| Show 4 r J ILANo F I 2 rJ c 1 I- I i t s SD 89 She stood with her hands clasped tightly her eyes closed instinctively us as in iii a a. fright Are Mo you very startled Sandy Sand Do I seem a ghost to you Yes Yes startle startled l' l Ills His eyes went searchingly ov over ovet it 4 her face tace It was wa stained and tre trem- trem bling her head lowered and a little averted c I I should have phoned Look ook at mo me Will you not greet n me Sandy l- l I Yes Yes why why of ot course This Is such such such-a. a. a shock shock- pYou lyou mean moan not hearing from r me and now finding me returned r e She leaned helplessly against t the door Vacantly repeating yes n not hearing from you and now finding 0 y you here Are you glad Sandy Are yi you your r not a little ittle glad to see me Give ii me your our hand Will VIlI you come for a at 4 1 t rIde ride with me That's my car I I Ive I've ye b en Ill sandy Sandy helpless dying helpless in t Interior of China 0 i Dying rOh Oh Ramon namon Then Y you I rv arent aren't married him V 1 She h hO was now staring at k I I by the pallor and thinness I his face tace lIe was nothing bi but of n. n and bone e the fine 0 g I ri it i. i vitality i gone Oe But when and 8 Bhe cruel sa sarc ct rc this a a. lo lok of ot Imploring pain shot Into his eeSI eyes eeS thili think f didn't Married Oh you I. I wit sandy I 1 marry Come over over- are me nhe wont won't It you I 1 see you come come- 1 I i cant can't go how go-how how ell cart can I g go You Vou Vout c ct Sandy andY this J mean moan i Do Do you Why t ant c t give mo ne a moment 9 h in tilted tilted friendshiP friendshiP- d her lf- lf head ead abruptly r. r Oh Oh what am I saying Of ot course couri street Following the him across t the they shi felt half blinded as though and ch chaos os O z r V walked into a darkness i. i L oud t tumultuous it Helping Helping her he stooped with a at an I- I careless laugh of ot that sunny t cho alive hope of you ou kept me The Tho tt t r that only Sandy Months It Its It's y But ten months Ramon en months since Ive I've heard 1 Didn't YOU OU gc get t. t Not Not that long i And others ethers f my letter In December IC I sent them to the box boc in Sart 13 hand she he tried to ease r ither her r of he her tightness c clutching bewildered throat She smiled 1 thinking What now Id I'd never neve he looks looks' I 3 Know him Lord-how Lord now J his letters Oh Go God God Vho got B He became gay e ern Ramon m aBut pressed her hanl between hIs palms palm I without waiting for anjer anver an an- sala sa glad Sandy darling ver loure jer rn re YOU OU g pad gad ad Ten months since sine 1 heard What did you think 1 1 Not ot that Id I'd forgotten Forget you i ot t for a single instant Instant- hi his of ot 1 Ho He explained the reason silence Jen larch h he year ye In March of the previous fad Jad with a party of engineers engineer gone l' l the north of China f They he part ot 01 the Wa way Peking going irom 01 ly u automobile and the rest b by camels desert of ot Gobi r rt t they they y w were reached c ee tb the I Mn lp by bandits Their guides ra ran ranI ranva floun floun- oun- oun of ot I After three months away va 4 they managed to hit t the e town jl ti- ti here bu out but from t ot Ml He wrote 1 with no certainty that hi his letters letter were forwarded I 1 IThe The The engineers were were gent by ar oi company ron to explore het the J Jul t t Mongolia At the nl 1 of Ramon mon became ill u t w wis s AU August U LI VB 7 tor eror rore the missionary ors Doctors visited I. I r They thought he WAS W. finished fever He Ho lay f e months delirious part of the time In a stu stu- If T POI por or toward the end No one expect expect- I I e ed id I him to rally The first of Nol November No No- No l vember they moved him He got go goa a aV re lapse V ifo He Didn't didn't know whether hed he'd writ t not H lie He ten all those months or to He lie re recalled re- re 1 thought ht that he tried J called dreaming of ot writing dream ream ream- 2 ing ng that she came to visit him an andt and carried him oft off in a cool white ship f t th t she lifted him bodily and cari car car- 5 a aft ari he were 4 ned him as though i ft ri i f ither's weight to this ship of hers r kU she sau to him many times times- Vow I will have a perfumed breeze will have It blow ilow this tins heat heal r. r j l. l W-I W I ia Taa aWa and yo ll be cured BEA Io tIEI had looked down at her laugh laugh- Ti lag that odd Sandy But Bul with fra- fra e always associated you i nce One dream that filled me 1 IJ WIth peio pe pel e tas Was of you with star star- and mut mit In your hair 1 a forlorn v he said in m i Jj ft l iway wl way It must have b been en awful to tc toi toie ie iii and so alone Ji so 0 r i Jt was awful What made you yot Ji H think 1 Id I'd married Wr l j- j wrote about a girl Irl you met mel i f 1 Ube the girl who looked like Ilk me After o I t that t I 1 didn't hear All that time I i 1 got ko go no word Of course I thought SJ t married H her voice rose on or i i f Unconsciously accusing note that brought r rS' rS his yes to hers his skin became rk k The pallor of fv leaden Did you hope for m my marI mar mar- 5 I t Sandy You speak as though K you are angry because Ive I've com come comeI t back to you I AJ To me Ramon Oh no Not to tc mel They were driving out Jackson r l rj street et past the beautiful homes t that tat at look across the Presidio trees torte clean blue lue straits and toe nude Imposing bulk of the Marin Mann bills 1 I fv fIfe smiled va vaguely repeating Pt to you Sandy Why then did 1 11 Ah who ese I i i Ie stopped ed the car on the crest of that noble hill at Broadway and andi In vista of ot swinging i Divisadero a a. I A beauty went the Golden o Gate the Vv proud little islands d and nb beyond ya d this 1 the gleaming white of ot cities cilles magical mas-Ical fe tt ind enchanted by the distance Thee The Campanile against Its many man many manyi iIi i e hills bills was a slim tower of light farther far- far v ther on Diablo loomed loome l massive and black I. I oJ He now sat with his prof profile He toward her It had a a. set anguished look She Bhe couldn't tell whether this was wasi I i due to his appalling thinness but he I. I V seemed eaten as from within She recalled the phrase of his letter You are burned in In me Sandy Sandy- 1 burned into the fiber of my soy being I II IM M cant can't give you up You can never I 1 be e e released torn between resentment She was I and and pity This Ramon now sitting j kather a t her side was so ruthlessly different differ differ- l ent from the Ramon she had some- some fc r pictured She had fancied him LN careless careless and gallant as he heL L It when she BIle first met him In InI S. S I ithe islands She had pictured him W married to a beautiful girl buying lovely gifts s for her her bronzed bronzed and andI I laughIng lavishing Suddenly she leaned over and gently told hI him this She said resolutely reso reso- rESOlutely resolutely Yes I r hoped for it it With nil all my heart I hoped for or It Ramon flamon I have nothing for tot you YO Nothing for tor anyone His eyes e focused u desperately r f on 1 he her hand as It rested te on on his Ho HA wet his lips drew them In slowly Once she ha had thought his lips lils too full tull The They were narrow now Without With With- out looking at her he spoke that made her a i piercing monotony feel eel lone lonely made her see vast devastated dev fields And that is what you thought of ot me Sandy Isn't it strange I cant can't accept this That all the tho while white Ive I've been heen away Ive I've thought of ot you as gladly mine gladly mine All ll the while I fr I lay lay ill III the vision of or y you ou k kept ept li life t tilL In ilL me You called me as you called calle that night Other Incidents fad fade This one remains remains Immortal Immortal You could think of It Sandy an and wish me roe married to another She felt feH all at once as hard as a a. stone She said flashing Yes I 1 wish you married to another I Do you think I like this weight of ot pain pall Like ruining your lit life Why should 1 you think of ot me Everything I Is hopeless for or me You come You Yoi dont don't stop to consider all that ma may have happened since you left You Yoi think we can go back to that moment moment moment mo mo- ment Oh Ramon Ramen we cant can't canU canUA A tightness w went vent nt over hi his lips and brows All All that has happened happened happened hap hap- since I left Sandy There 1 is another is there Someone else And you care for him hint No No one There cant can't be And he that you were with last as night night night-he he who kept you long pas past midnight She turned on all him angrily An unhappy flush stole to th the roots of his hair Ho ha said pleadIngly pleadingly plead plead- Dont be angry with me Sandy I came last night night got got h here heni re Just as you were stepping into the thi machine just as you I started off oft I waited hours thinking you yot return longing to hear your voice consumed with the wish to tc see you You dont don't measure th the ag agony of t these months t of waiting a rY tt sesa 1 I w went t to Santa Barbara r r first had tho the telephone girl phone your sister She gave me your address 1 I drove from early morning yesterday yesterday yester yester- day clay to reach here Then Thea I 1 saw you going offIt off oft off It was only a friend of Judiths And there Is no one in your life Sandy H turned eyes glowing and Joyous to hers Ah darling youve you've ke kept t your faith with me mel melI I see It You have She turned crimson with resentment resentment resentment resent resent- ment and shame Dont force me Ramon Dont Don't ask me for promises For love Things are worse with me than when you left If Jt I had to send you away then I x must doubly send lend you now Ive I've tried to get a divorce and failed tailed I 1 can never get it Oh Leave me alone I as nothing Sandy but to look at you you to to hear bean you you you- She thought her heart leaping furiously Burned In him Oh Xh God I But he became happy He recounted re recounted re- re coun counted ted strange interesting He laughed An Art hour later he repeated Just to look at you you you- Just to hear you you you-you you wont won't deny me roe this They were roundIng the corner corner at Octavia and Vallejo coming Into the block where Sandy was now living Abruptly the car veered Oh Ramon careful With a smile and quiet that smote on her with panic he murmured Why There is Judiths Judith's friend There Is your friend waiting Ie IVe kept him waiting waiting- v With a suddenness that sickened her er he ha stepped on the gas He went dashing lashing past the house CHAPTER 00 His hands grew rigid on the wheel a flame lit his seT face The Tho car an flew under the burning Impetus San Sandy fought against furious unious deserate desperate desperate des des- erate tears ordering ordering- sharply Take me ens home I wish t to go gom home m orne His eyes eves blazed You have have no right to do this Ramon amon They swerved shot on stupidly God God dont don't dont you see that man You ou almost got him that him that 01 old 1 man manI nan man nanI I saw him him- him Oh Lord you'll I kill kilt someone Ramon tamon go slow Sick with alarm she he slid down gritting her teeth Once nce she glanced at hi his emaciated features A wave of pity swept her Is ls it he Is It really he he and she wanted suddenly to tell him bier she was sorry florry bitterly sorry He lie was worn lit worn mentally and phys phys- He Ho should bo be In bed with someone caring for him They circled through the tho Presidio taking the steep kept ill-kept road leadIng leadIng lead lead- Ing to the old fort font J blew it swept the waves against the wall making more bleak and deserted the aspect of the old brick stronghold The waves were were white and high and went buffeting against the rocks How It blows blows she thought desolatelY desolately desolately deso deso- lately watching the whipping gray waters Always blowing And overborne with a sense of loneliness with the impression of his desperate misery she touched his cold rigid hands still clenched at the tho wheel I Ramon this Is no WIY way for us to meet meet for for friends like us usHe usHe us- us He shut his eyes Why did you youlie lie to m me Sandy S Oh God dont don't flare up You blam blame me for loving you you for for not putting away the thought of you after all nil weve we've been leen to each other I have no right to tb want you I have You gave it to tome tome tome me meShe She glanced at him bins coldly Yes I gave It to you ou little thinking you would torture me the re rest t of my life He made a harsh gasping sound and clasped his hand over his mouth He sat there with his' his eyes closed his gaunt hand pressed against his lips Finally with his head lowered he he began speaking Twice his voice voie brot le a aI I 1 dont don't want to torture you Sandy You have no idea what this absence has been to me You dont don't know how the emotions play on one In an Illness the illness the dreams of you the hopes of you It seems you dont don't care But how I pictured you How I walked the deck lost in visions of you Once you and I stood on a ship in the moonlight You turned to mo your mo-your your hands went to tomy tomy tomy my neck You kissed me I ore Ire member that night was that night Every night your pale wondrous face tace was lifted to mine mine gladly gladly I 1 couldn't wait walt to get here hero see see you hear you hear you you take take you in m my arms And how It Is is' is His profile seemed etched In Instone stone stone cold cold brown stone He reached down and took her hand turned it slowly wonderingly in his Ive thought t-hought of you as married married mar mar- ried ned to me Sandy S. I belong to you and you to me You want me to give you up to another r I dont don't thin I 1 Ican can I cant can't live and give you up Her heart stormed and cringed and nd protested He had no right to hold her there drown there drown per her ier in this forbidding desolation force desolation force her to bend to his will She thought ht of Douglas Was he pe e waiting What would he but 1 but but she ehe wouldn't see hint him him again she again she might never see him again She had a 3 frightful Intuition that Banon Ramon Ra Ra- non mon wouldn't w bring her back Why are you talking so so Ramon Is there any sense In this this' Ive I've not lied to you You come back after atter more than a years year's absence and you go wild because a friend comes on ona ona ona a Sunday to take me for a ride In all this time do you think I had no right to smile at a living No right to make male a friend Is he only a friend Sandy Ive told you You have surely no right to act as you do No I have no right He turned humble appealing eyes to hers Do you ou care cane for tor me at all Sandy Do o you care cane at all Of course I 1 do It breaks my heart to have you looking so Id I'd like ike to see you happy as you ou were His lips moved tremulously Do you mean that Sandy You care somewhat Let me kiss you Will Wil you not kiss me Sh She wanted to sink down am and cover her face quickly ly She was wai ashamed for tor him In this appalling weakness He lie saw only that sho she smiled smiled that that she he let her hand rest in his He kissed her He put his arms about her her hiding his face against her shoulder A t throng of dark r o blue clouds w went t swirling past the he heo hills And Anc two white gU gulls IS with broad shining pin pinions lOllS flew cleanly to the sky The world goes on Sandy Sandl tan th thought t. t Clouds and wf wind and endless end le less lees s. s mighty waves Majesty of hill bill and sky eternal majesty quiet in thee that din of little sobs Ve We dont don't count she brooded We Ve care so much for tor ourselves the world goes on on on- She ran her hand over his hair ina In Ina a sud sudden len maternal pity Poor fellow tello-a |
