The Washington times., 1938-04-18

1t. Seriously. And because Of this
she wanted to feel now that Peter
still loved her, that he had sui.
fered her loss. She said, her voice
wooing him: Peter, darling . j"
and stretched out her violet fling
ers to him.
PIERS OVER IT
1t was, in a way, a bad moment
! for Peter. Vaguely he had won
dered about seeing Isabel again:
vaguely, though he had not ad-
mitted it even to himself, he had
been afrai of seeing her. For two
years of his life he had loved
her. had existed only when he was
in the same room with her.
Two years ago if someone had
told him he could ever look at her
in such a detached manner he
wouldn't have believed him. And
yet that was exactly what he was
doing now.
He was smiling at her steadily
and taking those proffered violet
fingers in his. And he was think
ing: THANK God, it's true she
doesn't matter I'm over it."
Gloria, watching from beneath
the fringe of those long, dark
lashes, felt relief, swift and sweet.
She thought: Hes carrying it off
well. But any other pattern Of
conduct would have made him
conspicuous and ridiculous"
She thought, too, that if Peter
had showed by a single look or
word that he still loved Isabel
and she had been so sure until
this moment that he did, and now
she wasn't so sure at all-she
would have been horribly humili-
ated and would have burst into
silent, unshed tears. For no one,
not even her brother, knew that
she and Peter had married not
loving each other.
Gloria kept staring at Peter,
puzzled by his half-amused, half.
wistful grin. Despite herself,
Gloria's heart bega nto pound.
All this last year she had been so
sure Of happiness in her marriage
to Peter.
She had cherished a dream, a
simple little dream, that was like
a shaft of golden sunlight in a
chilly room. She had held cold
fingers to its warm ray, had wait
ed with sort of patient numb
ness for its shining brightness to
shut out wounds and ragged scars
and the haunting shadows of the
past.
Now that dream seemed very
bright, indeed-very real. Peter
was making it come true; he was
not letting her down. Peter was
being not in the least affected by
Isabel. And that meant =!
Suddenly Gloria, remembering
Rodney, despised herself a little;
shame stung red coins in her
soft cheeks. Why" she thought,
do I care whether Peter still
loves Isabel. I have no claim on
his heart-nor has he on mine!"
It was Marcella who made the
first move to go after luncheon,
Gloria, watching her slip into her
light blue coat and pull on her
gloves, thought that Marcella
looked strangely happy as If she
were hugging to her heart some
thing very secret and sweet and
exciting. She decided, reasonably.
tits because Tommy is well, of
course"
But that wasn't the only reason
behind Marcella's shining dark
eyes and the alert nervousness of
her body. Marcella was happier
than she had ever been in her
life.
That little oblong Of yellow
paper was still in her pocket, her
slim fingers had gone to it off
and on all morning, getting com
fort from the very possession of
it. For that oblong of yellow
was destiny-it was fate-and,
most of all, it was hope.
Marcella said to Gloria: could
you spare Peter for about an hour.
Gloria? It's really very impor,
tant. And, in a way, it's profes,
sional."
Gloria said. seriously: We'll,
now, I'll have to give that some
concentration before I can hand
down an answer!"
And Peter said, grinning, Mar
celia, don't tell me you're nurs-
ing some hidden ailrnent! Not
with those bright eyes and that
high color!"
"It isn't an ailment," laughed
Marcella. Its a care for a Ger,
tain sickness that I want to tell
you about"
WHAT MARCELLA LEARNED
Presently they went out to,
gether, Marcella and Peter. For
a long while they stood on the
curb, talking earnestly. Gloria
glancing now and then through
the window, wondered what it was
all about. She could see Peter
frowning, could see Marcella's face
radiant, then puzzled-alternately
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