Newspapers / Carolina Watchman (Salisbury, N.C.) / May 20, 1932, edition 1 / Page 9
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ELEVENTH INSTALMENT " Y ou—offered—then ? ” Linda nodded. "Yes, and I really wanted my freedom. At first I did not, but afterwards—well, he is not the only man in the worlds and I am still fairly young and attractive. Any way, Dennis refused. I suppose it did not suit his plans. I assure you that he refused with outraged dignity. It was a most amusing performance.” "He—refusedDiana said again. She raised her tragic eyes to Linda’s unconcerned face. “Is that really the truth?” she asked painfully. "Why should I trouble to lie about it?” No, Linda would not trouble to lie about it, Diana knew. Linda said with some feeling, "I’m sorry if I’ve hurt you. I’d hate to do that. I’ve been hurt myself so often and so much-” She broke off, turning with swift welcome to greet a middle-aged gray haired man who came through the swing doors, and Diana saw him take her hand, heard him say, "Well, my dear,” saw the look they exchanged; and knew that she was quite forgotten. ijjxv avi They went on into the restaurant and when they had gone Diana seem ed to come to life. She must get away that was her one panic-stricker thought. She must get away befori Dennis came. She could never bear tc meet him any more. She would go back to the Creatun —she would be safe with her. Shi thought of the little cottage and oi her own room with almost passionati longing; not soon enough could she ge away frm London. She sat far back in a corner of thi cab, terrified still lest some freak o: Fate should bring her face to faci with Waterman. She only breathec freely when she was safely at the rail road station. “What time is the next tram, please?” "One due now, miss—first stop Guilford. If you run you will just catch it.’* Diana ran. Her long skirts ham pered her, and she caught them uj anyhow, with impatient inelegance ihe would die rather than miss tha train. till 111 1' I nc guaru iiau aiicauy uiu*vn whistle, but a friendly porter dashec forward and wrenched open a carriag door for her, assisting her with clum sy willingness. Someone shouted peremptorily "Stand away there; stand away.” But Diana only laughed hysterical ly, as a man who was already seate< in the carriage sprang to his feet an< caught her firmly by her shoulders a she tripped over her long frock an< almost fell. He began to say, "That was a nar row shave-” then broke off t< speak her name in hoarse amazement "Diana!” It was Donald Rathbone Diana collapsed onto the seat oppo site him, breatless and exhausted. She moved her head from side t< side with a dull feeling of suffocation and Rathbone said quickly: "How far have you been running! What is the matter, Diana?” "Nothing.” She laughed harshly “Oh, nothing, except that once mon I’ve discovered that life is only a rot ten, beastly sham.” He let that pass, and she went oi in quick, excited tones: "We’re always wrong about peo pie, no matter how well we think wi know them. I’ll never believe in any one again as long as I live. She had been wrong about Lind; too; somehow she had always respect ed Dennis’s wife and envied her he poise and integrity even though sh had once so foolishly hated her, an< now she had discovered that Lind; was playing the same game as tb •rest of the world, meeting another mat secretly, lying about it to her husbani (not that that mattered!) in a fugi tive chase after the elusive sham call ed Love which, even if you caught u] with it, never gave you any real peac or satisfaction, but only turned t< rend you. “I’ll never believe in anyone agaii as long as I live,” Diana cried, pas sionately, and covering her face witl her hands she began to sob. Rathbone sat very still, bis hea< averted. He could see that Diana wa utterly overwrought and knew tha she must have received a severe shock but he saw it was not yet the mo ment for him to speak, and presentl; she went on, almost incoherent witl her bitter sobbing: “People don’t even love you hr.n estly .... It’s not you they third about at all . . . only themselves . . Men dob’t care what becomes of an; • woman so long as they get what they want . . . We’re just here ... to be made use of ... It isn’t love . . . it’s all a pretense . . . just hateful . . . damned . . . beastliness . . . You’re all the same . .'. not one of you worth a single tear . . . and yet we go on . . . hoping . . . "We’re such fools . . . breaking our hearts . . . wishing we could die . . .” "Diana—for God’s sake-’’ "It’s true . . . you know it’s true,” she challenged him fiercely. "Your selves, only yourselves . . . that’s all you care about .... I don’t believe in you any more, ei-either . . . You’re the same as all the others . . .” Her words were torn by her passionate sobbing. "You know I loved you ... I suppose' you meant me to . . . and then you didn’t want me to tell you ... I sup pose you were afraid I should be a nuisance to you . . . You’d got one woman on your hands . . . already . . . as much as you could manage ... I suppose ... So you went away . . . didn’t even say good-bye . . . didn’t care . . . about me, or what happened to me.” "Diana/” She went on passionately, utterly lost. "It’s true . . . you know it’s true ... it wouldn’t have mattered to you if I—if I’d gone away and . . . and lived with half a dozen men ... as long as I didn’t worry you . . . any more ... You think you’re right eous . . . pretended to be . . . and all the time you were only just . . . tired of me ... I suppose you—you’d had , . . . enough-” "Diana!” Rathbone said again brokenly. with a swiit movement he leaned over and took both her wrists in his grasp, drawing her hands away from her convulsed face. He held them for a moment as if even yet he could not trust himself sufficiently to tell her the truth, and then, with a smothered exclamation he bent his face to her hands, holding them tightly there, closing his eyes against their softness, his lips pressed to their palms in pas sionate kisses. "Diana . . . Diana , . .” She was suddenly still, sobbing no more; her eyes were on his down bent head, her breath coming in little j gasps from between her parted lips [ as if each one was a separate pain , . . . till at last he looked up. For a long moment they held on° another’s gaze, not speaking, just reading in each other’s hearts all of their sorrow and joy and pent-up . love; then Rathbone leaned over and [ took her in his arms. He held her to [ him, all crumpled up as if she had j been a child, till, after a long silence, [ during which neither of them was con scious of anything but each other’s . nearness, she moved her arm a little, , half furtively, as if she still feared him, and then with a swift, confi dent movement she clasped it round . his neck. "Oh—do you love me—after all”? i she sobbed, her cheek against his.' , "Didn’t you know?” She shook her head, her soft hair brushing his face. "No . . . not after you went away . . . like that.” , "I had to go ... It was all I could : do for you.” "And . . . now?” she breathed. She felt his arms tighten around i her for a moment, but he did not an swer her whispered question, and she ■ repeated it, changing her position a : little, trying to see his face, but he • kept it hidden against her. "My dear one . . . you know 1 am t not free. She caught her breath. "You mean . . . Rosalie?” : "Yes.” [ There was a long silence. Then she i asked slowly as if she dreaded the : answer and yet must know: i "Who—who—is she?” ‘ | She could feel the heavy throbbing . of his heart against her own. "She’s my . . . wife . . . Diana.” , CHAPTER XVII ; Diana’s arm fell from Rathbone’s > shoulder, and for a moment she lay quite still, her mind a blank, her body ! limp; then with a swift movement . she slipped from his arms,, falling [ back helplessly onto the seat behind her. | His wife! Such a possibility had i never crossed her mind. : She never doubted the truth of what he had just said—Rathbone . would never lie to her. r His wife! , Presently Rathbone touched her hand, rousing her. “This is our station, Diana.” ; She stood up obediently, folding her coat warmly around her. r Hobsop was on the platform. HtKs Rathbone spoke to him. "I’ll drive myself. Can you get a lift back?” "Yes, sir.” Presently they were alone again, driving through the quiet roads. Rathbone had not turned in the di rection of the cottage, but Diana hardly noticed; she sat beside him, lost in a kind of stupor. Rosalie was his wife; that meant eternal separation; she could not find room for any other thought !n her bewindered mind. Presently they were out in the coun try in a narrow road with trees over head and hedges on either side; the lights of the car lamps threw each separate object into glaring relief be fore it swirled past them again into blackness. Diana had let the window down, and the cool aid, sweet from its flight over fields and valleys, blew on her tired face, reviving her a little. The quiet hum of the engine seem ed to be saying the same thing to her over and over again: "She’s his wife ... she’s his wife . . . she’s his wife,” till she felt that she must cry out in protest. Then Rathbone drew the car to the roads'de, and stopped. For a moment he sat silent at the wheel then he asked. "Will you believe what I am going to tell you, Diana?” She moved her head in listless as sent. wii, yej>. His quiet voice was .1 little shaken as he went on: "First I want you to know that I love you with all my heart and soul and that I should count myself the most . . . most blest among men if I could ask you to be my wife ... but I can’t . . . I-” he stopped, con tinuing again with increasing diffi culty: "Then I want you to know about . . . Rosalie. I have never told any living soul but you—I shall nev er tell anyone else. It all happened so long ago—twelve years, soon after the war. She—she was the wife of a friend of mine—a decent fellow from a man’s point of view, but a man who should never have married . . . He didn’t understand women or even try to . . . She wasn’t happy with him. I was a young man then, and she— she was kind enough to like me . . . I am not going to pretend to you that I was not attracted to her. I was.” CONTINUED NEXT WEEK Dry Uncle Sam receiving rent from two breweries and 400 saloons at Col Ion, Panama. Take care of your pennies and your heirs will blow in the dollars. These are the days when a man hates to sell his car, even though the outgo for the upkeep is more than the income. Do the stimulants the Government is giving business have to be of the one-half-of-one-per-cent, variety, too? A DRINK Of Pure Healthful Quality Drink at founts or ice boxes, or buy b’ the case for home use. ONLY 5? Why pay mars? Shoes rebuilt the better way. All kinds of harness, trunk and suitcase repairing. Fayssoux’s Place Phone 433 113 E. Inncs St. STAR LAUNDRY "The Good Om" Launderers and Dry Cleaner* Phone 24 114 West Bank St. One Day Service LOANS WITHOUT SECURITY $5.00 to $40.00 Quickly Loaned SALARIED PEOPLE NEEDING FIVE TO FORTY DOLLARS IN STRICT CONFIDENCE, WITHOUT SECURITY, ENDORSE MENT OR DELAY, AT LOWEST RATES AND EASY TERMS. CO-OP FINANCE CO. 202 WACHOVIA BANK BLDG. SALISBURY, N. C. THE SMOKE SHOP Phone 9167 NEWSPAPERS MAGAZINES FOUNTAIN SERVICE Sc HAMBURGERS Sc 218 S. Main St. Salisbury, N. C. ABOUT two hours after eating many people suffer from sour stomachs. They call it indigestion. It means that the stomach nerves have been over-stimulated. There is excess acid. The way to correct it is with an alkali, which neutralizes many times its volume in acid. The right way is Phillips’ Milk of Magnesia—just a tasteless dose in water. It is pleasant, efficient and harmless. Results come almost in stantly. It is the approved method. You will never use another when you know. Be sure to get the genuine Phillips’ Milk of Magnesia prescribed by physicians for correcting excess acids. 25c and 50c a bottle—any drug store. The ideal dentifrice for clean teeth and healthy gums is Phillips’ Dental Magnesia, a superior tooth paste that safeguards against acid mouth. KEEP COOL With SUMMER SUITS and ACCESSORIES Don’t be uncomfortable when summer clothes are priced so low— LINENS $12.50 SEERSUCKERS $6.95 c/ EXTRA SPORT TROUSERS White and Stripes $1.95 up MEN’S AND BOYS’ SHIRTS In all the new Stripes and j Solid Colors 48c and up ' TIES tO MATCH ... 59c AND UP MEN’S SPORT OXFORDS In solid and two-tone j colors Priced from \ $2.95 to $5.00 All the leading styles of summer hatwear in soft m and hard straws 98c r to $1.95 BELK-HARRY CO. |
Carolina Watchman (Salisbury, N.C.)
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May 20, 1932, edition 1
9
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