Brent went to her. "Glad to see me?" he asked.
"Why not?"
"I am glad to see you." He bent over her. "More than glad."
"Really?"
He sat beside her: "Ethel," he whispered intensely: "I am at the
Cross-roads."
"Oh?" commented Ethel, without any interest.
"It came last night."
"Did it?"
"This is the end--between Sybil and myself."
"Is it?"
"Yes--the end. It's been horrible from the first--horrible. There's
not a word of mine--not an action--she doesn't misunderstand."
"How boring," said Ethel blandly.
"She would see harm even in THIS!"
"Why?"
"She'd think I was here to--to--" he stopped.
"What?" innocently inquired Ethel.
"Make love to you," and he looked earnestly into her eyes.
She met his look quite frankly and astonished him with the question:
"Well? Aren't you?"
He rose anxiously: "Ethel!"
"Don't you always?" persisted Ethel.
"Has it seemed like that to you?"
"Yes," she answered candidly. "By insinuation: never
straightforwardly."
"Has it offended you?"
"Then you admit it?"
"Oh," he cried passionately, "I wish I had the right to--to--" again
he wavered.
"Yes?" and Ethel looked straight at him.
"Make love to you straightforwardly." He felt the supreme moment had
almost arrived.
Pages:
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169