The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1938-01-28
~ Richest GhlEfAl
a. IN The OnD 5 e 4
coprisht 1888, NEA Service, Inc

! ried on, before ne could reply; Sne
saw the deep color beginning to
stain his face, too, the fire that
leapt into his dark eyes.
ITS you who've changed, Bret,
not |. I am what l was always,
before and after that brief inter-
lude. But you are different.
You're glum and esroius, cross
and moody. You won't try to
adapt yourself to my world; you
won't try to like my friends, learn
10 live and play. Life isn't all
seriousness and work; it should
be fun and gaiety, too. | tohaght
YOU would be big enough to meet
this difference. i thought it
would take more of man to
! make a happy marriage with a
woman who had so much more
than he. il would take more cour-
age, more doing. But it doesn't
seem To mo you're trying very
hard it doesn't seem as though
Won were succeeding. It's you
who are different, from the man
l married.
He did not answer right away.
The deem color drained out of his
face; the fire left his eyes. 81
believe you are right" he spoke
at length, slowly. Pm not the
same man. I've lost that courage
the things you thought made
mo different - different enough
TO face any situation and conquer
il, Different enough to marry
the richest woman in the world
and make that marriage a success,
70 maintain my own independence
and birthright and self-respeet.
az told you-the other night
before your friends-what 1 have
become. 4 man who lives on his
wife's charity. A man who frlt-
ters away his days and nights,
accomplishing nothing. A man
who can't look himself in the eye
and hold up his head. Yes, Con-
ME. I'm different. I have chang
cd You're right about that" That
grim line etched itself around his
mouth; there was a new look IN
the depths of his dark eyes. Bret
Nardesty was becoming his old
self again, man who knew what
he thought, knew what was right
and who had never been AFRAID
of anything. ;,
YOU'RE right" ne said once
more. Il am the one to blame
The onl yone. | am the one who
has changed" -.
II suppose you mean, CONNIE
said, her breath coming quickly,
"that it is because of the money.
| suppose you'd like m etc give
it to someone, throw it away. |
suppose you want me to pretend
to be Katie Blyn again. Well, III
not do that! tell you what I'm
going to do, instead, Bret. I'm
going to divorce you"
She turned from him now,
pulled the cord to summon Gibbs.
1t was time to begin to pack, II
she was going to Bermuda. Time
to put an end to this ridiculous
scene, force Bret, somehow, TO
come to his senses. She had not
meant to go this far, but since
she had, she would stick to 1t.
She would even go through a
divorce, if necessary.
Bret crossed the room, turned
the key in the lock, so that the
maid could not enter, came back
10 Connie. Hecaught her by the
shoulders, swung her around.
You're not going to do anything
of the sort" he said. 81 shan't
allow you to divorce me, ever. |
told you once that this marriage
was for keeps. / meant it. You
think now, just because it isn't
working out to please you that
5ou can throw it aside-and me
like en- old glove. You think
YOU can follow through every i'm
pulse that comes into your silly,
pretty head. First to pretend to
De some other girl, then to marry
me, when you knew | was afraid
OF such a marriage, now to refuse
20 help me work it out at the first
signs o. breaking up. You think
your money. which has always got
you everything you wanted, can
buya divorce, make an end to
everything between US. But YOU
are mistaken this time. You are
my wife. For better or for worse.
In sickness and in health. Until
death do us part-remember?
You are always going to continue
being my wife-and you are GO
ing to like it."
Someone had knocked on the
door, twisted the handle; Gibbs,
probably, responding to her mis-
tresS's summons. The knocking
was repeated.
Bret dropped his hands from
Comics shoulders, but not before
he had given her a hard little
shake to emphasize his words, to
make them idelble. He turned
now, went to the door.
You may come in, Gibbs he
said. And no matter what Mrs.
Hardesty- says. you will not pack
her bags for Bermuda. If you do,
l shall unpack them. And toss
the stuff out the window"
The door slammed after him.
Connie could hear his heavy foot
steps, going toward his own
rooms.
CHAPTER Xxi
Yes, decided not to 20 to
Bermuda" Connie said to Rodney
| brandon. over cocktails in tbo