| Show I r SANDY CHAPTER CHARTER Pearly da day In April Sun coming com corn ing through tho silver gauze Breeze and of the spring again Sandy wat watched hedl that happy beam of light It t went went cr crookedly over the mirror She thought of the sea and the sun rippling jewels on the blue waters of the channel Images came confused contused and glowIng glowing glowing glow glow- ing to her mind Th The pier pier far far out the I mountain islands islands' looming Ships going going down ho horizon i on lines Jines She and Douglas standing there moonlight moonlight moonlight moon moon- light flashing on the waters Brown shapely head lowered vered eyes laughing as his lips met hers She l kept ept her eyes eyes' closed cling cling- ing to this Image drinking of its sweetness It blurred Always ys at this point it blurred Not Douglas standing at the pier Another Another- four years ago All of life and love before her then Four k years ago Her heart beat quickly quickly very very quickly quick quick- ly Iy Suddenly she thought Ill never watch the sea t-ea again She p put t her hel thin soft hands over her face face frightened AntI And he sitting at the bed leaned down Sandy deal dear youre youre you're not sleeping Ah Ah- Ah Ah youre you're not crying And he ho took her hands holding them between his own She smiled bec because use of the strength Of f his clasp the clasp the tenderness and strength She murmured at peace Im Irl better bette now better now now Im I'm Im I'm better bet bet- ter Again her thought trailed She felt his arms aris about bout her lifting her lifting her up his happy v voice ice saying I Ilave I 1 have lave you safe De Gear Dear r Sandy now youre you're safe Ive I've brought you safe at last Then all the four pur years vanished She was 19 again tossing again tossing a shawl about her her running running through grapevines grape grape- vines vines one one coming coming from the shadows shadows shadows sha sha- dows t to meet her her hel coming gaily gaHY Douglas Douglas' No one else never else never any anyone anyone anyone one else They would begin anew all th the tho past wiped out The moment I she was strong again oh again oh soon She smiled faintly She looked up at him and smiled His lIs' h heart art leaped He searched her white face with swift frantic sureh r surely little better bet bet- hope Better surely setter a ter Oh On the pallid sweetness of her features s with with the the black lashes lying so gently gentl Face of a seraph Like that she stood in the courtroom courtroom court court- room oom sunlight falling on her hair hair hair- tood with such pathetic bravery and stripped her heart for far al alj to see Tears rushed to her eyes Make it up to her Just a a. chance to carry her far all aU this Make her happy for tor a while Give to her who was so beautiful a little of the Joy shed she'd always missed And he fancied Sandy in a garden garden garden gar gar- den he and Judith serving her They would take her away care for her as though she were a child I want to do this Jude I want to bring her a little sweetness Judith answered her heart constricted constricted constricted con con- her heart beating with pain If we only can Oh surely we can She never looked at him hm saying this She he thought He sees Dear God he surely sees sets Twp Two weeks since they brought Sandy home Two weeks she lay layso layso layso so quiet quiet growIng growing thinner growing weaker And they would turn to each other with blanched frightened thought they would twitch each other by bythe bythe bythe the arm and whisper she better A little better tonight Closing their minds with the violent violent violent vio vio- lent r resentment of ot youth shunning shunning shunning shun shun- ning tho the presence stealing so cruelly cruell upon them the presence that hat had entered the house ouse and now stole ever nearer Two weeks the they sat I in iti the kitchen listening in anguish Jumping to their feet In m terror each time she coughed dreading what hat the cough would bring When the terror passed and andS S Sandy lay back drained when she would finally smile and murmur would huskily Im better they stand there with their shoulders touching half halt crying h half lf laughing saying h hysterically Yes better Oh youre you're so much better whey They hey would both stoop and kiss her hot their hearts breaking because she whispered Im I'm happy happy oh oh Im I'm happy When they s saw w this hope of hers 1 f I of they told eD each eh h other in panic She doesn't guess She doesn't even dream theres there's danger But she she she- felt their wet eyes Her mind informed her with poignant coldness They T e cry fp for ou Because Because Because Be Be- cause youre you're ure dying dyn yes yes yes youre you're dying A little while now She Sheat watched at hed the April sun FadIng FadIng Fading Fad- Fad Ing now Only this morning it ha had danced so happily happily so so across tile the n mirror Only this m ln ing she thought he had lifted her herup up up carried carried her away avay i 1 Ah no- no evening no ci and she shel l lay Y here so weak She She thought Bleeding to death death I Im I'm not Dot afraid dl to die Then Then sh she felt felt hi his tips lips moving over his hands hand She touched eyes Thc They were v re full of tears ThO h tears tears tears' fell like Jarm warm vels on he j fingers She smiled his tears were diamonds sparkling On J her fingers She he S said faintly a note of gladness gladness glad glad- glad glad- n ness ss i m In her voice 1 Youre crying dear Douglas dear Douglas Ive I've only made you cry Dont ky say ay that Sandy Sardy I love lovo J you ou so I need your love D Douglas f uglas oh oh 1 t need it so Her hand went feeling along the the- covers reached his head rested there so so eagerly She thought Now No Im I'm giving him up yes yes es now nowr I give him bim up She wished not to to cry cry he thought with pathetic defiance Im rm not afraid afraid I wont won't afraid I be Odd slangy phrases came to her n mind mind- nd- nd Life wouldn't high h hat Mt t her Ah no but but it had had death death mustn't mustn't nd no she had not lived valiantly valiantly but but she would tile rue so so- so And suddenly she he saw the pier again anc and the waters sparkling and add Douglas coming with a a bo boat bot botand t tand and reaching out a hand to her Douglas saying Step out Sane d dear ar Sandy jump out bravely bravely- Ill I'll not let the wat waters is touch you you you- Ill I'll row you out there see here see wh where re retho the tho waters shine shine- shine shine- And she gave a little trembling laugh Sh She said you Dougas you have hav shown me the light I light Ij see ee it iton iton iton on the waters shining Judith shining Judith brought me to you Now I sec see see- She became calm daim She thought Was Vas I dreaming What did I Isay Isay Isay say But she felt fet happy she happy she felt as though the sun were flowing about her Continued tomorrow |
