Evening star., 1932-11-09
CHAPTER II.
MARRIED AGAIN.

~LIVE glanced at the closed door
Of their compartment, then at
II Santa's hat box and suitcase,
~ labeled Mrs. Give Doncaster.
Santa, seated opposite to him,
followed his glance. She had been
secretly amused and touched by him
al day. but hadn't dared to show it.
What puzzled. ecger boy he was be-
meath the surface! Such relief from
Dicky. She was going to be young
again.
ITS true, Give" she nodded. II
really belong to you"
I'm kind Of stunned" he smiled. 1T
takes bit Of getting used to-
For me too" She was wondering
whether she might powder her nose.
1T won't tomorrow"
He seized her slender wrist.
"Of course it won't Everything past
will be forgotten
"As though this were the first time
had been married. She read his
thoughts.
He shifted to her side and slippSi
an arm about her. She waited, pulse
less as a doll.
I'm the only husband you ever had"
he burst out. Say So"
She took his face between her hands.
7 can never thank God enough for
having given you to me"
That satisfied him for the moment.
He twisted the wedding ring on her
fnger-the one he had bestowed on her
His mind was in ferment So many
thoughts-so few Of them to utter
Scarcely more than a week ago had
he been caught in a sleeping compart-
rent with her he could have been
dragged into her divorce.
The conductor tapped and entered to
collect tickets Give betrayed the Gus
tomary nervousness Of the newly we'd
ded Santa watching. found his con-
fusion adorable Evidently he feared
that tfe legality Of their relationship
might be doubted Shed experienced
the same pangs on her first honey
moon.
When they were alone again, Give
reseated himself beside her
You're awfully quiet" she challenged.
Il feel such an amateur he laughed
Il shall love living with you in New
York" She snuggled.
Till now Dicky had afforded almost
the sole topic Of their conversations
Would he bring counter charges at the
last moment? Then, after her release
from him. would he cease to annoy her?
Things had moved too fast Give had
judged rightly that after her ordeal
Santa wouldn't be safe to conduct her
own affairs When he'd surprised her
that morning two weeks ago, she had
cultivated the complex that all her
friends wee ashamed of her-that no.
body would ever want to be seen with
her
The best cure had seemed to be to
restore her without waste of time to
recognized niche in society. He had
urged immediate renarriage. Shed per-
mitted herself to be persuaded on the
condition that they involved nobody in
their rashness save themselves Hence
there had been no guests, no wedding
presents Not even her parents had
been notified Their plans for the
future had yet to be formulated.
The first minister they had ap-
preached. on learning that Santa was
a divorcee had refused to ofhciate. The
second had invited them into his Ier
lor-this vas few hours ago-and
united them as perfunctorily as if he'd
been issuing dog license
Now that his goal he'd been attained
and they were man and wife. had come
the reaction. Her remark as they had
stepped aboard the train had started It.:
Married again / adore it" IN their
merriage was everything to be again
for her? He had approached this Gay
with so much of reverence, which notn-
ing external had reflected At the back
of his mind was the account ne hao