The Bismarck tribune., 1933-02-06
Ard eth Stunned by
ken's Engagement to
Cecile

royalty-and blue eyes will rove.
To your knitting, Cecilew
When All Ling came into the
shop in the middle Of the morn
ing she heard her name called from
the back room. She went in, to
find Ardeth sitting on the couch
with her wraps on.
"Phone Miss Parker" she di-
rected the solicitous little Chinese
girl. Tell her she'll have to come
down and take charge. I'm going
home. I'm not well ="
And indeed she looked ill: her
face milk-white save for two hectic
spots OF burning on her cheek
bones.
At the end of the carline she
struck off across the sand until she
reached large dune on the les,
frequented part of the beach. She
sat down on its seaward side, pull
ing on her hat SO the wind could
lit her hair and fan her hot fore.
head.
Up to now she had held her feel.
ings rigidly under control. But
here there were no prying eyes.
But for the moment tears would
not come. She was too completely
crushed. rs yet, to feel anger or
outraged pride.
Never once did it occur to her to
doubt the article she had read in
The Spy. Her own memory bacL.
ed it up.
Now she knew the reason for
tnae shadow on ken's face the
Sunday in the duck shack = that
ominous something which had crept
Deeween them at the mention Of
Cecile. Knew the reason for that
vague fear which had always mn.
derlain their gay words.
AFRAID j: yes, she had been.
something in her had recognized
the lurking danger even when sho
had tried to hold her thoughts at
arms length.
And those nights, when she v,..
NOT WITH him-jealous fear in her
neart, picturing him with Cecile-
ns handsome, laughing face bent
close to the other girl.
Then the storm broke. Rars
shaking through her. hot AZ
astet'ng: Choking her 80 that she
made stifled animal sounds. pound-
ing her c!enched hands on the sard
g though she pounded them or
Ces,le's beautiful, mockine face W
Sheer exhaustion brourht h.,
@ herself, ashamed and : l;ttis
mex. Sand gritting on her teeth
g1ming her tear-stained face.
She sat up. catching her breath
m convulsive gasps like a ch;id
which has cried too lonr. | arJ
scrubbed her cheeks with her ,rst ~
pail Of handkerchief. "''
She smoothed her hair. pulled -
ner nat: Sat for more than An m
ne!r with arms claspine her Leo. %
wnile she stared on the besch
Hard, bitter thoughts went AVA,
ner mind as cloud shadows "a. az
passing over the water.
The old storyl Her h...
mocked her. The wealthy younr .
nan caught by . pretty face.
" course Ken wasn't wealthy hnt
No was 2 part Of that vor1d -
wealth which held Cecile -Je.v-
ette-all those easy mannsreJ
comfortable people who came n
Jeanette's shop. :"
Well-she'd asked for th;. mai.
hadn't she? said the scornfui ;rr..s ;s
voice in her mind. A fool shc,,t
nm. She had shown e IN evs.. s
,t9ok-.svery t time her hand touched
nis. She had offered her hesrt an
9as 2sr t!s;-l ;,ps-ho- :. could she blame him
"A cheap foolr' She said !.
aloud. and her voice sounded oddiv
thin against the roar 81 ths H ~.
!S Hea was vas right. They get 81
sasy ne y.:sH e:n and then throw you s
Oh. what . fool che had ham
-. To lose her heart to Ken
Aens who was going to mary
Mary cecile. Obi ne
caught her lips between her teeth
ana her face went white ana cold.
A,!en-holding Cscils In his arms-
Hlsing her. -.
she vas crying, soft helple,e
eears which drained her hea1f -,
bitterness and left her iimp ~ 81
the sand. staring up into the emptv
sky With vet swollen eyes.
70 d ceatinusj ''A Ia