Evening star., 1936-08-03
CHAPTER XXI.
EE looked at her a little strange
ly and then he said his eyes

10 De CEere, edlSy! HOW Couio
you think I'd come-to see another
man" His voice broke off abruptly
and he started to drop her hand.
But in the next moment little
groan escaped his throat and he
swept Patsy into his arms and kissed
her trembling lips and her flushed
young cheeks and the soft curve of
her throat. He kissed her as If he
could never let her go.
And then she was out of his arms.
hurrying through the door OF that
deep in the wet ground. Richard fol-
lowed her quickly over the smooth
clipped lawn and into the driveway
where his car was parked.
AS they came upon the charred
wreck of what had been a gracious
Colonial mansion, Patsy said sud-
denly: "Oh. can't bear 1t! I can't
bear it," And Richard found himself
wondering if that pang of tenderness
aching heart, was for the ruined home
or for the tall blond young man that
she was leaving behind.
AS they sat in the car waiting for
Tippy and Grandfather, Richard said:
ct understand. Patsy. It's Lee, isn't
1t? It's always been Lee from that
first night, hasn't it?' His voice was
very gentle. But there was agony In
his eyes.
Patsy didn't look at him. She didn't
see that he was steadying himself
from as near the edge of breakdown
as he had come in his self-controlled
life. She just sat there staring
straight ahead, not answering. Well,
no need for her to answer. He knew
the answer now without her speaking.
Patsy"
She turned then and saw his eyes.
said sharply: "Oh, Richard, don't look
at me like that!'
But he was not, consciously, looking
at her at all. He was thinking of
her perhaps. a great deal of Lee and
the damage that women like Kitty
Cavendish did in life.
Patsy went out, the desperate effort
she was making for steadinesS plain
in her voice: But I want to marry
you. Richard. Oh. know you can't
understand that-or me-or anything
You see, there's part Of my heart
that's always been yours. The part
that remembers the days when we
were kids together. Ill always love
you that way-youll always have that
part Of me. If that is enough"-her
voice trailed off weakly
Richard put his arm tenderly around
her. That Is enough, dearest" he
said. softly. "Once I had thought II
wouldn't be. Once had thought that
things would work out for you and
Lee, that he would be free to
marry,"-he frowned-"but now J
want you on any terms-any terms
at all"
And Patsy, looking at him with
lovely blurred eyes, said:
You'll never be sorry, Richard. !
promise you that"
But as she said the words, deep
down within her she wondered and
was afraid. What If some day Lee
should be free to marry? She knew
that because she had loved once with
an intensity Of love that she did not
have to give to Richard that she
would, perhaps. always love Lee, not
being able to help it. With a little
sob she caught Richards arm and
clung to it.
II promise you'll never be sorry!
Ill be a coed wife. I'll darn your
holey socks and cook for you and scrub
your floors" She was talking hys-
terically, Of course. Cooking Scrub
bing. Mending. Richard Bowie's
wife-Richard who was one of the
wealthiest young men In the country.
But even as these promises fell one
upon the other from her trembling lips
her wretched young eyes were piercing
the sultry gloom Of that July night,
searching desperately for one last look
at the man she loved and could never
have.
The morning of the wedding. Patsy
sat up in bed, slim arms around her
Slim knees. eyes dark against the
golden brightness of her hair. A little
sunlight slipping across the bed
through the vines thick-gowth out
side. lay on her wan small face.
She said to herself and to the empti-
ness Of this guest chamber In Rich
ards lovely home that would soon be
her own: Il shan't cry again. think
I've cried enough in the last three
years over not getting what I want
I shall soon forget Lee when I'm mar
ried to Richard. And I shall never
be afraid Of love again-or be hurt"
Over and over she told herself this
until 1t almost became a conviction.
Told herself, too, that love was only a
ghost now. Love was a lost ecstacy
like the gossamer melody of breeze
singing its way through maple leaves
never to return. Love was Lee, Lee
Lee. who was married to Kitty.
Patsy wondered now how many
people had any clear idea of this
marriage of hers. Grandfather and
Marcia and Ted knew Perhaps
Kitty. And, of course, Lee. Lee
knew. He knew because the night
OF the fire he had kissed her and
had felt her coming alive beneath
his lips, had felt her arms tighten
responsively around him and had
known, even though she had run
had trembled soft and warm on her
lips.
The whole house was awake now,
Patsy realized. The bridesmaids
Charlotte Fellows, Lola Hughes,
Teds wife and several girls that
Patsy had gone to school with
were dressing, their young voices
calling gayly to each other and echo
ing along the corridors Patsy
could hear them plainly-Charlottes
piquant lisp and Mary James quick,
happy laugh. From downstairs came
the clatter Of china and silver and
crystal and odd little sounds that the
caretaker's men were making in add
ing leaves to the dining room table
for the wedding breakfast.
Patsy forgot the orange illice that