The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1938-01-28

staged a scene, refused to go
Though that's not my only reason
! for giving up the trip" Her pretty
face took ma look Of determine
ton. "I'm going to divorce Bret,
Rodney"
"You arew There was no mis-
taking the eagerness that lighted
Rodney's eyes. He leaned across
the little table, intimately. Oar
ling. L we'll, perhaps, l should
MT say this-hut Pm glad. Bret
isn't the man for you. Your
worlds are miles apart. You made
a mistake in marrying him.
There's no reason why you should
not put an end to it."
That was what Bret had said
that their worlds were miles
apart. 1t re-echoed in Comics
heart; or in the empty dull aching
space where her heart had been.
She knew why Rodney was glad.
He thought that when she divorc-
ed Bret that then she would
marry him. And most likely she
would. She and Rodney belonged
to the. same world; they. were
alike in every way. Except that
she did not love, him.
It's going to be difficult" she
! said, twisting the stem of the
glass between her slim fingers.
She scarcely had slipped the
sherry. She had planned this
luncheon for a purpose. Rodney
must help her in what she must
do. Bret says he won't let me
get a divorce. But ! think he'll
change his mind. l shall tell him
that if he won't let me divorce
him, l shall force him to divorce
me-"
"How can you manage that?"
RodneQ's slow smile was full Of
admiration. Things were working
out just as he had known they
would when Connie first had run
away from him. He had not run
after her. He was sure, given time
enough, she would come running
back. SIS there anything l can
do?" he added now. "You know
if there is, you have only to de-
mand it,
Il hoped you'd say that" Her
eyes met his q quickening mo-
ment; then dropped before his
gaze. She knew what she meant
to do; she had planned it craitily,
after the first swift rush of furi-
GUS anger had died down and she
had resolved that she would show
Bret she could have her own way
no matter what he did, no matter
if it broke his heart-and hers.
81 hoped you'd help me-"
"You knew | would. Haven't
told you I'd stand by always
your humble henchman? What is
it you want me to do, Connie
dear?"
She wondered why Rodney
failed to stir her to any deep feel
ing. He always was so agreeuule,
so perfect; she could count on
him to do just as she wished with
out question. II shall tell Bret
| am going away with you-that
you are my lover" Connie said.
Even Rodney. had not expected
that. His eyes widened; then ne
reached across and caught her
hand, held it. < $50 you mean
that? You would go away with
me? Force him to divorce you.
=. You must hate him, Connie.
You must not care what he thinks
of you"
AZ don't" Her answer was
brief. She did not say whether
she hated Bret or not. Perhaps
she did not know. The dividing
line between hate and love is os
fine, a silken thread. 1t might
have been hate, or love, or pride,
that caused her to follow the
course she had chosen.
"You'll do it, then, Rodney"
"You know you need not ask.
And of course we'll be married
lust as soon as Bret does the de-
cent thing and divorces YOU"
"Yes of course" She sup
posed they would have to be. She
was not thinking that far ahead,
however. This was another wild
imuulse that had caught her up,
rushing her along on its torrent.
She had to do something. Some
| thing to hurt Bret. To even the
score. To force him to let her
win. To make him think she hated
him.
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