Carbon County news., 1936-06-19
CHAPTER xII-contInued

she said. Don't you know2"
"Why should it matter?"
Don't you know that?"
We've been good pals" he be
gan.
She was staring at him fixedly.
Don't talk nonsense" she com
manded.
Barry sat next to her.
Listen" he said. you're a
lady"
She laid her hand on his arm.
1--WE only one question to ask, 81
she declared, land 1 count on your
answering that honestly"
"YOu can."
"You said-tO Ridder-T stayed,
at first, because I was nuts about
a girl"
"Yes."
"Was that trUe?'
"Yes."
"WhO was She?"
II told you a month ago."
"Under considerable stress. And
you never repeated it. Are you still
nuts about herr"
She used the absurd colloQuial-
ism as gravely as though it were
Shakespearian English.
An invisible hand clutched at
Barry's throat.
There was lump there-some-
thing that had to be swallowed i'm
mediately. He felt an hysterical
desire to laugh, or to cry. Then,
1--WE won't talk about that now,"
he said, calmly.
"Why not?"
He couldn't answer.
"Was that pretense, tooT'
Suddenly, he couldn't bear 1t.
"You know damned we'll 1t
wasn't" he burst forth, inexcusably.
"You know exactly how l feel.
You've always known. Everybody's
always known everything about
me, it seems. I'm as much a fail
ure at taking as l am at every
thing else. What's the sense of
discussing it -now?"
'"This may be oNr last chance to
discuss it."
They were both standing. Look
ing straight at each other.
Then, Pat said, Il love you"
"For Gods sake-listen-I'm the
son Of a ne'er-dO-well."
II love you."
"I'm bum and vagabOnd."
Il love you"
Before night, I'll be a Jail bird"
II love you."
"Pat--"
I'LL wait for you," Pat said. "And
then we'll both start fresh"
She was smiling now.
"Wih you marry me, Mr.. Gill
bert?''
For answer, he caught her up in
his arms.
He was still holding her when
the old man came through the door.
"'Will you step in here, please?"
the old man asked, as unemotion-
ally as though he had seen people
embracing one another in this
board room every day of his life.
without replying, Barry released
Pat.
Then he pressed her shoulder, re-
assuringly, and followed Ridder.
At the big desk, Mrs. Ridder was
standing. He recognized her at
once, though she was younger-and
prettier than he had expected.
Forty" Barry guessed, glancfng at
her wavy, dark hair, and then real
ICED that she must be more than
that. She looked very much like
her son, Barry thought. Curious. |
That was the stronger strain, then,
even though she seemed as soft and |
gentle as her. husband was hard |
and domineering.
She was a small woman, with |
plump arms, and tiny wrists and |
ankles. She had large, brown eyes,
with shadows under them. They
had shown suffering, those eyes,
though they were bright enough !
now. "snappy," Barry described
them.
MY wife," Ridder nodded toward
her, curtly.
She came forward, her hand ex-
tended to Barry.
IT want to thank you," she said
Before Barry could answer, Rid
der asked, "Why didn't you tell me
you'd left all this at Southampton"
"All what?"
"Your accounts" Mrs. Ridder ex-
planned. evans gave them to me
this morning, but I*didn't open the
envelope until just now. Then
brought it straight to Mr.. Ridder."
whats this mummery about
paying your board?.. ,. Come in,
Miss1 Hambidge."
Miss Hambidge was in"
""Mummery?" l