The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-06-16
CHAPTER XIV

lcumuldClOn Oh clOCnlnS size Hdu-
bungalow aprons, Bingham dress!
es, her wedding finery, There
was no need to take all that to
New York. Her lips twisted as
she smoothed the soft, silken
folds of the garments she and
Minnie had spent SO much time
making. -. ...
Her trunk, containing her cir
GUS wardrobe. was in the attic:
1t was so heavy she doubted if
she could move it alone, yet to
ask Minnie to help would mean
starting a train. of questions.
Donna was in no mood to answer.
She would take the car, she
decided, and find someone to
drive it back from Lebanon. If
she faced Bill again she would
J be sure to break down and plead
E! for forgiveness and she wanted
to keep what little Retrospect
she had. There was a train for
Chicago at 6 o'clock. If she
hurried she could catch it.
Once out of this house she
would be able to put Bill out of
her heart and life forever. He
would divorce her, of course,
Desertion was grounds for di-
vorce. .. .,.. .... &C.. 81.
If she remained at the farm
until the will was read Bill would
have more cause for bitterness
against. her. Perhaps, when the
first hurt was over, he would con-
test the will and Con David's
scheming would be ruined. 49,
I All of the other members of
the household were down stairs
Minnie sobbing. as though she
had lost her nearest and dear,
est; Bill. hard and bitter and
cold, feeling the loss of his
granduncle scarcely at all in the
face of his -aisillusion. No one
heard the sound as Donna drag
ged the big trunk down the
stairs from the attic or heard
her moan of pain as the edge of
it crushed down ;on her instep:
The pain sickened, her so that
she was. afraid she was going to
faint, Obviously she could not
move the; trunk further, certain.
ly not down another fight OF
stairs. Sheshad been foolish to
think that she could. Her arms
were not like steel now. She
did not have the strength she
once had, when the weight Of
her own body and Madeline's
seemed nothing.
She decided to take only nee
essities in her travelling bag anc
leave a note asking to have the
trunk SHIPPED later. 1t could be
delivered TO one of the hotels il
Lebanon :and@she could send in
structions later where to have
it forwarded, 1t might be some
time before she would need it
She would have TO do a lot Of
limbering w to make good II
an act again. And booking.
might not be easy to secur'
alone. ....
Alone-oh. God, how could sh;
go on alone? When she step
pedS OUT of this house she wouls
be leaving more than a husban;
& behind. - She would be leaving
: her soul. her heart-all that hat
made life livable.
= She tried to harden hersel
against Bill. 1t had been unjus
for him to take Cons eXplana
ton as final, giving her ne
chance to Justify herself. AL
the months of her devotion har
counted for nothing against tho
word of a STRANGER. Perhaps j.
time she could learn to hate him
NOW only the agony of separa
ton mattpred. -.
Poor old Grandfather? Would
he know that she was not with
, the mourners when they lowered
him into his final resting place
Would he know she had crept
out of the house like tie thief
she was? She had made the old
mans last days happy and moth
ing could destroy the fact. But
for her he would have known
that the grandchild he still look
ed upon as little girl had fail
ed him. ...
"Somc day." Donna sobbed
aloud, ''some day, Bill Siddal,
you'll understand and be sorry
you've treated me thi5 way. Some
day you'll come to me for for
giveness and l won't give it.
can be hard and bitter, too! I'm
going to forget you. I'm going
| to be the greatest aerial per-
former in the. world! When my
name is plastered on billboards
lin three sheets and twenty-four
jshcets and I'm acclaimed i'll
Europe. as well as here, you'll
wish you hadn't driyen me
away"
4! Then, because fame meant so
little to her, because career
Twas the last thing she wanted,
she dropped on the floor beside
the bed and. hugging Bills pill
low in her arms, moaned her
love for him. Never again would
her hands reach out in the night
to touch his. Never again would
she smoth his dark hair or kiss
his cheek or hear him whisp"r.
i"Wat's the matter, honey? Can't
you sleep?" %.
"Oh, Bill! Bill, If I'D never
Iseen you-if | Just didn't love
lyou so much! Why didn't yosi
love me as love -NOu2 Mhy