Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1933-06-23
rM NC
Fifteenth Installment

down INTO her face. Joyce'S Whlrl
CT happiness filled her so full of
emotion that she could not hold it
ali and a little of it spilled owe in
tears. Her heart beat in rapid &C
cord with the violent beats which
she could plainly feel humping in
Robert Ainsworth's breast. He
bent down then and kissed her eyes
and her lips. At first, just lightly,
almost in playful caress; but again
and again, and each time a litti
harder, a little more Intensely
until finally, his mouth crushed
down On hers and it was as if she
were lifted out of herself and had
lost her identity.
After a few moments he released
her abruptly. Joyce, SO weak, she
had to lean against the bookshelves
to keep herself from falling, watch
ed Ainsworth walk to the door and
stand there with his back to her.
She could not speak. 1t seemed to
her that they stood thus for an
eternity.
Finally he turned around and
smiled at her again. "Well, there it
is. And what happens next?
Does THE Beautiful Belinda depart
forerer in proud Wratb and leare
the poor insulting norm TO H'~ n1
Nth only the memory of bis one
daring deed or Leaving his
sentence unfinished, he took a Gig
arctic and lighted it. Joyce watch
ing, saw his hand shake as he held
the match to the tip.
Why did he not come back to
her and take her in his arms again?
Why did he not tell her he loved
her? She had not rePulsed him.
'Dickie," went on Ainsworth,
sitting down on the step and pick
ing up the dog who was nudglng
at him for attention, "it should be
possible, one would think, for a
sweet, beautiful girl to visit & man,
even in a lonely place like this
without being. . .er mainland
led" He smoked furiously. Joyce,
feeling her knees trembling, sat
down on the arm of one of the big
redwood chairs and listened silent
ly.
But you see, Dickie, damn it,
I've been living here all alone for
months and months, and a man
gets to f%ooling himself with his
smart delusion that he's self-suf-
fcient, that the lid is on good and
tight-until, suddenly, along
comes a girl, not just an ordinary
girl, you know, Dickie, but one
with sweetness and beauty and in
t~elligence, one who is a particular
Joy to be with, and-well, then,
bang, everything is off,
A chill descended on Joyce. She
felt a vast sickening fear settle
down benumbingly owe her. What
did he mean? Did hevwas he sorry
for what had happened? A flame
of white humiliation burned Joyce
with intolerable pain. She must
get away quickly and hide herself
from this thought.
She stood up and tried to speak
in a casual, ordinary voicl. II
think, Dickie, it's time for us
to 60"
Ainsworth jumped % his feet,
dropping Dickie unceremoniously,
and came to her. Look here, Joy
ce! Don't go. Youre-oh what
shall l say?" He took her in his
arms and kissed her again and
again. Then he looked into her
eyes, met her anxious smile and
said softly, "Oh, what is there to
talk about? We don't need any
words, do we, darling?"
Joyce shook her head without
speaking. She was swept back
again to the heights of joyous hap
piness and she chung to. him now
unquestioning.
At last however, she drew her
self away and stood up, straighten
ing her silk blouse with nervous
hands and hastily combing her
hair, which Afnsworth's caresses
had rurnpled. As she stood in front
of the mirror, he came up behind
her and put his arms gently around
her body again. His eyes met hers
in the glass. He vas so much taller
than Joyce that his chin rested on
the top of her curly yellow head.
She leaned back against him, sud-
denly aware of the fact that she
was almost limp with fatigue after
the emotional storm she had pass
ed through, and smiled into the
mirror. Al that he whirled her
around and crushing her to him
aoain buried his face in her neck.