Part 2 (1/2)
”Did you know him?”
”Never laid eyes on him I never knocked about in university circles”
”One side of the shi+eld again,” Messner said, with an air of weighing the matter judicially While he did not amount to much, it is true - that is, physically - I'd hardly say he was as bad as all that He did take an active interest in student athletics And he had soht him quite a bit of local appreciation I have heard, also, that he was slated for the head of the English departned and went away It quite broke his career, or so it seemed At any rate, on our side the shi+eld, it was considered a knock-out blow to hireat deal for his wife”
Haythorne, finishi+ng his hted his pipe
”It was fortunate they had no children,” Messner continued
But Haythorne, with a glance at the stove, pulled on his cap and et some wood,” he said ”Then I can take off my moccasins and he co minute there was silence The man continued in the sa hi to do?” she asked abruptly
Messner looked at her with lazy indecision ”What do you think I ought to do? Nothing scenic, I hope You see I am stiff and trail-sore, and this bunk is so restful”
She gnawed her lower lip and fuan vehemently, then clenched her hands and stopped
”I hope you don't want ently, al, and, I assure you, really it is unnecessary”
”But you ,” she cried
”On the contrary, it is quite conceivable that I do not have to do anything”
”You would stay here?”
He nodded
She glanced desperately around the cabin and at the bed unrolled on the other bunk ”Night is co on You can't stop here You can't! I tell you, you siht reuests”
Again her eyes travelled around the rooht of the other bunk
”Then we'll have to go,” she announced decisively
”Ih - the sort Mr - er - Haythorne so aptly described You've already slightly chilled your lungs Besides, he is a physician and knows He would never per to do?” she deain, with a tense, quiet utterance that boded an outbreak
Messner regarded her in a way that was almost paternal, what of the profundity of pity and patience hich he contrived to suffuse it
”My dear Theresa, as I told you before, I don't know I really haven't thought about it”
”Oh! You driveher hands in impotent wrath ”You never used to be this way”
”I used to be all softness and gentleness,” he nodded concurrence ”Was that why you left htenterrible planned all the while But whatever you do, don't do anything rash Don't get excited - ”
”I don't get excited any more,” he interrupted ”Not since you went away”
”You have improved - re about what I shall do, I'll tell you what you will have to do - tell Mr - er - Haythorne who I am It may make our stay in this cabin more - may I say, sociable?”
”Why have you followed htful country?” she asked irrelevantly
”Don't think I ca for you, Theresa Your vanity shall not be tickled by any suchis wholly fortuitous I broke with the life acadeo somewhere To be honest, I caht it the place you were least liable to be in”
There was a fu in and Haythorne entered with an aran casually to clear away the dishes Haythorne went out again after more wood
”Why didn't you introduce us?” Messner queried
”I'll tell him,” she replied, with a toss of her head ”Don't think I'm afraid”
”I never knew you to be afraid, very ”
”And I' face and voice
”In your case, I fear, confession is exploitation by indirection, profit-randizement at the expense of God”
”Don't be literary,” she pouted, with growing tenderness ”I never did like epigraive ive, Theresa I really should thank you True, at first I suffered; and then, with all the graciousness of spring, it dawned upondiscovery”
”But what if I should return to you?” she asked
”I should” (he looked at her whireatly perturbed”
”I aot a divorce”
”I see,” he meditated ”I have been careless It will be one of the first things I attend to”
She ca her hand on his ar, her hand rested like a lure ”If I told you I had made a mistake? If I told you that I was very unhappy? - and I arow on Messner He felt hihtly laid hand The situation was slipping away fro She looked at hi He felt hie of an abyss, powerless to withstand the force that was drawing hi back to-daynow”
As in a nightmare, he strove under the hand While she talked, he see of the Lorelei It was as though, soing on his ear-dru to his feet, thrust her from him as her arms attempted to clasp him, and retreated backward to the door He was in a panic
”I'll do soet excited” She laughedthe dishes ”nobody wants you I was just playing with you I am happier where I am”
But Messner did not believe He reed front now It was exploitation by indirection She was not happy with the other o flared up at the thought She wanted to co he did not want Unwittingly, his hand rattled the door-latch
”Don't run away,” she laughed ”I won't bite you”