Evening star., 1935-08-03
ar JAZZ BAND N1
An Exciting, Ultra-Modern Love Story.
By Wyatt RundelL.
By Wyatt Rundell.

The stark wonder Of it gripped him,
the faint, familiar perfume Of the
girl in his arms took his strength.
The silky head against his shoulder
stirred. Ina's voice was low, throaty.
"If-you want me-" she whispered.
"Paul-Tve been-all wrong. I've
been a coward"
mo" he denied. II was q rotter.
I didn't deserve-you. But couldn't
stand-to give you UP"
Ina raised her head. For pro-
longed moment she searched his eyes,
then her own went misty.
Paul." she faltered. do you really
want me? The same as ever? After
I ran away"
He shuddered. The months Of long
ing climaxed In a rush Of freed emo
ton. His heart seemed to stop under
the pressure within him.
Want you-" he choked. "Ive
never--stopped-wanting-you!"
The feel Of her lips under his de-
morahzed him. He held her so closely
that she seemed part Of him, kissed
her eyes, her hair, her lips again and
again-lost In the realization Of the
dreams that had so long racked him.
And she chung to him with a sub
mission that was binding In its COM
pleteness.
"I-tried to forget you,". she whis-
pered. But I couldn't. There was
only-you-in the world"
At length. sitting on the divan, they
were more coherent. Paul." articu-
lated the girl softly, "it-it doesn't
seem-now-as if I'd been gone at
all, does it? And did you know. that
I'm still-your wife? II stopped
the divorce suit-a long time ago."
He shook his head, rapturously,
wordless. It seemed, indeed, as though
the months had rolled back; that their
emptiness, their pain, had been but
mental delusion. The arm that held
her, contracted automatically.
Its been-awful. Paul." she went
on, q little shiver running through
her. i've known-for q long time.
that I was wrong-but I've been too
cowardly to admit 1t even to myself.
The unscalable barrier that I tried TO
build between us-kept collapsins
at the slightest pressure. When
when you called, the other day. I was
wild. I thought hoped-it might
lead-to-to-something, but you were
so matter of fact and so politely in
tereSted-"
You cut 1t short" he reminded her
gently.
II know" said Ina. "1 couldn't say
the things I wanted to. was cold
and hot and disappointed-and q
little bit weepy-all at once. It was
either hang up-or throw myself at
your feet-and I decided to do
that-in person. I've wanted to
come for months. I knew it was the
only way, but I was afraid"
He patted her trim shoulder that
trembled in the circle of his arm
Forget it," he comforted huskily
You didn't have q chance. You were
game-all the way through. You
didn't have q chance-from the first.
She moved protestingly in his en-
brace. "1f I'd only-stopped to
think" she lamented. ''If hadn't
been so-ready-to believe the-the
worst of you. Paul"
1T was my fault" he said grimly
"all mine, honey. I should have told
you-the whole thing-Jessie-an'-
an'-Ray-"
He paused doubtfully. Ina raised
her head and the light In her eyes
made his heart leap.
"He's-in there-asleep," she said
softly. Bud and Sue brought him
about two hours ago. put him to
observation-disclosures, now. He's
mire-and-yours-"
Paul held her tightly, wild Joy
consuming him. The elation that
laughs at the world and its twists
when our vainest prayers are suddenly
answered from. clear sky. He was
breathless, da3zled by the sudden
brightness around him, the glowing
warmth within him.
The door below slammed and Paul
and Ina instinctively drew apart.
There was a boming ascent on the
stairs; painting sounds that rapidly
grew in intensity. Puny bursted
through the door, red-faced, q sheaf
of papers clutched in waving hand
He stopped. He stared. His mouth