Evening star., 1936-01-09

~ ~~'-
stead, he shook his head. "oh. I
suppose the sensible thing is to go
70 bed" he confessed. But, Kay,
I'm certainly on high tonight"
He looked around as though seek
ing an inspiration; he switched on
the radio and tuned in or dance
music and came toward her, holding
out his arms. Here" he invited.
Lets celebrate all by ourselves!" She
rose to meet him, and as they circled
the room he kicked the rugs out of
the way. Suddenly he laughed. She
looked up at him inquiringly, and
he explained:
II Just realized that I've never
danced with you before. I've missed
something. You're great"
She was happy in his arms. There
was a bright intoxication in him
born not alone of the liquor he had
drunk, and Kay wished to respond
to it, to be as gay as he. But Gu
rious reticence possessed her, held
her in restraint She was like a per-
son in bonds. Even in the embrace
of the dance she was somehow i'm
personal, detached; they moved not as
one person but as two, yet moved in
unison and smoothly for all that.
He was full of laughter, of quick
waist. But Kay's small body close
to his might have been across the
room away.
They stopped at last, and he was
winded," he confessed. "Out of con-
dition! need the exercise. Kay.
Well have to dance more, now that
I've discovered you! I've been work
ing pretty hard. It's time let down
a little, don't you think?"
you've stuck pretty close to your
knitting, certainly" she agreed. But
of course where you have so many
night calls :"
I'll dump them on Chandler" he
declared. tits time the youngster
took hold. He can do the routine
stuff as well as :" And he
stretched his arms wide. Gosh. I'm
sleepy. all of a sudden!" he said.
And so presently they went to bed
Kay. in her room. the door closed,
stood uncertainty for moment, lis
tening to his steps as he moved
along the hall. She heard his door
close. His room was next to hers,
his movements family audible through
the walls. She listened, almost
breathlessly. and then she went softly
across to her dressing table, moving
quietly as though afraid he might
hear her. She prepared for the night;
yet when she was ready she did not
at once get into bed. Standing in
front of her mirror, she watched
her own image in the glass, with
out seeing it. All her senses were
concentrated on listening, listening
for the small sounds from the next
room.
His bed had a rusty spring which
creaked, the light switch in the wall
by his door made q sharp sound
when he snapped the lights on and
of. She had learned to follow the
routine of his preparations for the
night by these sounds. So many
times she had heard, remotely, the
shrill summons Of the telephone, the
creaking spring as he rose on one
elbow to answer it, the snap Of the
light switch, the thud of his bare
feet across the floor, and presently
afterward the sound Of his opening
door, and his steps as he moved
quietly along the hall to 60 out In
answer to the call
So tonight she was able to be sure
what he did. She knew when he sat
down on his bed to take OF his shoes,
heard them thump as he dropped
them, heard chair scrape across
the floor as he drew It near the foot
of the bed to lay his trousers there.
She waited, not seeing herself at all,
although she faced the mirror stead
lily. The mirror was set in the inside
Of her closet door: it was full length.
The light hung just above it.
After q time she heard his win
lows open. His feet crossed the
floor toward the door. Then the light
switch snapped, and a moment later,
the bed creaked.
That rusty spring squeaked once
or twice more as he pulled UP the
blankets and settled himself for sleep.
Then there was no further sound.
Kay. staring at her own image,
saw it blur before her eyes. and she
smiled twisted, miserable smile and
wiped her eyes with her hands.
Instead Of swapping out the lights.