STARS
At lunch one warm Wednesday, Don suggested to Miss Winthrop that after
the close of business they take a car for the beach instead of going
to their respective homes.
"We can go down there, have our supper, and then get out of the crowd
and smell the ocean awhile," he said.
He had a knack for putting in a most reasonable light anything he
wished to do. It was a feature of his selling gift, and she recognized
it as such.
"What do you say?" he pressed her.
She blushed at her own hesitancy.
"Oh, I'll go," she answered.
The incident remained uppermost in her thoughts all the rest of the
afternoon. If she had known about this excursion the day before, she
would have put on a different shirt-waist. She had a new silk waist
which was very pretty and which she had meant to wear next Sunday.
He met her at the Elevated station, but it was she who had to direct
him to the proper trolley for Coney, or they might have landed
anywhere along the Sound.
Stopping only long enough to buy an ice for supper and a bag of
peanuts, they sought the beach. He threw himself down full length on
the sand, and she sat with her hands clasped over her knees. The salt
air swept her cheeks and cooled them, and the waves before her ran up
the beach in play and song. This was certainly a decided improvement
over such a night in her room.
"See those stars!" he exclaimed, as if this were the first time he had
ever seen them.
She lifted her eyes and looked at them.
"I often look at them," she said.
Then she laughed gently to herself.
"Do you know what I do when I'm silly enough to want jewels?" she
asked.
"What?"
"I take a look at those stars, and then I don't want jewels any
more."
"A man could give away diamonds by the handful if women would take
that kind," he exclaimed. "See that big fellow up there?" He pointed
it out, and she nodded.
"I'll give you that one," he offered.
She laughed lightly--confidently.
"But I don't have to come to you or to any one," she reminded him. "I
can just give it to myself."
"That isn't quite the same thing, is it?"
No, it was not quite the same thing. She knew it. But she was not
telling all she knew.
"It's a wonder to me you've never married," he said.
She caught her breath. She had come to look for unexpected remarks
from him, but this was a trifle more unexpected than usual. She tried
to laugh as she usually did, but she could not laugh.
"I suppose you've figured out that, with all your free diamonds,
you're better off as you are," he suggested.
She did not answer.
"Is that the way of it?" he persisted.
She tried to make her voice natural, but there was a tightening in her
throat.
"I haven't done much figuring of any kind along that line," she said.
He was looking out to sea.
"I don't know but what both men and women are better off unmarried,"
he said.
"They aren't," she answered.
It was some one within her rather than she herself who spoke. He
turned to look at her, but her eyes were out at sea.
"You mean that?" he said.
"I mean it," she answered.
"Even if a man hasn't much money?"
She turned her eyes again to the sky.
"What has money to do with the stars?" she asked.
"Do you think a man in my position has any right to ask a woman to
marry him?"
"What has your position to do with it?" she asked.
"It has a lot if the woman wants five times what I'm earning," he
answered.
She gave a little startled cry. The stars swam before her.
"Oh!" she gasped. "You mean--you mean you're thinking of some one
like--like that?"
"Yes," he answered.
He had a vague notion this was not the sort of thing one ordinarily
discussed with another woman. But Miss Winthrop was different from
other women: she had both experience and common sense.
"I asked her to marry me a year ago," he said.
The stars were still swimming before her.
"And--and she said--?"
"She said she thought I ought to wait until I was earning ten
thousand."
"And that's the reason you--you wanted the ten thousand?"
"Yes. You didn't think I wanted it for myself, did you?"
"I didn't know," she answered.
It was like a load removed from his shoulders. He breathed freer.
"You're the most sensible woman I ever met, and I thought you could
help me."
She hated that word sensible now, though when Mr. Seagraves had used
it to her it had seemed like a compliment.
"You see, I had plenty of money when we were first engaged, and so it
didn't make any difference, even if she had plenty too. Then, when Dad
tied up my share, why, it made things different. We talked it over and
decided that ten thousand was about right; but--well, I didn't think
it would take so long to get it."
"Where is--where is she now?" Miss Winthrop demanded.
"She went abroad in June to stay until September."
"And left you here?"
"Of course. I couldn't go."
"And left you here?" she repeated.
"That's what you get for being in business," he explained. "We had
planned to go together--on our honeymoon."
The air was getting chill. She shivered.
"Aren't you warm enough?" he asked.
He started to remove his jacket to throw over her shoulders, but she
objected.
"I'm all right."
"Better put it on."
"No; I don't want it."
They were silent a moment, and then she said, almost complainingly:--
"As long as you couldn't go, why didn't she stay here with you?"
The question startled him.
"In town?" he exclaimed.
"Why didn't she stay here and look after you?"
"Why, she couldn't do that when she was going abroad."
"Then she had no business to go abroad," she answered fiercely.
"Now, look here," he put in. "We aren't married, you know. We're only
engaged."
"But _why_ aren't you married?"
"We couldn't afford it."
"That isn't true. You could afford it on half what you're earning."
He shook his head. "You don't know."
"She should have married you, and if she wanted more she should have
stayed and helped you get more."
"And helped?" he exclaimed.
She was looking up at the stars again. They were getting steadier.
"It's the only way a woman can show--she cares."
Then she rose. She was shivering again.
"I think we'd better go now."
"But we haven't been here a half-hour," he protested.
"We've been here quite a long while," she answered. "Please, I want to
go home now."