The Coolidge examiner., 1937-05-13
CHAPTER VIII-Continued
KaY returned to the alta ok.

1t will be a good party" she
said persuasively. You know the
Warren place on the Eastern
Shore
Perfectly" Jim replied.
We've counted on you, jim" Le-
nore's hand touched his arm. I'VE
wouldn't have accepted the invita-
ton if we hadn't thought we could
pick you up on the way"
I'm sorry" Jim said, becoming
restive under the barrage of per-
sIasion. I'D like a binge. But I
can't leave. have job. Have
mentioned it before?"
Kay pushed back her chair.
IF 1 stay here III probably
throw things" she said. Il haven't
patience enough to cope with a
mule. Come on, Wally, let's take
4 walk before 1 am arrested for
assault and battery. Not a long
walk," she added, exchanging an
amused glance with Jim as the &C.
companying gentleman languidly
unfolded himself, joint by joint, like
a carpenters rule. Il promise not
to be strenuous, darling"
Alone at the table under the
clipped catalpa Lenore looked al
Jim.
'Hello!" she said. 'Hello!" Jim
replied. He hadn't wanted to be
alone with Lenore. Kay had de-
liberately forced the situation. She
had put him on the spot. Oh, we'll!
Who is the codfish?" he asked.
Lenore stiffened.
He is a very charming person"
she said, with the superior, humor-
less expression which Jim remem-
bered with distaste. 81 met him in
London last winter. He will be a
duke when his father dies. The most
marvellous country estate. He's Wis
iting at Aunt Laura's."
I'm sorry" Jim said. Might
as well apologize. He should have
remembered that Lenore was in.
capable of humor directed at title
or a celebrity.
Lenore relaxed. They made con-
versation for an interval, talking of
mutual friends, recalling shared ex-
periences, a wall between them,
recognized, unmentioned. Finally
Lenore drilled through the barrier.
Jim" she asked not quite stead
lily, why did you run away?"
Jim considered.
Il didn't" he said. after mo-
ment. Running away is premedi-
tated, isn't it? I didn't plan the
thing. 1t happened. Impulse. Ex-
tenuating circumstances. Lunch at
a drugstore. A horseshoe"
You must have been desperate, "
she said slowly. "You must have
been awfully fed up with-every-
thing"
II was" he said, serious now,
wanting to be honest.
She raised her head, looked at
him across the table. The glow of
the fading sunset Illuminated her
face.
Fed up-with me?" she asked.
He knew what the question cost
her. A feeling of pity for her, OF
regret for a lost emotion, held him
silent for a moment. She looked
older than he had remembered.
Tell me, JIM" Her voice was in
sistent. There was pain in her
eyes, fear, humiliation. Tell me,
darling-were you running away
from-me?"
If he could make her understand
without hurting her too badly. He
wanted to be honest with her. He
knew that was impossible. Pity
for her, the familiar necessity for
flattery made him feel weary and
depressed.
1T was everything" he said
brusquely. "Sponging on Kay and
Vic. Having nothing of my own
Good God, Lenore! Can't you un-
derstand?"
Her lips trembled. Jim felt like
an insensitivc brute.
Don't you see," he said gently,
that / couldn't let you support
me?" His hands held hers in a
steadying clasp, small plump hands
wearing jewels that bit into his
flesh. 1--WE wouldn't have been hap
py. You would have despised me-
Il couldn't despise you. Jim.'
She looked up at him fleetingly
looked down at his hands holding
hers. do you remember the house
party at Princeton? The letters yol
wrote me after was married? My
ring, that babyish thing with the
turquoise forget-me-nots that yo,
carried in your breast pocket above
your hearth"
THAT was a long time ago.
TOO long? l haven't forgotten.
Listen to me, Lenore," Jim sale
urgently. THAT weekend in Prince
ton, your summer visit with Kay
are a part Of another existence
The world has changed since then
your world, mine particularly. 1
isn't a matter Of making a choice
I'd have been glad enough to go into
Uncle's business. I'd have been ;
vice-president, now. But all of tha
In W.. tor under the dam I'm Twins