Evening star., 1932-02-03
CHAPTER XXXVIII.

uO PITE WIFE!" The words in
sb furiated Judy as they came
out. She sat stiffly upright,
~ cheeks blazing, eyes flashing.
She drove her nails to her
palms SO hard that the imprint showed
FOR long after, but at the moment she
was insensible of pain.
Painful red was staining STAINS face
now. The nervous muscle had begun
to twitch in his cheek as 1t always did
when he was agtated. As it had done
that first night on the train, Judy
found herself remembering.
His voice shook when he answered.
''No, Judy. 1t isn't fair to say that. l
never thought of you as-as that"
Il suppose it didn't cross your mind
that if you married me and brought
me back home that it would be
spiting-EuniCe. And showing the
whole town that you didn't care that
shed married Saving your facc.'
Judy was sitting bolt upright, but
the red had Seeped from her cheeks
Her eyes were very dark in her paling
face. Enormous eyes . accusing
eyes STAINS gaze met them for a
moment then slid away to a corner Of
the room.
1t wasn't that =" His tone was
that Eunice didn't give me an av-''.
Jolt She did. I hated h~r go
I thought I hated her and never want
ed to see her again. Ana 4 M,
and you were so diferent-SO Gerry
thing Eunice wasn't, that it was q rc-
lief Just to be with you. You n
me feel happy again, and that life
wasn't all wrong. You made me laugh
feel the way I used to feel. Eunice
was like a disease and you were-a
cure You see what I mean?" He was
stammering unhappily.
"Oh, yes. l see
Mind you. Judy. there was no inten-
tion in my mind of making use of you
I Just like to be with you. And that
day out on the pond in the canoe
when I knew I was going home it
made me sick to think of leaving you
behind. And I thOught-Why not let's
get married and then I cOU!7 t"'-7 -7'
with me Do you remember that
day, Judy? And that nIgnC-T IL l
asked you to marry me?'
Did she remember! What to her had
been a lavish outpOuring Of romantic
love had been to him convenient
arrangement for dispelling his black
moods! Something like angry despair
creeping over her heart as Stan un-
consciously revealed his selfShneSS.
Selfshness so utterly a part of his
makeup that he did not recognize it
for such. Anger Capitulated in her
mind Oh, what was the use She
couldn't make him anv different .
Breaking her heart over something
which he couldn't even see 49,.
He stopped, cycling her dropping fig
ure almost resentfully. you don't be-
lieve me. You don't believe that
really do love you
oh yes. It's all right" Judy made
a weary little movement with her
hands. Tears filling up at the back Of
her throat She felt very weary q.
very lonely. This glimpse of STAINS
colossal selfishness -t the greater be-
cause so unconscious, gave her the
dreary feeling Of standing alone in the
cold Better the burning jealousy
the deep, unhappy love she had always
had for him, than this hollow sense Of
being alone. Stan could never see
things as she saw them . She could
MT explain. They spoke different Ian
gUages.
Stan took her silence for the begin
nings of surrender. He was speaking
quickly, nerVOuSly.
II meant what I said, while ago,
about sometimes hating Eunice. l do.
7 know she isn't to be compared to