Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1934-11-30
CHAPTER II

1Ou IS oWCCI, OOLLlo odIOs OLC
ladled ice cubes into the amber tumb-
lers. "Wilmer's not an ordinary but
Ter. During the war he was Ger
man aviator-an ace. He speaks
three or four languages perfectly and
he says he was a flight commander or
something"
81 noticed the military bearing,"
Merle said. "It'll be a pity to fire
him, but 1 guess you'll have to, as
you say. Still, I think it's perfectly
natural he should fall for you"
Sonia leaned her head back and half
closed her eyes. 81 don't know what
I'd do without you to buck up my
faith in myself"
81 souldn't think you'd need any
bucking. I'm the one that needs that"
"You silly boy. You have more
talent than I have, and besides that
you have a good business head. I
don't know anything about managing
my affairs. Nothing a-tall."
Merle crossed his legs and let his
body relax against the feathery vel
vet, slipping from the amber tumbler
she had given him. His eyes roamed
over the tall windows which COM
manded an eighteenth-floor view of
Central Park, then up to the bal
cony, approached by a little stair.
Beyond that balcony were the mys-
ferrous rooms where Sonia Farman
slept and bathed and had her init
mate existence.
He looked at Sonia. She was
smart and pat-chic-sitting there be-
side him. Suddenly it occurred to him
that her face rather resembled the
faces of wax mannequins in windows
along Forty-second Street and Fifth
Avenue. Of course it had vitality
and it was not frozen into an express
ion of slightly dumb hauteur the way
the mannequins' were; but it set off
her gowns and it was unapproachable.
Sonia was unapproachable.
"What're you thinking about so
solemnly?" She peered at him over
the top of her glass, her eyes bright.
81 was thinking" he told her truth
fully, "what an absolutely swell per-
son you are. Don't think that's flat
terry. I really haven't known a wo-
man whom I could respect and be
friends with at the same time".
She didn't say anything, didn't
move her glass, didn't alter her gaze.
Finally: "I'm glad" That was all.
There was something in the way
she said it that made him know he
was closer to her spiritually than to
anyone else in the world. They were
proud of each other; and they expe-
rienced the deep, exhilarating snob-
berry that men have felt upon being
made privy to a certain system for
beating the bank at Monte Carlo.
Sonia" he said, "let's you and
get married. We could do it. I'm
convinced we could do it."
1t was so obvious that there was
no way to proclaim their secret un-
derstanding about things other than
by marriage. The overwhelming suit
ability of the match was too plain.
She put down her glass and began
to swing her golden-slippered foot
backward and forward slowly, and
then he knew that she was not pom
dering acceptance. That, in some cur
ious fashion, had already been made.
She was thinking over the words to
be used in answering.
She found them after a while. 81
have rather definite ideas about mar
riage, Merle darling. l couldn't stand
another failure. l couldn't that's all.
think marriage ought to be built,
like drawing, like play or a book,
very carefully, very tenderly, very
cagily. We've got to be shrewd.
think we are. For instance you know
how to handle money, and I make a
lot and you are going to make lot.
That's important. Again, you're fas-
tidious about dress, as am. I hate
mussed person; I can't stand a
mussed person. And we look we'll to-
gether, which would bring us content
ment of very real sort. Again,
think the French have the right idea
about marriage; all the Latin peo-
Piles have. The men are constantly
chivalrous. adore chivalry and
aren't you from Richmond, Virginia %
She leaned over and patted his knee
Merle stretched out his hand
Lets shake hands because I think
that's the way to seal it. Never was