“Shall I drive awhile in the night air?”
asked Henderson.
She nodded. He instructed the chauffeur.
She raised her head in a few seconds. “Hart,
I’m going to pieces,” she said. “Won’t
you put your arm around me a little while?”
Henderson gathered her into his arms and her head
fell on his shoulder.
“Closer!” she cried.
Henderson held her until his arms were numb, but he
did not know it. The tricks of fate are cruel
enough, but there scarcely could have been a worse
one than that: To care for a woman as he loved
Edith Carr and have her given into his arms because
she was so numb with misery over her trouble with
another man that she did not know or care what she
did. Dawn was streaking the east when he spoke
to her.
“Edith, it is growing light.”
“Take me home,” she said.
Henderson helped her up the steps and rang the bell.
“Miss Carr is ill,” he said to the footman.
“Arouse her maid instantly, and have her prepare
something hot as quickly as possible.”
“Edith,” he cried, “just a word.
I have been thinking. It isn’t too late
yet. Take your ring and put it on. I will
go find Phil at once and tell him you have, that you
are expecting him, and he will come.”
“Think what he said!” she cried.
“He accepted my decision as final, ’in
the presence of witnesses,’ as if it were court.
He can return it to me, if I ever wear it again.”
“You think that now, but in a few days you will
find that you feel very differently. Living a
life of heartache is no joke, and no job for a woman.
Put on your ring and send me to tell him to come.”
“No.”
“Edith, there was not a soul who saw that, but
sympathized with Phil. It was ridiculous for
you to get so angry over a thing which was never intended
for the slightest offence, and by no logical reasoning
could have been so considered.”
“Do you think that?” she demanded.
“I do!” said Henderson. “If
you had laughed and stepped aside an instant, or laughed
and stayed where you were, Phil would have been back;
or, if he needed punishment in your eyes, to have found
me having one of his dances would have been enough.
I was waiting. You could have called me with
one look. But to publicly do and say what you
did, my lady—I know Phil, and I know you
went too far. Put on that ring, and send him
word you are sorry, before it is too late.”
“I will not! He shall come to me.”
“Then God help you!” said Henderson, “for
you are plunging into misery whose depth you do not
dream. Edith, I beg of you——”
She swayed where she stood. Her maid opened the
door and caught her. Henderson went down the
hall and out to his car.
WHEREIN THE ELDER AMMON OFFERS ADVICE, AND EDITH CARR EXPERIENCES
REGRETS
