Evening star., 1940-08-01
CHAPTER VII.

Kit learns Of the meeting.
CHAPTER VII.
"You could have refused to CO.
Kit said. You could have told her
to wait till she saw me and tell me
about it." There was rough tone
in Kits usually pleasant and
friendly voice.
Mary said proudly, "It was some
thing would rather she said to me
than to you, anyhow"
What was 1t she said?"
THAT only concerns me. And
remember you have never once told
me that mustn't meet Mrs. New
lille. I only heard about it now"
Kit interrupted her violently
What she said does concern me
Out with it, Mary. What was it?"
We'll, If you must know, she
thinks I'm somehow taking advan-
tage of my position here. She
doesn't trust me. Martin doesn' t
trust me. You don't trust me. I
feel like bone that a lot of dogs
are fighting over"
And she put her hands over her
face and burst into tired, hysterical
weeping. Kit was beside her in
stantly, kneeling on the floor and
putting his arm around her shoul-
der. "Oh. Mary, I'm sorry. Please
don't cry-please don't" He tried
to take her hands from her face
T-ease be honest with me. Tell me
what 1t is. What has she been say
ing to you?"
Mary made an effort to pull her
self together. Nothing, really. It's
awful of her, loving you the way she
does, I can understand her. But not
you-and not Martin"
Loving me the way she does is
very well put, Mary. She's very
fascinating but very jealous and
possessive woman. I wonder"
inquiries About Martin.
He stopped then and offered her
the brown handkerchief from his
breast pocket to dry her tears
What do you wonder?" sobbed
Mary.
He got up. II don't wonder at
all" he said. II know. Now what s
this about Martini"
HE quarreled with me tonight be-
cause-oh, because I can't see him
very often and I have to do 1t in
secret, because he can't telephone
every hour to know what I'm doing,
and because in general I suppose
he doesn't approve of it."
But he agreed to it, didn't he,
Mary?"
Eyes, but now that everything is
smoothed out and mother is getting
well, he seems to think I should
step out of it all because it annoys
him"
And what do you think your
self?"
Mary forgot what she had said to
Ruby Neville over the luncheon
table. Il wouldn't dream OF going
back on a bargain. I got what I
wanted, and I'm satisfied"
Good. But suppose you lose Mar
tin?"
Suppose do," said Mary quietly,
Il couldn't lose a man who really
loved me" She added, It won't
meet Mrs. Neville again, of course,
but please tell her not to ask me to.
The whole thing gets SO nerve
racking."
Sail for France.
at won't be for long. Mary. We're
clearing out for the rest of the year.
There's no point in putting you
through the ordeal of fighting these
society cliques. I've instructed an
agent to find villa for us in the
south of France.
"Oh!" exclaimed Mary impulsive-
ly. how lovely! But"
"But what?"
II mean If she doesn't want you
to have an apartment away from
here because the family below is a
kind Of chaperon, what will she say
when we go right out of the coun-
try?"
Nothing that I can't deal with,
Mary. It's only question of time.
We'd be leaving town, anyway, for
Newport or Aiken"
They sailed on the Normandie
for lie Havre at the beginning of
March. A letter from her mother
waited for Mary in their luxurious
suite. She opened it after the ship
sailed.
II can't remember ever having
felt so well in my nfe," she wrote.
IF you could see me you wouldn't t
know me. I look as young as you
door as you did when I last saw
you. OF course now you will also
be looking younger, your tired face
rosy and rested.
Don't regret what you did to
Martin, Mary. When real love came
along you were right to tell him and
go on your way. He will soon find
some other girl to manage and to
listen to his troubles. That kind al
ways does.
A Lovely Trip.
"Send me some snapshots of you
In your bathing suit when you get
there, then I can see for myself If
you're putting on weight. Thinness