Evening star., 1932-02-07


stroled lazily, scattering little whirls of crisp
leaves to right and left.
ut was Spring then" Larry murmured.
going with his thoughts. But think
like Autumn better. There is more color"
Lenore smiled little wistfully. IT'S al
most Autumn for us, too"
Harvest time, Lenore. Things ripening. I
feel that very strongly today, seeing you
afraid I was going to be disappointed,
after carrying your memory about all these
years Afraid I'd glOrified you. But that men,
ory can't compare with what you are now.
I'd like to paint you, and I've never wanted to
do portrait in my life"
They were standing now on the bridge at
the far end of the lake, quite obliyious of any
ghosts that fingered there. Lenore looked up
at the deep blue of the sky above the treetops.
Il mean to have try at writing again, Larry,
in my spare time" she said.
rs there much to spare? You can't go it
half way, you know"
II know That's the trouble There isn't"
She was ready to confess to him now, sure
of his understanding, but she had made up
her mind that he must not know the falSeneSS
underneath the glamour of his day. More
than that, conviction had come to her which
made confession impossible. IF I were to tell
him." she reelected he'd ask me to marry
him" She was no longer ashamed of her de-
ception. 1t had enabled her to meet him
proudly, with no pitiful claim on his success
When justice had been done to a perfect
meal and they were ready to go, their hosts
came to wish them godspeed and urge them
to return at shorter intervals.
In the cab closed now with warm rug
drawn gratefully around them, Lenore muir
INJURED, They're dear, warm-hearted people"
Indeed they are" said Larry and in the
darkness he chuckled.
What is it?" she demanded.
II was afraid they'd ask us how many chill
dren had"
"She did Upstairs, just now"
What did you tell her?"
Low-voiced, Lenore answered "I told her
two-couldn't bear to disappoint her. I'm
thorough liar Larry"
The pleasant gloomineSs in the cab as they
drove swiftly through the black forest, the rug
tucked about their knees, the very nature of
their conversation was drawing them closer
together. Should she let them drift on, heed
less? The day because Of their past rela-
tions, had been oversteeped in sentiment. The
night, with its tendency to exaggerate emo
tions might easily draw them out beyond
q normal depth. She could feel herself even
now, slipping She must break the stretch
ing silence interrupt his thoughts. When you
come back, that fifteenth year." she said light
ly "be sure to pick as fine day as this"
Maybe you'd better wire me when you feel
q good one coming. Just Tomorrow Hotel
Mirabeau-if it's still there" He seemed
ready enough to follow her lead.
ooh 1t will still be there. That's the best
Of Paris You can come back to things"
Try as she might she could think of no more
empty words There was only the rush of their
wheels on the smooth road. car passed,
and in the flare of It's headlights she caught
q glimpse of Larry's face, strangely SET tense.
She felt her heart beat as If she had been
running, a long way. Suddenly Larry stirred
and roughly seized the hand nearest him.
When she attempted to withdraw it with a
little nervous laugh and low-voiced Don't be
silly!" he pleaded "just for habits sake, Le-
more" She knew that he forced his voice
to sound matter Of fact as he added, It's
frendlier."
She relaxed and let her hand lie quietly in
his, but his fingers slowly wOve tighter hers
unconsciously answered the pressure.
When they turned into the Place de la
Madeleine she felt spasmodic pressure on her
hand, and heard Larry saying, as if from far
away IT'S a queer world, Lenore.'
From the tightneSs of his voice she knew
that his self control was not maintained with
out hurt, and she longed to draw his head down
to her breast and comfort him. But she
thought of tomorrow, and said with an effort
at gayety, 1T gives one a few glorious hours,
now and then
He released her then and reached for his
watch. I've time either to see you home or
to buy you some flowers"
''Oh, the flowers, of course. I'll go with you
to the train" She would have said that even
If home" had not been a. place she could
scarcely explain away.
They stopped before the stalls where flow
erS of every description, maSsed together, blaZed
In the brilliant Pickering light of gas flares.
She chose the small chrysanthemumS that
echoed the burning colors of the Autumn
leaves and he bought her a great armful.
Then he turned and saw her standing there,
smiling over her bouquet, the garlSh light
playing up the vivid red of her cheeks, blend
ing the russell shades of the flowers with the
warm brown of her costume. you're beauti-
hn oil