me. you
know that! 1 tried to use my head!
There was time when the money
seemed to count. But now-Oh. Joyce
don't do this! If you want to let it
all go hang-well. will You loved
me once. Joy-all those times-those
evenings in the car when We were kids
I can make you care again, Joy-I
want you, Joy, as much as this fellow
more! Joy, love you-'
Norman rallied. He pleaded. The
room was filled with the rush of his
quick angry voice.
A chance! A short and bitter moment
when Joyce's mind flew back to the
distracted thing she had been re-
membering the gray round of the Com
merclal House, and a girl who had
centered all her dreams on this same
spoiled young fellow Remembering
girl who had waited long ago in
the dark. A girl who had hidden like
thief among the shrubs. looking on
with breaking heart while he made
love to Natalie Cameron.
How strange life was! Joyce found
herself thinking, and there was awe
and fear in her heart. Her own happi-
ness was too complete for her to cause
pain.
She soothed Norman. She tried to