Red Lodge daily news combined with Carbon County news., 1932-11-16

to fall on the little room, ana SUD
denly Sondra seemed once again
to see a river, and Marks face
bent above her own.
She gave a little smothered cry
and drew her hand away from
Anderson's. "I-can't" she said.
She looked up at him with fear
in her eyes.
This was what she had dreaded;
this was the moment she had
tried so hard to avoid, but after
all there was to be no escape.
Anderson's quiet face had paled
a little.
Does hat mean that you don't
want to-" he asked with a faint
smile. "Or are you saying it be-
cause you are angry with me? |
should have asked you months ago
Sondra. you know that-but |
wasn't Free"
She tried desperately to take
refuge in pretended anger.
81 don't know why you are say
ing this-now. You haven't been
near me for weeks-you never
even wrote to me or told me you
were coming home. If you think
can forget the way you have
treated me"
He said patiently: Il kept away
because l wanted you to find out
for yourself if you wanted me or
some other man. | think you
were getting a little tired of me-
until | stayed away. Perhaps
was wrong, but-forgive me, Son
dra-I thought it was Merriman
you cared for. He is a much
younger man than / am, perhaps
more suited to you-Forgive me il
| was wrong"
She turned her face sharply
away, but he saw the hot blooC
rush from her chin to her hair
After a moment he said again
! Il want to be quite honest with
you, Sondra, as | have always
tried to be, so l am going to tel
you that the night before Merri
man went away, when you tol,
me you were with Beatrice Taylor
l did not believe you. Perhaps 70,
can guess what | thought. | be
/, lieve now that ! was wrong, anC
so / a only hope once again, tina
you will forgive me. 1t hasn't al
ways been easy-trying to be jus
a friend to you"
She said with a little hysterica
note in her voice.
at would be interesting to know
why you suddenly think you ma,
have been wrong?"
Anderson said quietly
at was the look in your eye.
that day We met in the park.
thought l hoped-that per
haps you had discovered that yo'
II. liked me I. just a little NOR
than as a friend"
She laughed m~irthlessly.
! "You thought in fact, that
little neglect had done me good, i
that it? That / had fallen des
perately in love with you all a
once -"
Anderson did not answer for
moment, then suddenly he stoope'
and lifted her to her feet again
keeping his arms about her.
Don't hurt me any more Son
! dra-I love you so much. Oh, m.
dear, don't hurt me any MORE
; you knew how I've wanted you
Sondra-"
She tried to fight against him
/ tried in vain to hold him back
Don't 49,. oh, please don't.
Oh, you mustn't. :"
Anderson laughed triumphantly
, Mustn't! when I've waite,
| so long"
!, She looked up at him with des
perate eyes
John" but her words wert
silenced against his lips.
i A sudden flashing though
swept through Sondra's mind
MARK never kissed me like this
it wasn't the same . nobody
has ever made me feel like this
She closed her eyes with a queer
feeling that she was floating OF
air-that nothing was real am
more but this mar and the close
pressure Of his arms, conscious al
, the time of a great feeling of res
land happiness, as if out of utter
darkness, two hands had beer
stretched out to find her and holt
her safe.
} Suddenly memory returned, ant
with a sharp cry of pain sh'
slipped out of his arms. The!
looked at one another silently, ant
into Sondra's mind flashed tn
thought that she had never seei
him look so young, so happy.
Chapter %