Evening star., 1935-01-31
CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

"a n
Y She owed him something,
even if he weren't going to
ask what she wanted him
10 say. "I-like you, Kim, dear
"Oh, Holly, Holly. don't you love
me? If you do, nothing else mat
ters. Not Van Ruyter. Not Bona
ventura. Oh, Holly, dearest, if you'll
only wait <or me until I get this
thing Strengthened out, I'll take care
of you always. Ill love you always,
and you only"
Love me only?" A pang of jeal-
cusy, sharp as the lightning above
the low pines of the hills, shot over
her ecstasy. How can you be sure?"
I'm sure"
but didn't you feel just as sure
when you married some one else?'
mo"
"Then why did you marry her?"
1--WE don't have to talk OF her, DO
we?"
You must, if you're goin' to make
me believe that you'll keep on lovin'
me. Oh, Kim, can't you see how l
feel? You must have loved her TO
have married her. You don't love
her now. You love me, but how do
7 know you'll keep on lovin' me?,'
"It's not the same" He stared
frowningly at the pallid ribbon OF
road before them. II wonder if every
man doesn't carry in his heart the
vision of the woman he'll love-" Crop
ingly he sought words. Il thought
felt hoped that Cynthia would be
that woman. It's not her fault that
she isn't. It's mine. I met her ON
board ship when I was coming back
from Geneva. Ny mother had just
died. was lonely. She saw it. and
cheered me. We both wanted the
same thing-for different reasons. She
was gay, and kind, and-shining
Shining" She sighed over the
word. I'm not that
you're better. You're luminous "
"Oh, Kim, dear!" She moved nearer
to him as a great clap of thunder
reverberated over fields and woods.
How much closer she always came to
him in the out doors. The lights
fared on a crossroad. Bowie. What a
little while ago she had met him on
its narrow lane! If he had missed hel
that day, what would she be now?
Just what she'd been before, probably,
a girl seeking only the gay. good times
of race meets and Navy dances, won
dering if she hadn't better cast an
anchor to windward, and marry Dick
Van Ruyter. If he had missed her
"I'm only a sad little star in a deep
dark"
you're all the stars in my sky"
Beloved" She put her hand over
his upon the wheel. For moments she
could not measure, they rode in bliss
full exile from the world of every
thing beyond this strange delight Of
nearness. Il love you, love you.
love YOU her heart eXulted as thun-
der rolled and lightning blazed ovel
the tiny villages and scattered home
steads near the highway. But, like
the clouds over the still countryside
thoughts of Cynthia lowered. kim
how can you be so sure?"
Its hard to explain" His eye.
did not SWerve from the road, but
she knew that he was gazing deer
into his own consciousness. Il sup
pose it's because you're SO wistful
so-fragile. You're not like any oi
the women I've always known. YOU
see, my mother had to take care o1
me, and all the time I was thinking
! that when I grew up I'd be doing
things so that I could take care Of
sEorne one I'd love"
Il understand Ten minutes tt
one. Half way across Anne Arundel
County. On bright night they'd bt
seeing the lights of napolis-hear.
ing, perhaps, the first whistle of the
ferry-but darkness and wind closeo
all far vision now. What long, long
way it'd be to st. Michaels if they
had to go around the bay! Hours
and hours of being with each other
What mattered darkness and vino
and rain that beat against the wind.
shield? "Tell me more, Kim"
You're not like any woman I've
ever known. I was at school in Sus-
sex when the war came. I used te
think that all the women in Eng
land were in uniform. All so busy
and so competent"
weren't you?"
II thought I was an ambitious one.'
What did you Want?"
n OlplOInaClc career. Wnat else
would boy want if he'd come from
the commonwealth of Adamses and
Cabots and Lodges?"
How'd you get into it, darlin'?"
Geneva. After 1 finished Oxford
I got a job 'as secretary to an under.
secretary of an observation commit.
tee from our own United States From
there I went to the Embassy in
Rome"
Weren't there lovely ladies there?'
Lovely, and lots of fun, but all OF
them human dynamos running on
their own power. They're that way
too, back here in Washington. You're
the only one who's been different"
tits only my method that's differ
ent. I'm designin' woman as much
as your wife is" She moved still
nearer to him as she challenged his
opinion of her. Rain, beating on the
low branches of the trees, beating on
the windows of the car, shut them