The Washington times., 1936-04-11
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lines uppermost. I think he d
Bruce picked it up, read the
whole article with the most taken
back expression C''undisguised dis
may" Is the proper term, I be-
lieve). He sat down abruptly, so
suddenly that I gasped for fear he
would miss the chair. He read the
article again, having forgotten all
about us. Mother and I eX-
changed glances as we settled our
selves comfortably, and Dad raised
an eyebrow. We waited several
minutes.
At last Bruce loked up.
you've all read this!"
We nodded.
"Snce they've found out that
much,it is time to talk, Mr.. Martin.
I think would like to tell you the
story first; you have all been so
kind to me, and you ought to have
known the truth long ago."
He paused for a few moments.
If he was acting he did it superbly.
He seemed completely subdued,
completely honest.
IT told you that I had friends
at Carmel. After I had begun to
wonder if Connie and I had not
made a big mistake in planning
marriage, went down to visit
them for weekend. I thought
1t would be quiet place to think
it over.
"You have wondered why I ran
away, why I returned. why I re-
fused to talk. You have no doubt
suspected that Bernice Carter had
something to do with the reason
for all these things. You were
quite right. I was trying to keep
her out Of it, to keep her un-
touched by all this unpleasant
ness. this notoriety. After I sue
ceeded in getting her on the boat
for Honolulu, it has not mattered
so much. She is out of it at
least: if she cannot escape public
ity, she can escape the actual sit
uation."
This concern for Bernice, this
fierce protectiveness, may have
been quite touching to some peo-
pie. Mother thought it $50 sweet"
AS for me, I thought of Connie,
just as lovely, just as sheltered,
just as precious. No one had
protected her from misery and an
ugly death, from scandal and dis
grace even as she lay in her grave.
I thought it was too bad Bruce
could not have employed some of
his marvellous chivalry where she
was concerned.
He was going on with the story.
''Now that the papers are link
ing her with me, have discovered
who she is, and are implying
worse things than could be true
Of her, I might better tell who
she really Is and what connection
she has with me.
you see at Carmel that week;
end I met Bernice. I was staying
with these friends at their log
house in the hills. They had told
me that they had another guest,
a girl from Baltimore who was
doing a little painting. She had
studied in the East and abroad,
had not done much with what
talent she had, was a dilettante
even as I was"
His face glowed as he spoke Of
her, oh so proudly. His voice was
so soft and tender at the thought
Of her. Gee, I wish Dicky would
get that way about me sometime!
"Our meeting was so typical Of
the way everything between us
should be, natural, inevitable, en-.
tirely right. I knew from the
first moment that nothing could
ever be allowed to stand between
us. I was sitting before the open
fire the first night I was there,
waiting for dinner.
"We were never introduced; It
was one of those things that just
happen. Bernice came down the
stairs and I stood up. She was
wearing some soft, clingy thing in
an old blue. It trailed on the
floor and caressed her throat.
Above it, her hair was a golden
glow, her eyes so deep, and oh
so sweet! AS she smiled it was
for me alone. and it went straight
into my heart to stay"
He had forgotten about us COM
pletely, lost in utter rapture as he
thought Of this woman. There
was pause and Dad asked quiet
~, II take it you were sure your