The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-04-13
CHAPTER xLIII

TF Ellel neaTC was ped@1HS ten pestuously. Larry waited for hls answer. Suddenly the girl said what she had not meant to say.
 s'No-I-I-I didn't get mar ried."
 over and over she had told her sick and guilty soul it would be so easy to explain everything. Now it was too late. Ellen had never seen Larry more deeply moved. more desperately serious.
 "You couldn't! You couldn't marry anyone else. Tell me you 1, couldn't because you belong to mel"
 "That's an odd thing for you to say" she faltered.
 !. e'.I know it is" he agreed with a short laugh.
 She sat perfectly still, her blue eyes on his and one of her hands ciasped in Larry's. He leaned nearer.
 "You mean I hadn't any right to say thht?" ..
 T guess that's what I mean" :" she said, a little uncertainty. You see you didn't say a word"
 Ut didn't occur to me-" he said, faintly scowling. Its damned hard for me to be honest now. It's hard for me to remember how snug and complacent l was dur ing those days before got that last note of yours. It's easy enough to remember how I've felt since half crazy from thinking I'd lost you.
 ssDo you know why I came here to-night?" he demanded.
 '.No. I don't know"
 @ssIt was because thought 1t would help cure me-help me see this place was no fairyland. When I saw you again and thought you we're lost to me almost turned and ran. Then thought I'd have to show you that you couldn't hurt me, though really you'd hurt me worse than anyone ever will again. So I danced with Tony. She told me-and that's all there is!''
 sThat day you wrote the note to me at the store - you didn't feel this way then?" Ellen ques- toned.
 .sNo I didn't" Larry confessed, groping for the words. "I wanted mother to meet you because I liked you. I liked you a lot from the first, Ellen, but didn't real ize loved you. that you were my whole life. And then mother"
 "Didin't want to meet me-" Ellen completed the sentence.
 He went on, neither denying or affirming her statement. T was content that things should drift along with us until you showed me they just wouldn't drift"
 'sBut you were engaged" she pointed out, wondering that the fact that had once made all her days so wretched seemed now of no importance.
 .'True again. But that didn't seem important to me. did think of telling you, thought of it several times. but I never seemed to find just the right occasion. Yeu know how that is. don't you?"
 He stopped and then went on again. You'd understand better if you knew Liz Bowes. She slips in and out of two or three engage ments every season. There was a time when I thought cared for her enough to be engaged, even to think of marrying her. Her family was delighted and mother was too. But then Liz came home from Eu- rope. had your last note and knew I'd lost everything, every thing in the world, Ellen.
 II went out to your house that night, Ellen. Did you know that? ? Your mother told me you never wanted to see me again."
 "Mother did what she thought was best" Ellen said slowly.
 "You hadn't any idea what went through that night" Larry said passionately.
 She shook her head in correc- tion. "I think I do know
 How do you know? Tell me how 2" he demanded hungrily.