The Washington times., 1937-03-12

i
CHAPTER XVII
Denise made a small sound like
a moan. But she said: Felicia
and Keith were only in an acci-
dent. You read something into
the cable that father didn't
mean"
He shrugged his shoulders. I'll
make a bargain with you"
"What2" Her voice was dull
now.
Wait for the newspapers from
America. If the accounts describe
a large house party and an acci'
dent on the way home from it,
you can sail tomorrow. If the
accounts make it fairly clear that
Felicia and Keith were on a trip
together, you stay with me until
your years up"
=. All right. But I'm so sure,
Gilbert, that if I'm wrong, I'll
give you an extra month. We
were married November twenty
second. I'll stay until December
,twenty-second this year, if I'm
wrong"
~ A faint color had come into her
cheeks. He thought: Its dread
full. She looks almost happy now.
ON the bare chance of going home
to him. Yet she must know it's
Just q chance Why do I try to
keep her?" And he knew why,
knew that he had never loved
anyone else as much, or would
again; knew that he loved her
enough to try to save her from a
futile gesture if he was right, and
even to let her go if he were
wrong, and that faith OF hers
was justified.
He said: Don't tell me il you
don't want. How does it happen
you believe in him so completely" 2"
Because once I told him I
didn't trust him, and have al
ways regretted it."
Well, he had his answer.
go to bed now, Denise. The
papers won't be up from South
ampton until late in the after
noon, probably. 1 suppose you
won't run away in the night?"
She stood up, heSitated at the
door. "I shan't run away, prom
ise. There's something I should tell
you, Gilbert. That time, just before
our marriage, when I saw Keith,
was only once for an hour or so. 1t
it didn't seem diShonorable."
The widest jealousy was sweep
ing him. BY a violent physical eff
fort he forced it back, made him
self say: tits all right"
Good night, Gilbert, and thank
you"
AS he said goodnight and went
to his room, he wondered if she
would thank him when the Ameri-
can papers came. Then he did
something he had not done in all
the months of the marriage. He
went to her bedroom. The door was
unlocked. She had not bothered
to lock doors since it was settled
without many words between them
that their marriage was to be only
formal. He thought bitterly that at
least she did trust him not to force
himself upon her.
She was asleep, with the morn
ing light streaming across her. She
must have fallen into an exhausted
sleep Immediately on going to bed.
One hand, with her wedding ring
on her finger, was flung out across
the pillow. What a child she
looked, lying there!
Longing, loneliness swept
through him, watching her. Was it
all no use, would she leave him
finally, and go back to Keith Shell
die in the end, no matter what he
did? Or would she some day, if he
were patient still, love him? He
could not tell. He knew only that
he had hurt her, and he had never
meant to hurt her.
He took an extra coverlet from
her bed, drew the shades so the
Frightening light should not wake
her, and laid down himself on the
couch under her windows. AS if
as if by being in the same room, he
could be closer to her, close enough
to save her from any hurt again.
He had meant to leave before
she woke; but they woke in the
same moment. She regarded him
sleepily, and he said, before she
could speak:
'T was afraid you might wake