The Coolidge examiner., 1937-10-14


tin? l only began it; couldn't fin
ish it. It's burned"
I'm horribly sorry, of course"
Quentin said gruf1ly, awkwardly in
the silence.
"Sorry!" the rich sweet voice
echoed. But what are you sorry
about, dearest dearest? Remember
what you told me in the beginning,
that you had been twice married
without ever knowing what real love
was. lover, that you and Vicky had
acknowledged that, had married
with your eyes wide open. Remem-
ber?"
I'VE can't talk about this here"
Quentin interrupted, in a hard, cold
voice.
Where can we, them" Serena
asked, with a touch of steel in her
own tone. "You got back a week
ago today. I've not seen you until
now. What about tonight? Can you
come over about ten? Spencer'S
tired; he'll be in bed"
i've got to go up to San Fran
cisco tonight, I've a patient at the
Dante hospital"
Then I'll go with you"
"You can't. The Keats children
are all here; I'm taking them in"
Then III 60 in and drive back
with you"
Il think Kenty's planning to do
that"
'Kenty! AS if you couldn't put
him off! All, lover" Serena plead
ed, coming close to him, pressing
his arms with her own soft arm
and hand. tell me what's wrong,
tell me what I've done"
II tried to tell you in that let
ter" Quentin said, looking down
into the tear-misted blue eyes raised
to his own. IT'S a horribly hard
thing to say, II think we both feel
it. It's all been ats the sort
of thing that can't"
Serena drew off little. still look
ing into his eyes.
You mean that you're going to
punish me, for loving you, Quentin?
You're going to make me feel sorry
that l loved you so generously, gave
you everything l could give? You're
going to make me wish that l was
calculating and wise, like other
women? Are you going to fail me
now?"
1T isn't question of failing you,
Sina. It's that-well, l know we're
both sorry for the whole thing"
Quentin persisted miserably.
Serena was regarding him with
narrowed eyes; her breast moved
visibly on constrained breath.
"You mean for me to go on quietly
living with Spencer, she said, in
level voice. land for you to go back
to Vicky. You mean that you think,
knowing what she might some day
know, Vic will forgive you, and
everything will be lovely?"
Il don't know how much Vic
knows" Quentin said, with simplici-
ty. II know Tm-Pm damned sor-
ry about the whole thing. I'm hor-
ribly sorry. 1 blame myself en-
tirely. l don't think we thought
what we were getting into, how
horribly rotten the thing was!"
I'VE knew that we loved each 9TH
er. Some of those first days." Sc
rena said, "ah, weren't they Heav-
en-? We were brave, then, we
weren't thinking all the time of
what the world would say. Vicky
knows something, Of course" she
added, "but she doesn't know every
thing. She doesn't know that
went twice to Los Angeles with
you, lover; she hadn't seen any of
your letters"
There was silence, during which
Quentin looked at the darkening
strip of western sky up beyond the
hills; his brows knit. his jaw set,
his hands jammed into his pockets.
"Y ou're forgetting Spencer,
Quentin observed dryly. Serena took
instant hope from the words.
Lover" she said, ''he may not
be a problem long. He's taking
that sleeping stuff all the time.
told DR.. Cudworth the other day
that it made me anxious, that some
day he would sleep too deep and not
wake up. l did really-I went into
his Office and told him, because 7
thought, If anything happened,
some day Spencer may not wake up
a. ALL
You're making this so horribly
hard. Sina." He put away the in
sistent arms. II tell you it's all
over. Goodnight" he said almost
inaudibly, turning away. She fol-
lowed him swiftly, caught at his
arm.
"Oh. no, no, no! You can't do
that. You can't just say goodnight!
When can 1 see you, Quentin? 1 must
see you. We must settle this!"
Its settled" he said, briefly.
'Nothing's settled" she said
breathlessly. mot one thing is set
tied! l can ruin your life, Quentin:
l can tell Vlcky everything"
IF you want to talk about it, al
though it seems to me we've said
everything there is to say" he COM