Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-02-12
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX.

or two it wouldn't be so hard
Hard? It'd never be anything else
4 Who'd have thought it of you?'
she asked herself. You who'vt
done as you pleased and taken what
YOU wanted? Shed write him after
he'd gone. That d end it just as well
It'd be cowardly, though. She braced
her shoulders. L think" she said
slowly. that in a little while we'll
both be laughing at what we've said
and done tonight"
'Iaughing?" He whirled toward
her. AT WHAT"
AT ourselves. At each other"
There's nothing to laugh over"
"Oh, yes" She clenched her hands
lest they touch his own. IT'S been
grand comedy, darlin', but the cur
tain's goin' down"
"Holly!" His eyes stormed at her
.How can YOU talk like that about
us? Even in jest it's-it'S'-
1T isn't a Jest. Not any more than
every thing is. If there's God who
gees everything people do, don't you
think He must be laughing always at
the fools We are?"
Holly, what do you mean?'
What I'm tellin' you" She bit her
lin. We've had the fun Of it, What
a night. what a night! Well, its
over. You 60 to Bonaventure and
I'm take you with me. III make
CYNTHIA speed up her divorce.
She won't be gettin' it, Kim, not
now"
WHY not?"
Shed rather have you than Sena-
tor Shannon as long as you stay In
the service"
If that's all that's holding her.
No. More than that will hold her.
In her own way she loves you. You II
get on-when I'm out of the picture.
You haven't known me very long
Forever"
-Four weeks" Shed never again
60 back to the Bowie Road. Shed
never again be the Holly Barlow
she'd been that day. You haven't
known me very we'll, either"
L know all of YOU. Holly, except
this foolishness. What are you driV-
ing at?'
This isn't foolishness. We've had
that through these weeks we've played
through. We've come to the end OF
it now That's all"
You can't tell me you don't love
me-" His voice. grimm. suffering.
struck against the armor Of her ten
sion. You can't tell me that. Not
after tonight. You're mine, and you Il
always be mine
oh, no." She stared toward The
Fort Myers towers. seeing the buzz
yards circling above them. I've liked
bein' with you. Kim, and I've liked
YOU likin' me. Maybe I've loved you
little. but this kind of love doesn t
mean marriage
What else can it mean for you
and me?"
Episode Interlude Prelude" How
long must this go on? Why didn't
Savedra come? Or Simon French?
Why had she started it here? The
Lockheed-Vega scared off Why WASH t
she in on it? Why couldn't she be
anywhere but here beside Kim. tor
Hill, vi tlii IIlS my
thing you want TO call it."
Don't you realize how little time
we have with each other if I'm to go
away to Bonaventura? Why waste it
like this? It's a silly joke. Holly"
Put 1t is joke. isn't it?" Her
laughter rose too high. too shaky
What a race we gave them. didn't
Annt0nr dow h me- rio
the headlines. We're saved. though
You'll make the front page this after
noon with the appointment and Ill
be on the society page tomorrow
mornin' Mr.. Chenoweth Barlow of
st. Michaels. Maryland. announces
the engagement of his daughter. Holly.
to Mr. Richard Randall Van Ruyter
of Philadelphia.
And Palm Beach and Paris And
the shooting box in Scotland. You've
done yourself we'll, haven't you?" He
was beginning to believe her now.
I've done myself we'll I'll be goin
10 court next year in a white satin
gown, wearin' three feathers and the
Van Ruyter pearls" What would it
matter what she said if only she
could convince him? She dared rot
look at his face. but she saw the
white CLEAN of her knuckles. AN
ambassadors wifell be introducin'
me. and Queen Mary'll nod at me, a nd
smile at me, and I'll know that I'm
good little girl. Not Holly Barlow
any more. Not the curse of the Navy.
Not the moSt-kissed girl in Tidewater
Maryland. Not the
Stop i'll" He twisted to catch her
shoulders between his gripping hands
You've gone historical. It's been toe
much for you Oh, Holly, dearest!"
No. no" She pulled away from
him. Il know what I'm saying. I'm
tellin' you the truth"
You're not" Desperately mis- ewes
pleaded. Holly, they've frightened
you. 1 don't know what Goeffrev
Shannon said to you, but it was