Nogales international., 1935-08-10

| she said, "and So am I, believe it
or not. You aren't acting quite
normal, you know. Are you feeling
blah? We're for you, kid, you know
all Of us. Don't let that Jane get
away with anything you really
want!"
Ellen tried to laugh. but her voice
was little shaky.
Don't you worry about me,
Claire" she said. II know you
think I haven't much sense. But I
can take care Of myself. can"
her voice was the more vehement
because tears lay behind it, take
care of myself! And of my own
property"
Claire's hand, patting Ellen's, was
unexpectedly tender
"I-I wonder" she said.
Claire didn't leave Ellen alone
upon the doorstep She took her up
stairs and helped her into a, soft
kimmy, and made her lie down.
And then, mercifully, Claire went
away.
1t was an hour before she rose
from the couch and, with her mind
still jumbled and groping through
the mazes of new jealousy,
stumbled into the bathroom and
took her shower.
AS she stood straight and white
under the shower, Ellen found that
she was crying bitterly.
And yet, despite the tears, when
the horn of Tony's roadster sounded
in front of her house, Ellen was
able to come down and meet him
with smile on her lips, and with
her eyes as apparently fresh as was
the little organdy frock that she
wore.
They drove together for a while
in silence. Through the early even
ing traffic, out over a bridge that
led to Long Island. Tony's brown
hands clutched the wheel harder
than was quite necessary, and his
jaw line was harder than neces-
sary, too. Finally he spoke.
They drove through fifteen more
minutes of silence-one car in a
long line of cars. I hen Tony spoke.
"1've thought, lately" he said,
"that we were getting together in
rather a nice way, you and I, Ellen
THAT we were getting to be friendsl
There've been times when I've
thought the day was coming when
I'd take another chance-when I'd
ask you again to be-something
more than friend. But I'm won
dering, now, if I've ever been right,
about anything! Tell me, have you
ever really considered whether
you'd like divorce I told you, the
first night we met, that I'd admit I
was licked and give you one, if I
felt that I wasn't getting anywhere
with you. You told me. at James
hoyis6 party, that there could ba
an annulment any time. Maybe one
of us was right. Maybe we were
both right"
Ellen's hands were pressed against
her breast Under them she could
feel the humping of her heart.
Claire had called it. Surely, it was
Jane. 1t must be Jane. Else why
was Tony mentioning divorce and
annulment at this time?
"I'll always think" she said, at
last, that you're wise, Tony, in any
decision you make And that was
| The orchestra was humping out
a summons. Tony gave his order
briefly to a waiter, and then he
was rising and holding out his arms.
"You haven't danced with me-"
he said, "since the night at James
party. And that was only -
sample Let's have a dance together
now, while we're waiting for our
dinner"
Ellen rose reluctantly.
"You're making Tommy Tucker
out of me-" she said, making me
dance for my dinner!" But she
melted into his arms, and they
whirled away.
1t wasn't waltz, this time. 1t
was a barbaric, staccato measure to
which they danced 1t was passion
ate and bold and full of effrontcry,
that music; it caught them up into
a strange, savage world. Ellen could
feel the heat Of jungles closing in
about her, and the drowsiness of
strange, unnatural flowers. She was
| glad when the music stopped on a
high, quavering note, when Tony
led her back to their table. She was
glad that the food he had ordered
was workingman's foodsteak and
succotash and things like that She
needed something commonplace.
'You said, once" she remarked
over the steak and succotash, that
I was a good cook, Tony. And you
said it when you'd only eaten one
of my fried egg sandwiches. I'd like
to have you to dinner, once-to
dinner that I'd cooked myself"
Tony was looking at her oddly.
"Is this an invitation?" he said.
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