The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-09-07

gripped him. He longed for her unutterably, yet the thought ot returning to her Q cripple seemed beyond his strength to face. Every recollection of their hours to- gether was sweet because of their joy in life and movement. I love to walk with you, Brock: love that way you stride along.
 Once he tried in desperation to talk to the chaplain. To the chap lain 1t was an old story. He told Brock. My boy, a woman's love is an enduring thing. She'll stand by, never fear" It gave Brock chill feeling. That night he dreamed of Thayer. She stood straight, unflinching, her hands clenched tightly at her sides. He tried to walk to her and could not; he was falling A nurse wakened him when he cried out.
 The months passed, teaching him endurance if nothing else. The stump of his leg was not yet healed enough to bear an artiti- cial limb but that he had any leg at all was considered a minor miracle. At last he came home.
 LIE would never forget his first II sight of her at the airport, for she was standing straight and tall ,as in his dream. It made every thing so giddy. If her hands were clenched But he never knew, for they had all reached him by then. Nothing kept him going but necessity.
 The sight of the little room his mother had fixed up nearly broke him with relief, for his heart had seemed to stop at the foot of that long staircase. To have Thayer see.
 But when Thayer had come into the room with him and they were alone. he had felt his whole body strung taut with longing for her. He was afraid to look at her, afraid to touch her, for first-he had promised himself this - he must know how she felt. Only how to put it into words.
 It seemed he must hurt her, goad her into expression of the real feeling that lay so deeply guarded behind her dark eyes. Yet it was his undoing, because hurting her had hurt him SO much more. She had struck through every defense when she said, Brock, have you forgotten Drumhead Hill?' Because he had forgotten, and remembrance smote him, sharp and poignant.
 She was standing there so close and suddenly his arms went about her waist without vontion, his face was against her and he was crying, who in all these months had shed no tears. He felt the warmth of her body through her clothing; he felt her hands on his hair, against his cheeks. He wanted to seize them. press his face into them, cling to them.
 It was the old imperative din- ner gong which had saved him from a complete emotional break up. What had it meant to Thayer? Was she relieved? It had come between them like a presence. She had made an excuse, gotten away. When she returned she was poised, sure of herself. His un- spoken questioning. like a trapped thing, ran round and round in a pit of silence.
 ssHELLOH The words breaking
 HI across his thought startled Brock. Moya came around the corner of the house, wind blowing her hair. She said, Your mother said you were out here and dropped into a chair beside his. How brown you're getting, Brock. Don't you love a day like this?" To herself she was thinking. Will he ever look as he used to? It's his eyes. and his mouth-they are SO dif- ferent.
 She could not remember when she hadn't been in love with Brock. He was simply part Of her lne's plan; no other boy inter- ested her. He had been dificult ct times but she had entertained no fear of real rivalry. Between their two families their ultimate marriage was an accepted fact.
 His meeting with Thayer and its e0nganllanqa had FaaFaA ia ats foundations the security Moya had looked upon as fRct.
 She had seen. though vaguely understood, the change ln Brock, At first he had seemed hard, then she noticed his eager reaching toward the old, the familiar; like q child seeking the sure safety of the commonplace, Slowly t be- came clear. ThayeF - his winning Of her and his brief marriage represented pinnacle Brock had reached, It was somehow apart from the ordered lie Of DayerioD 70 which he nov returned, That old llfe could claim him again; MoyR felt sure of It, ThayeT vas aD 0utsldeTi only those wh0 loved hlm best could rebuild lie for Brock agelD, Mrs, KlttTldge Knew thls, More than once she and MOya had looked at each other woTdlessly over Brooks head, TPs my tlTD nos, Aoys thought Yes,
 lTO Dls Cepllnueal