The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1937-04-22

eyes Ou luC uiCs hCA uhSeASS SeAAt
occasionally rising and falling on
q great sigh.
1T doesn't somehow seem like
Larry" Tony presently offered in a
weak little voice. II
Larry was never what you
thought he was" ...~- ..
1T hurts me-s0mehow 1t hurts
me horribly to have you say that"
II suppose 1t does"
'Larry is the only man-the only
one-who ever-wh0m I ever" the
girl began confusedly, and stopped.
"And that hurts me horribly, 50
honors are even," Joe said.
st Is impossible for me to be-
lieve that you think Of me what
think of Larry" Tony presently
recommended. "We're all playing a
lone hand in this life, aren't we,
JOe?"
II don't think of you what you
think of Larry" Joe said fatty.
Tony's ringed eyes moved to him
in weary inquiry.
''DOn't?"
mo. ! know you. Tony. and you
don't know Larry. I'm not knocking
him, mind yOu," Joe said. "But I
say you don't know him. / do know
you. I know every lovely inch Of
you. I know that you're the woman
for me, and that I'm the husband
for you. We're alike. We like the
same things We talk the same Ian.
guage.
"You and Larry aren't alike. I'm
not saying this to make you feel
any better. I know you feel rotten
tonight. And you will feel rotten;
It'll take you a long time to get
straight about 1t. But I say that
you love-well. this place, and the
ocean and the kitchen and Bendy's
kids, and the dogs, and all that.
He doesn't. He's Lorenzo the Mag
nificent."
The girl laughed weakly: her face
crinkled into tears.
"Oh, he u.s." she said in a whis-
per.
Ruth was rich; Larry's probably
inherited a fortune. She may have
left a dozen legacies. but Gran was
rich, and Ruth would have inherit
ed Grams money. and he gets 1t
all, or certainly most of 1t. He's
rich now; he likes 1t that way"
"Ah. that's not quite fair"
"Maybe not. But about things
like that you and Larry never
would have seen eye to eye"
Tony was not listening. Her
long wet lashes glittering in the
soft lamplight, she was looking
thoughtfulIy at the fire.
"Oh, Joe. why did 1t have to
happen this way?. Why did I have
to be the woman to live through
this?"
There was long silence.
II don't know" said Joe then,
pulling on his pipe, and Tony's un-
happy little laugh died away into
another long pause when neither
spoke. Where his thoughts went
the girl neither knew nor cared.
To Tony all the world was COM
posed Of Just two persons. a beau
tiful woman, sinuous and jeweled
IN the exquisite thin robes of fine
batiste and delicate laces that Caro-
line especially loved; a tall brown
man with his arms about her.
"You women are strange" said
Joe.
"Are WEI"
"You bet your life you are"
"You know-you know damn
well that what you feel for Larry
Is excitement, curiosity. You think
It would be thrilling to have him
carry you off to a suite at the Fair
mont hotel, make love to you"
"Thank you," Tony said drily,
as he paused, bordering over his
pipe.
swell, isn't It true?"
st is not true"
KNOWING" Joe continued, as II
there had been no interruption,
knowing that whatever lasts in
marriage, that doesn't. Knowing
that It can't last, It never does
whatever. It is-that thrill that he
gives women, that makes them say,
I'd rather have him mean to me
In that magnificent way Of his,
keep me waiting, despise me, throw
me down, than not have him at
all!"
Tony swallowed; spoke lightly:
''Is that the way women feel to
him?"
"You know It"
4 do not know It," she said In a
low, hurt tone. She lay silent,
staring at the fire. After . while
she stirred and said that she must
60, and Joe making no protest, she
pulled on her old gloves and they
went out into the cold sharpness OF
the night together. At the door
she leaned against him.
II wish l could stay here. alone
with you, forever, and never see
any Of them-any of them, again J?