Show LAW By Bu Robert W. W r ih 11 I I v w i 4 I J J f fI r I f bent Valerie's Varis lips lies trembled on the edge edne of a smile as she bent over her sewing I r 5 INSTALLMENT NT 44 Th The Valerie child In a loose rose- rose silk sUIt Peignoir legged cross on cm n her bed was Was' sewing industriously on on he her weeks week's mending Rita in dishabille l lr lay y across the foot root of the bed nibbling bonbons and and reading the evening pa paper f. f They had diner In their living room a ch chafing dish aiding Aft Afterward Valerie Valerie Va VI lerie Jerle went over ier er weekly weekly accounts and had had now now tak taken n tip rp her mip fier her regular mending and there she shi shat at sewing away and and singing in he her her clear e r. r young joung oung voice voIce- the old madrigal L J Let us Ul dry the star starting ing tear ar For the hours are surely fleeting And the sad sundown Is near near All AIl must sip alp the cup cup p of qZ f sorrow I today and thou tomorrow t This the end erd of f f every every song song Ding dong Ding Yet Tet until the shadows shadow fall faU Over one and over all aU I Sing a merry madrigal M Rita Bita nibbling a c chocolate o 5 late glanced n ed u up a gay little creed ered e d she 1 ob observed ob ob- ob served k t Of Of Ot course Its It's th k only creed Rita shrugged ed and Vait Valerie went on blithely elY s and anil sew sewing rig il How long has that y young t man nian of ot yours been away inquired x looking Up tip p aln Thirteen days day Oh Q Are e you sure it t Isn't fourteen fourteen four four- teen Then Then the sarcasm struck h her rand merand and she looked aro around nd at RUn Rita arid and laughed Ot Of Of course I J count the days she said of or the soft color mounting to her cheeks Rt Rita sat at up and tucking a It pillow under her her shoulders leaned leaped ba back ck against the footboard of the bed kickIng kicking kick kick- In Ing the n to t the e floor Do you know she said that you have cone corre o n tty etty cloe Jo t to falling faIlIng in love e with I Kelly eny eily Neville Val Valerie's lips trembled on the ed edge e eat I of at a a smile as she he bent lower tower over her but she made madeno no reply I I UT should say say continued Rita that i It vas vas' about bout time tm for you to pick up your skirts and nd run for it ft it I St Still ilI Valerie sewed on in In stI silence Valerie t I What 4 Fo goodness goodness' sake say lay some some- thins thin What Vhal do you vou want me me to say dear asked the girl gill laughing Th That you are not iri In dan danger dancer er of 01 a silly ninny of ot yourself ov over r Kelly Neville Oh Oh J lT H say pay that very cheerfully cheerfully- Valerie I IThe The girl looked at her calmly amused Then Themi she saiT F r 1 might as a's as well tell you 1 I am head bead over ei heels ls' ls In In lov love with with- him You Im Knew w It It anyway y Rita Youve You've ye known it- it itoh ft it oh I dont don't know how lone but i-but but but youve you've known it Haven't you Y u Rita thought a moment Yes s I I have known It ft What ar are you going to do do Do Ye Yes Wh what t do you you I intend t n todo to do o about this m Love LovO him said Valerie What ell else elie can can T I lo do do You rould I try not to to toT T r don dont don't t want to tn to Vou Vl 1 had better Why Be aue said said Rita deliberately It Ir ou you really love him you'll either become his his' wile wife or r his mistress mistress' and Its It's a pretty rotten choice either way way Valerie blushed scarlet Rolen choice Roten choice Certainly Y You Tou u know perfectly rte well wen what your position would 1 be e when his family and his friends learned that hed he'd married d his model No girl of ot any spirit would endure it no it-no no matter how affable e his friends ml might ht perhaps per perhaps per per- haps pr pretend pretend- tend to tobe be bp No girl giri dr of at any any sense would put hers herself lt in such a false position l I tell telI you Valerie its it's only the exceptional m man who'll is always a picture with the story showing a a. fox tox sitting on the ground looking up at atit a it grapevine and rind under kinder it is written Sour grapes grapes I r know w that if it a member of my family ha had 1 wanted those grapes he would have found a way to get Of Ot course we know he ite would Reynard sa said lit C Coon on but you fellows can talk I cannot understand under under- stand I r am almost starved Oh my poor stomach My poor stomach But just as all of them be began anto to hold on to their empty stomachs and nd cry they were were hungry Br Bruin ln in said as as we vre all aU were about to starve he lie would like Uke to clear the memory of on one of at his ancestors nc too SQ sp everybody kept quiet and listened Continued tomorrow stand by by- you No doubt doubt Louis Louia Neville Neville Ne- Ne Ne Ne- ville vUle wo would ld But it would cost him hint every every friend he h has and has and probably bly tho tim respect of ot his p parents r And that means misery for tor you both both because because he c couldn't conceal from you wh what t marrying you was costing him him him- Rita Y Yes es There is no use telling me all this I know it Ho He knows I know it T I Tam Tam Iam am not going to ma marr After Atter a silence Rita said slowly Did ho he ask you YOI to th to Valerie looked down passed her needle through the hem once twice Yes s1 she said sald softly he asked hs ed f me me And And you you refused Yes Rita said I r t like Kelly lelly Neville and I r love you better dear But Its It's not best for you to marry him nim Life isn't a very s sentimental affair affair- not nearly as silly a matter as as poets and painters and dramas dramas' and t novels vels pretend it Is Love really plays play a averY avery avery very minor part in life Ufe Dont Don't YOU you Know It itT if Yes T lived ed twenty years without it said Valerie demurely y yet t in her smile Rita divined the hidden tra tragedy edy And she leaned forward and kissed he her her- impulsively Lets swear celibacy she said and live Hv out our lives together in single blessedness blessedness' Will you you We I can have ave a perfectly good time time until th the undertaker l knocks nocks r I r hope he wont won't knock for tor a long while said Valerie with a a. slight shiver Theres There's so so much I want to I see first You ou shall halL shall Well We'll see everything together Well We'll work hard live li frugally frugally frug frug- ally If It you sa say so cut out all frills and nd nonsense and e save and save until we have ave enough to retire on respect- respect ably And then like two nl old ladies We well we'll 11 st start t. l-t. out out io to see see tho tho worldOn world world- Oh On Rita I dont don't want to see It when Im I'm too old it more more Of more more- R Rita ta How ridiculous ridiculous' t Youve You've seen more of ot the world than 1 I have ave anyway It Its It's s all very well for tor y j to tosa say sa wait walt till Im I'm an old maid but hut jouve been to Paris Paris Paris-haven't haven't you Yes es said Rita flita There was wasa a a slight I color in her face tace Well then Why must I wait watt until Im I'm a dowdy old frump before I r to go Why should you jou OU and I not be as happy as we can an afford to be while were we're young and attractive and unspoiled Unspoiled un un- Un- Un spoiled 9 I 1 w want nt you jou ou to be tie as h happy as you youcan jou ou can d affo-d to be Valerie But you youcan can cant can't t afford t tO fall tall in love Why chhy B Because cause it i t tm m make ke you jou ou miserable miser miser- able 1 But Bu t It doesn t It will if It is is love love loveIt It is flita Rita said the girl smiling out of her dark deep eyes eyes deep deep bro brown n wells wens of of truth th that t the other gazed into and saw a young soul there fearless and doomed Valerie she sue s said said- id- id shivering you yo wont won't do that do that will you you Dear I cannot marry him and I Ilov Ilove Ilove love lov him What else lse am I to do O Well then then then-then then joud you'd better marry him stammered Rita frightened Its better for sou you Its It's better better For Tor me me Yes but how about hIm him I What do you yOU care about him burst barst out omit Rita almost incoherent In I her fright and anger Hes Ies a man man he can take care of ot himself D Dont Don't nt think of ot him It isn't your business to consider him If It he wants to marry yoU vou Its It'S his concern concern after aU all Let him do it it Marry him and let him fj ht 1 It out with his hi- friends friends' After Atter alt all what does dof's a man give glye a a. girl that comp compares res with Hh what she give gl him himMen M Men Men- men Mihi n men she stammered stammered- stammered all alike nUke in the depths of ot their own I hearts W Wo We are are Incidents to them themI them them- no matter how they say ay they lo love us They cant can't love as we wo do They're They I not made for It It We Va are part or of the game to them they are the whole g game me to us we are at b best st an important Im im important episode In careers they are arc our whole careers career Oh Val Valerie Valerie listen to tb 10 me me child That man could go on living and painting and eating and drinking and sleeping and getting up to dress dres and going to tobed tobed tobed bed to s sleep ep if YO you ou lay Y d dead d in oUr joUr grave out It ir you you ou loved mm hIm and ana ano w were re his wife wife wife-or or God forgive me mer nier r- r his mistress s the day da dahe he died yOu would die though your our body might i live on I know know know-I I know Valerie Death whether Death whether It be his l body od or his i love ends all for the woman who I really reany loves him Woman's Womans los loss is I eternal But m mans man's ns n's loss lose is is only tend tend- he he is made that way fashioned fash tash tern tern-I so Now I tell you the exchange Is not fair fair It it has never ne' been fair fair fair- never neve will be never can be And AndI I II warn you not to o. o give thi this man man the freshness of t your youth th the h happy years of ot your our lIf life your Innocence the devotion which he will wIlI transmute into passion with 1 his a accursed magic I warn you r u no not to torsa forsake e the tran- tran of Ignorance the blen from tb that tIit t ls paradise e I you are already ga gating Ing into jl To be continued |