Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1932-06-03
THIRTEENTH INSTALMENT

THIR TEENTH INSTALMENT
She could not quite fathom the re-
lationship between Diana and the
good-looking man whose voice made
her own lonely heart turn over with
such wistful memories. She had once
thought but, of course, hat was
too absurd; Rathbone would never Sc
riously consider a child like Diana,
though it was quite possible that she
might have taken a wilful fancy to
him. The Creature had known other
cases where patients had temporarily
fallen in love with the doctor who
looked after them, but it seldom came
to anything.
Diana went out into the garden.
She was full of curiosity to know
what Dennis would say to her; she
supposed cynically that there would
be more lies and pretense.
He came quite early.
The smart two-seater raced up the
road and came to a standstill at the
gate where last night -. Diana could
not pursue hat memory. Last night
was like some live creature waiting
to pounce upon her directly she was
off her guard and tear her in pieces:
She opened the gate and greeted Wa
terman with a smile.
you're an early Bird" she said
calmly.
She led the way and as o as they
were in the sitting room Waterman
broke out:
What became of you last night,
Diana? l was worried to death.
thought something dreadful had hap
pened. They told me at Palmeiro's
that you had been and had left sud
denly"
Diana met his eyes serenely.
Eyes. 1 ran away" she said.
."Ran away? 80"
eyes, l found out that ! didn'
want to see you after all"
"What do you meant"
"While l was waiting, Linda cam
in. 1t was quite an accident-she wa
not spying on u.s..
Linda? She went to Paris yester
day morning"
"She didn't; she was at Palmelro.
L ,,d we had quite a LITTLE
talk together"
She was quick to see the sudden
suspicion in his eyes.
"It was Linda who made you change
your mind" he said savagely.
Diana nodded.
He stared at her for a moment;
then he broke out:
"I've told you again and again that
you cannot pay any attention to what
Linda says. She is a jealous woman"
"Oh, no.; she's not in the least jeal-
Gus of you or of me, if that is what
you mean," Diana said calmly. II am
not at all sure, Dennis, that you don't
really like her a great deal better
than she likes you"
II don't understand what you mean
Whatever Linda told you, you car
take it from me it is not the truth"
isn't it? Not when she said that
she had offered to divorce you ano
that you had refused? I think it il
the truth, Dennis"
He took a step towards her.
tits a damned lie, Diana. You
know I've told you ores of times
that l would give anything l possess
if only she would give me my free
DOM"
Diana smiled family.
II know you have" she agreed
But that is the damned lie-not wha,
Linda said"
She saw the dull colour rise slowly
to his face, and she turned her eye
away.
She felt sick and ashamed; not for
her own sake, but for his. She had
once thought this man SO splendid;
there had been a time when she would
have given him everything she pos
sessed-body and soul-and it hurt her
unspeakably to know hat he was SC
unworthy-even of her! She told her
self whimsically.
After a moment she looked at him
again; in the last few minutes he
seemed in some un%accountable way tc
have lost stature-to have grown or
binary.
$50 I ran away" she said again
"And | shall never run back any more.
Dennis"
She saw his lips move as he tried tc
speak, but he could find no words
Then suddenly he went down on his
knees, encircling her with his arms:
hiding his face against her.
"Don't send me awav. Diana