Evening star., 1936-01-19
Continued from page four

nat late - II you're IN love-.
Who said was?"
do you deny it?"
"I'd like to have proof"
well, you picked me out of all men
in the world to pick out of the river"
1T was very dark"
1t was dark now, too, but kind of
divinely radiant dark The night was
harsh and ugly, with everything wet
and spooky halo about a lamppost,
but to them it was blue moonworld
and the moon as warm as a tropic sun.
The only thing that made it possible
for them to part was the anxiety that
each felt lest the other take cold or
lose sleep or be late to the morning
slavery. They agreed to meet next day
at luncheon time.
At luncheon time they arranged to
meet the next evening. The secrecy of
their meetings had still the delight of
stealth and conspiracy. When there is
no need of it, new lovers practice
stealth anyway. This went on in a
prolonged enchantment, until it be-
came unbearable to be separated at all.
Neal was a matter-of-fact young
man. Which meant that he would be
perfect fool in love. So he got out a
pencil and a pad and began to jot
down figures: his salary. his overhead,
his irreducible minimum of expenses,
her salary. and her ditto. He added up
the two minimums and there was a
little money left over. 1t was precious
little, but everything was precious to
them now.
No sacrifice, no privation, no diff
Guilty was of any Importance at all as
an argument against their marriage.
Every complication gave suspense. de-
light, like the obstacles in an exciting
mystery story.
They found tiny furnished fiat
that had thousand things the matter
with it and for those very reasons was
within reach of their combined salaries.
There was kitchenette, parlorette.
and bedroomlette. There was an al
most pocketsize piano and a telephone.
There was no sunlight. But they would
furnish their own.
They had to grab it or lose it,
so Neal hastily signed lease and
paid the first months rental. He also
bought wedding ring on credit, with
small payment down. Valerie squan-
dered small payment down on SIM
pie wedding dress.
They we're diving into debt with the
same recklessness that had led them
to dive into the water, he to save a
dog that he did not know. she to save
young man she had met for the first
time when he was unconscious. She
had taken him by the hair and towed
him ashore Now love had caught hold
of them both, and was towing them
both into deep waters, out to sea.
They told their parents. Valerie's
father was overjoyed. my dear girl"
he said. putting his arms around her
as she knelt beside his chair, this
news makes me very happy. You are
young. beautiful; you should be living
your own life, not throwing it away
waiting on an old man. No" - in an
swer to Valerie's quick protests - Il
know you never complain, but it isn't
right. just the same, and I'm glad
you've found Neal to make you happy.
You mustn't worry about me; with
the help of Mrs. Virkus can get along
very nicely"
Exactly opposite was the reception
which Meals mother gave to the news.
She misbehaved gorgeously.
"She's a vampire!" Mrs. Douglas
declared. dabbing her eyes. That's all
the gratitude. though, that mothers
get. They sacrifice everything for their
children, and then when they need
them most, they go off with some
painted doll" Neal listened to her
helplessly. holding his temper, but his