The Washington times., 1938-03-26


She put her arms about him,
kissed him repeatedly-on his lips
and his bruised cheek and the
flaming riot Of his hair.
Tommy! TOMMY" she said
between sobs, I'm so sorry. I'll
never forgive myself"
Tommy's big strong arms drew
her close. He held her while she
sobbed against his breast. He
said: Darling. what kind OF silly
talk is that2"
And holding her in his arms
like this was almost as If her mar
rage had never been; almost as If
it were summer and there was the
cold blue water Of the lake at
their feet and a white moon rid
ing high in the sky over their
heads.
It shouldn't have gone, Tommy.
I didn't want to. And it nearly
killed me seeing you take those
blows. knew you couldn't fight
because I was there. When you
looked at me I saw you change
. right there in front Of my eye
I saw something go out of
YOU"
Tommy put his lips to the shin
ing dark head. Don't blame your
self, Marcella," he said gently, "1t
just wasn't my night. Bateman
said so. Every once in while a
fighter goes haywire and it does
him good. The next time he's a
better man and a better fighter
for it. You wait. I'll knock the
next guy cold!" And then sud-
denly a flood Of consciousness
came over him. He held Marcella
back In his arms. He said evenly:
"You shouldn't have come here,
Marcellal This was-madneSs!"
And yet it was sweet MADNESS!
Having her there close, her eyes
! on him, her soft little arms about
his shoulders. Feeling her love for
him in her every word and look.
Marcella leaned back weakly
against the door. She said softly:
IT had to come, Tommy. I had to
know If you were all right. ]
would have gone mad if I hadn't
come-if hadn't touched you'll
I hadn't seen with my own eyes
that you're not hurt.
Isabel and Rod and Hans went
to some night club on Connecticut
Avenue. I told them I had a head
ache. That I was going back to
the hotel"
And then her voice caught IN
her throat. Her eyes widened with
horror and the back Of one hand
flew to her mouth.
For, over Tommy's shoulder, she
could see Hans. Hans standing
there on the steps, tall and dark
and inscruptable, cycling them with
b SI4GGC4 A4S PAoNGSAUJ"
CHAPTER XII
Marcella did not speak all the
way back to the hotel. The long
limousine sped on, joining other
cars in q river of golden lights,
passing embassies and legations
and the White House.
She Just sat there by Hans side,
her fingers like frozen prongs over
her glittering evening bag. Nor did
she wait for Hans in the lobby
when he stopped by the desk for
the mail.
She hurried on to the elevator
and was sitting, miserable and
pale, before the dressing table
when he came slowly and quietly
through the door.
She didn't look at him. She
didn't have to. She knew that he
was standing there, a curiously
probing smile that showed teeth
without lighting his eyes. He had
seen her in Tommy's arms. He was
waiting, enjoying her suffering
waiting to hear what she had to
scy about Tommy.
She swung around on the vanity
bench, her eyes darkly luminous
AID frightened in her pale face.
She said, quite evenly: Hans, I
want you to let me go. I can't be
married to you any longer. I'll go
to Reno, Hans" her voice be-
came hurried.
It'll get a very quiet divorce .
as quiet as I can under the cir
cumstances. There'n be no senSa-
tionaI headlines. No embarrass-
ment to you. Father will see to
that. I promise you."
PLEA FOR FREEDOM
Lounging in the doorway, Hans
Won DreyfusS folded and unfolded
an oblong of yellow paper. He con-
tinued to smile. But he said moth
! ing.
Father will make another set
tlement on you, Hans" she went
on desperately. More than he
gave you the day we were mar
ried. And that's all you ever
wanted out of me, anyway, wasn't
it, Hans? Just money. 1t isn't as
if you loved me. You didn't. And
you knew that I didn't love you.
We've never really been man and
wife. You know that"
Hans carefully folded the yellow
paper and pocketed it. He took
out a black metallic cigarette case,
snapped it open and thrust a long,