Evening star., 1936-01-11
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[NysQAa1azadMJAMEs MONTGOMERY FlA6G

Hes still working for the COM
pany." Mrs. Brannan replied. You'll
find him changed, too"
She asked Kay no questions at all;
till her long reticence began to be
conspicuous and disquieting, and Kay
said at last ruefully:
"I expect you're wondering how I
happened to burst in on you without
any warning or anything"
Mrs. Brannan smiled. It never
quarrel with good luck, Kay" she said,
with as much affection as she was
ever likely to show. I'm too glad to
have you here, afraid If touch you,
you'll vanish again. We've missed
you'll"
"I know" Kay assented. She said
thoughtfully: II should have come
home when I left college This Is the
place for me-"
Places don't matter Sc much" Mrs.
Brannan suggested. Its what people
do in them"
I've done some wild things" Kay
admitted, laughing a little recklessly.
81 might as we'll tell all about it,"
Don't tell me anything you
shouldn't" Mrs. Brannan advised. She
hesitated for a moment, then said
wisely: IT expect there is trouble
between you and Bob. But Kay, it's
mistake to tell your family about
uuarrels with your husband. You for
give him, by and by; but they never
do, and it makes for friction later on. ="
Kay smiled, shook her head. mo
quarrel at all, mother" she insisted.
"Bob's fine!" She hesitated, her face
twisting a grimace of pain. THE
only way to tell 1t is in plain words, "
she said bravely. Then it only hurts
for a minute. After I left college I
was desperately afraid I'd have to
come back to Carvel I expect I set
my cap for every man I met. I was
ready to marry almost any one, as long
as I didn't have to come back here.
Lots of men were nice to me. but
most of them were boys. Dane Ripley
gave me a big rush, but he didn't
ask me to marry him. Then I lost
my job. and Dane invited me to a
yachting party at the boat race. !
wrote you about that. And I went,
feeling pretty desperately that this
was my last chance. And 1t was
rottenw
She hesitated, scanning her men,
ories, but Mrs. Brannan nodded in the
most matter-of-course fashion, wait
ing for Kay to go on.
Il used to take a drink, sometimes,
mother" Kay confessed. I'D had
too many that night! wasn't drunk
but things weren't real. And when
I had to get away from Dane boat
came along past where We were
anchored. and I asked them to put
me ashore. I meant to take train
for Boston"
But Bob was in the boat, and he
was drunk, too. He wanted to drive
me back to Boston and let him, and
we got lost, and he asked me to marry
him. And did" She looked st
Mrs. Brennan appealingly. I'D never
met him before. He was engaged and
I knew it. Oh, there's no excuse for
mel"
Mrs. Brennan said mildly: 1--WE
knew, of course, that it was sudden,
because you hadn't mentioned him in
your letters before. And, of course.
Emily knew his reputation"
Kay nodded. so the girl he was
engaged to was mean to me, nat
urally." she explained. His people
were so nice I was ashamed of myself,
but this girl-her names Priscilla
Hyde-said something that infuriated
me. and I told Bob he'd have to. stay
married to me for a while. That I
wouldn't let him divorce me till got
ready. Bob said of course he would
do whatever I wanted. He felt he'd
treated me badly, and he wanted to
make it as easy for me as possible.
And took advantage of him I just
hung on, and hung on, like dog in
the manger."
She hesitated. made movement
Of finality with her hand. But now