The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-01-04

until I get on my feet, so that l.
Christie, don't look at me like
that! Listen, honey love you
You know I love you! But don't
you see that if your Dad found
out-that he-that he'd be pretty
sore at both Of US? You're an
awfully young girl, Christie, and
The fact Is, I sure wouldn't
want him to know until I'm more
In q position to marry than I am
now. Christie, CAN'T you under.
stand? You don't want your old
man to take q shot at me. dc
your"
He tried to laugh. He tried to
picture old AdolphuS Cooper after
him with 8 shotgun, and sue.
ceeded so well that the laugh died
in his throat. Listen, Christie,
you've got to trust me. I'm
older. I know more about things
than you do. I love you, and ]
wouldn't tell you not to say any
thing If it wasn't right for US
would I? You don't want to
spoil our chances Of getting mar
Tied and being happy together, do
you? I'll make you so happy,
honey-I'll more than make it all
up to you"
She made q small, hopeless geS-
ture. It was some minutes before
she could trust herself to speak.
"TI didn't understand how you'd
feel about it. It's all right. Wen
forget about it"
It was all over. There'd be no
wedding, no rustic ranch-houSe,
no dark-eyed baby. no life to-
gether.
"Where a-e you goingP"
ooh, Just to the creek, to wash
my hands"
She slid down the pebbly in.
cline to the creek bed, washed
carefully in the clear, cold water.
Then she wet her comb and
slicked her fair, tumbled hair
back from her face, and fastened
It securely with bobby pins back
Of her ears.
He thought that she looked
older, and incredibly more sensi-
bic that way. But different, too.
He had a distinct sense OF loss.
of losing something and someone
that had been terribly dear to him.
He wanted to speak Of It. to ex-
plain his stand again, but no
words came.
The five dogs, Lefty and her
four pups, which were black like
Sheriff Grieve's black Belgian
shepherd, but smallheaded and
long tailed like their less aristo'
cratic mother, had stopped their
frivolous chasing Of squirrels they
knew they never could catch.
They came and sat very close to
the girl, and they seemed to be
waiting, too. .,
"I shouldn't have come-lts all
q miStake-I know it now"
The words trembled on her lips,
but she did not say them. She
wanted to say them, but some
thing held her back.
In her heart she knew that he
had failed her, that he'd do 1t
again, and again. Gene wasn't
VIVA t she thought. He wasn't
what she wanted him to be.
But she couldn't quite give up
not with love so new, and ecstasy
so poignantly remembered still.
She wouldn't make excuses for
herself, but she'd do it for him.
After all, they did love each other,
and he was older maybe he was
right.
"Just the same, I wouldn't have
come if I'd thought we'd have to
keep it a Secret!"
"Oh, Christie, honey-don't say
that"
He put his arms around her.
The dogs paved and whined and
jumped at her.
"Well-just the same"
''But, honey-wc can fix all the
details later. Now we're just here
to be happy. You are happy, and
you do love me, don't you, Chris
tie?"
She wiped q tear with the back
. Of her hand. It wasn't all right. It
wasn't the way it should be. But
to give up now, to admit that 1t
was all a CHASTITY mistake. no,
she couldn't do that. 1t was too
terrible. Besides, maybe it was
wrong Maybe, II she stayed, and
, tried to see it as he did, that first
: winging joy would come back.
Anyway, she was here now. No un-
Z doing that.
: So she stayed.
CHAPTER v
y Nothing was ever the same after
khat II sras naalr thru dn1rn that