The Wilmington morning star., 1941-01-26
COZ COURSE I LOVE YOU"
XVIII

CHAPTER xviii
But even as the words left her
lips, Martha was sorry she had
said them. This would just bring
on more of the talk that was dan
gerous. Yet she had meant to tell
him. Ask him to prevent Suzanne
from carrying out her threat. Was
it too late now?
"Suzanne??" Paul echoed, puz-
zled and uncomprehending. "The
way you're carrying on?' I don't
understand. What was she getting
at?"
"The same thing, in a way, you
were getting at" Martha heard
herself saying, resentfully. Going
to Bill and complaining about me.
Except that she-she was going to
complain about you, too"
Me-"
Don't sound like that! You
know perfectly well what Suzanne
meant! I tried to tell you myself
that night. That we should not see
so much of each other"
The street down which they had
been aimlessly riding came to an
abrupt end. Paul backed up, re.
traced the route a few blocks,
nosed the car into a little dirt
road. They could see the passing
lights of cars racing down the
state highway beyond. He pulled
up short and dimmed the lights.
Il met her on the street." Mar
tina explained, turning in her seat
to face him. Suzanne was-very
angry. Because Madge Willis told
her we'd been together at that
country club dance"
go on"
"She talked and talked"
The memory of Suzanne's mar
rowed eyes, the sound of her tight,
imprisoned voice made Martha
stir uneasily. She could not escape
the same, unwilling pity which hao
touched her then. Suzanne hao
been suffering so! She would never
malice if it were not her own pair
that vas urging her on.
she said-she said that she
would drive up to camp herself
She said that she'd warn Bill,
Warn him that THAT YOU"
Paul swore. is she crazy? The
meddling fool! What's gotten into
herr"
"You know. She's-she's imagin'
ing things. Because She" Some
how, Martha couldn't betray Su.
zanne by saying, badly, the things
Suzanne herself had said in that
shaking, hungry voice.
Il can't believe she'd do a low
trick like that! Suzanne has al.
ways been decent" He mulled il
over in his mind. With the eternal
wonder of women, Martha sat be-
side him and marvelled at t e
simple, incredible fact of his blind
ness. That Suzanne could feel SO
strongly about him, and that he
could be so completely unaware!
Paul's jaw hardened. "She has
no right to 60 mucking up trouble,
no matter what she imagines! 1t
isn't her affair how often, or why,
I take you to dances"
perhaps not, Paul. But - re-
member-I tried to explain before
exactly how tit can't help look
ing. With Bill away. And people
what they are. Oh, in a way, l
I can't blame her. And now,
now that you've come driving all
this way to Bayville after me,
everything's worse! Can't you see,
suppose I let you take me back
suppose you hired a woman"
She couldn't go on.
Paul turned suddenly. His hands
were strong on her shoulders.
Listen to mel" he blurted. II
don't care what anyone thinks. l
know there's been nothing, MOTH
ing a detective on my heels could
find out. What if 1 do love you?
OF course I love you! Any fool
might guess. But they couldn't
point a finger-couldn't muddy it
up-because I've been careful, I
never"
Martha gasped, in swift dismay,
''oh, Paul. Don't! You mustn't!''
IT know I mustn't" he cried
savagely. His face was a pale
blur above her, and his hands on
her shoulders were shaking with
a powerful emotion that had at
last become too strong for him.
What do you think has been
torturing me, giving me no rest?
You're his! But I love you. I can't
help that. I can't help breathing,
can I? It's like that. Beyond my
control" He was fighting to keep