Evening star., 1937-08-13
CHAPTER XIII.

minute before she would have SAID
she never could say those words. ex-
cept in answer to declaration Of
love from Duke. She was Mortified
at what she had done and she was
glad at the same time. This situation
could not go on. She could not stand
1t any longer Unmaidenly she might
have been. But she had been honest
Duke would be forced to answer her
frankness with equal candor.
She saw him pause, his hand in
mid-air startled expression on his
face. She held her breath waiting
for the words he would say.
STEALING my catchline. eh?" he
ehuckled. Now, young lady, no more
nonsense Turn over, as I told YOU
Dukes got to give your back the
works"
Carol did not move. except to bite
her lip in annoyance. She had heard
him Use that phrase about his catch
line many times. II was one of his
tokes-just as the words L love you"
were among his stock remarks. He
had never said them to her, but then
they had hardly been on joking terms.
Why couldn't he have known she was
IN earnest? She had an impulse to
take his head in her two hands and
bang 1t against the wall. She wanted
to weep. She wanted to repeat the
words over and over until he under
stood she meant them.
She old none Of those things. In
stead she shrugged her shoulders,
thinking there was one consolat ton at
least in his stupidity. Many women
had thrown themselves at him. she
knew, and it had taken skill on his
part to make it plain to them, without
af1ront to their pride, that he did
not share their emotions. This was
q different case. 1t was evident that
he did not think she cared for him
At all. The sting OF disappointment
was not too acute-at least she had
not made fool of herself.
Whats the matter with you?" he
said. over you go-and now"
She shook her head, making her
shining. fluffy hair fly like a cloud
before his eyes. She saw strange
look in his eyes-one she had never
eeen before-she heard a little gasp
come from his parted lips. She
laughed softly, ioyously, and it was
as If tiny silver bells were in her
voice. Her eyes shone through her
long eyelashes and it was as if manv
stars were in them. For that look she
had surprised on his face, that little
involuntary gasp she had heard. could
mean but one thing. At last he was
aware of her-not as a clever girl,
not as good sport. not even as the
daughter Of his good friend, but as a
woman. The detachment with which
he had treated her was gone and she
knew 1t could never return. He might
not love her. of course He might
not believe that she had meant what
she had said. But, for the moment
at least. he had been startled out of
his poise
He was embarrassed. and for that
she was glad. Suddenly he took hold
OF her two shoulders, tossed her over,
pushed her deep into the pillows and
pulled back both the flannel robe and
the f1lmy nccligee underneath, from
her shoulders.
"Now!" he said gruf1y holding her
down with one hand while with the
other he slapped a lump of the salve
on her back, you lie still and you
keep still. I don't want to hear an
other word out of you"
unr foco k,,~;.d <L> ,,.,,~,.
had no choice. She had to obey him,
while he was massaging her back.
But If she couldn't talk. she could
think. Her mind was racing back
It made her think Of the old super
stition about all of ones life coming
10 drowning man-to the past; to
all the things which had happened
since she and Duke had met. 1t went
further back than that. There were
the dreams she had had since she was
. little girl Of getting away from the
life of the tracks. for knowing and be-
longing to another class of people.
Her father had shared that hope with
her. She could hear his voice saying:
II don't want the turf life for you,
daughter. I want you to get away,
to mingle with a different class of
folks. I want you to have advantages
you never can have from the gypsy
life have given you. You are beau
tiful, and what is more, you have
class You'll make the grade be-
cause you're q thoroughbred. Yes,
he had said that to her, and many
times. But he had said something
else-the day she returned home, the
day he died. He had seen her naughty
manner toward Duke and he had said
. worried expression on his face: II
wanted you to have new life, dear.
want 1t vet. But you mustn't lose
your sense Of values. Duke Is fine, all