Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1946-02-22
CHAPTER v


the grass again. Like herself he had
no immediate family, he told her.
His parents had died long ago, and
he had worked his way through the
University of what he could still call
nothing else but Chicawgo. After a
few moments conversation they
found that Elizabeth's uncle, who
was also in the oil business, knew
several members of the company
where Arthur was employed, so they
justified their acquaintance by that.
They went dancing that night, and
as the next day was Sunday they
went swimming again. A week later
Elizabeth was refusing to undertake
the projected trip to Canada. A
month later she was refusing to go
back to college. In September they
were married.
There was no use in anybody's say
Ing eighteen was too young to be
married, she hadn't known him long
enough, she would never have an
other chance to go to college, Arthur
couldn't support her in the style to
which she was accustomed, or CIV
ing any of the other sensible advice
older people like to give young girls
in love. She and Arthur wanted each
other and nobody could keep them
apart Elizabeth found there was
still some of her fathers property
left, so with what had been intended
for the rest of her expensive school
ing they furnished their home. That
1t was very modest little place
troubled them not at all. 1t was
place of peace and ecstasy. Eliza
beth was tremulous with Joy at find
ing out what it was like to be loved.
She had always had plenty Of
friends, her masculine acquaint-
ances had let her know she was de-
sirable, and her aunt and uncle had
done their dutiful best to be affection
ate, but nobody had ever loved her.
Arthur loved her.
She was not very good at express
ing it. But in the evenings while he
read, or worked on the pamphlets he
wrote describing his researches for
the benefit of other oil chemists, she
would sit with the mending and look
up to watch the line of light down
his profile, and every now and then
Arthur would glance up and smile
at her and she would be unutterably
happy. Sometimes when they went
out together and did something quite
ordinary like seeing a movie or play
ing tennis, she would say, II never
knew any two people could have as
much fun together as we do" and
he would grin at her and answer,
cts great finding out, isn't it?"
That was all they really needed to
say to each other about it. But Ar
thur had more talent for words
than she had, and now and then he
would make it articulate.
One night when she was nearly
asleep he turned over and said,
elizabeth, if you're still awake, I
was just thinking about us. and how
I get such a thrill every time I see
you, and remembered an old myth
I read in the university library one
day."
"Tell me-" said Elizabeth. She
moved closer to him and he slipped
his arm around her as he went on.
II don't know who thought it up,
the Persians or Greeks or somebody.
They said that in the beginning ev-
erybody in the world was happy.
Then they sinned, and to punish
them the gods decreed that every
soul sould be split in half. Since
then each of us is born incomplete,
and has to wander over the earth
looking for the other half of himself,
and nobody can be happy unless he
finds it. But if you're very lucky
you find it, and unite with the one
who's really the other half of you,
and then you're right with the uni
verse because you're complete"
She drew a long joyful breath.
arthur, how beautiful! And how
right think felt like that the first
time saw you"
so did I. You came down off
the diving board and I pulled you
out of the water, and you were there,
it was right. Funny to think back
nowhere was so much I wanted
to do, so much I wanted to learn,
about oil and plants and people and
stars-I still want to do everything
like that as much as ever, but it's
so different now. You've no idea
how different it is"
eyes I have. Everything is diff
ferent now that we're together. I
do love you sol" she said.
Arthur kissed her shoulder in the
dark.
They both wanted to have chill
dren. Elizabeth loved babies. Ever
since she was little girl playing
with her dolls she had looked for
ward to the time when she could
have a real baby of her own. They
talked about it eagerly. But Arthur,
who had deep sense of protection,
thought they should wait year or