The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-11-14
CHAPTER XVI

Susan was filed with apology 70
the bottom Of her soul, and she had
. feeling that she ought 70 tell Wal
lace how she felt. But It seemed too
enormous . wrong to apologize for
telling . man that you were about
% break your engagement 70 him
just when il had been publicly an
nounced. Especially when the man
had beam Tilted once before, as Lutte
said Wallace had been Tilted BY
Eleanor Kendall.
T don't know what 70 say 20 you.
Wallace" she incurred. II feel -
& I ought to get down on my knees
70 you and ask you to forgive me"
ooh. ORWELL" Wallace al but
shouted in the crowded street. AL
this II ORWELL You're engaged to
me. You're going to 60 on being
engaged to mel" He had lost oil Of
his poise. his calmness. He went
along beside her, his lips moving
but making no sound Is il he were
saying things to himself that were
best left unspoken.
They were nearing the icy stone
steps that led up into the lobby OF
the st. Vincent Hotel. AS they
reached them he took Susan by the
arm and steered her into it and
across the lobby to the dining room
where she and Allen had had tea =
few days before.
MONDAY sunlight lay across It
now in broad golden bands. max.
ing the table silver and glass shine
like platinum and rock crystal Just
inside the door was . round table
laden with appetizers Of al kinds
little pink shrimp on tooth picks.
olives wrapped in broiled bacon,
red caviar, anchovy paste and pate
de fois Rras on toast rounds.
Wallace stopped to pick out the
things that he wanted-a large
plateful-but Susan had no eye for
anything, and no appetite. She was
filled with misery over the thing
that she was doing, and ct the same
time determined not to be turned
aside from the doing Of it.
II suppose I'm Q little stunned BY
what you've just told me, Susan,
Wallace said when they were seated
It q sunny table and he was busy
with his fork, land perhaps I'm not
thinking in . straight line, but this
doesn't seem to end anything b.
tween rs. You've cared for me for
almost two years, and you stu 90:
did"
He broke OF ct that point and did
some hard thinking, his brow knot
ted, while he spread butter on the
and Of . roll. "Who Is it, BY the
way. that you've fallen for! :.
Susan shook her head 1T doesn't
make any difference who it Is. does
e she asked. I'D tell you i It
would do any good, but It wouldn't:
You couldn't do thing about 1t. ]
can't, myself"
aYou can't WHAT"
Cant help caring about some
oody that isn't You.
"You can tell me who It H., he
said, returning in his stubborn way
TO his questioning Of her. "That's
what I want 70 know.
Suddenly his fork went down
upon his plate with . clatter, and
80 crumpled his napkin down upon
tie table cloth. "Good lord, I've ar-
ranged 70 buy that house. too" he
you 60 oct like . little fool. Susan!-
I've bought the house"
4 told you not TO-" said Susan
ATsm not going 70 live in : house
thsf I WON'T like, with . man that
don't Nke-that ] don't love. Wal
lac. DO like you"
Al she spoke she knew that sne
didn't, She didn't like the marrow
uely look that bad come into b.
~. and she didn't like 70 Be callet
= fool by him The odof Of thu
shrimps on his plate made hel
rather III. She had . strong I'M
pulse % get up and tell him oncl
snd FOR al that she had come h
detast him from the bottom Of be-
soul. and then rush out Of the DIN
in1 room leaving him % hlS anon
inablo luncheon.
M she could not do Il, evel
thoueh ahe realized that It woule
probably - the one and only ~!
% shake him Of forever. The train
ine 81 . life time held her IN he
chair smiling family ct him iron
her side Of the little table. s.
Something IN her heart said
lyon must eet this over 70 hin
nov. You must break away fror
him. Don't weaken. Tell hin
you're through. and make it stick.
She sat silent. ur0ble to say Ii
unpleasant dnal things that woul
have ended ovosy thing. her Who'll