“Oh, yes; off and on. That fact proves how unimportant they are.”
Kathryn was again taking stock.
She believed that Brace was still at that place from which 130 the letter came! She was fiendishly subject to impressions and suspicions.
“Now if he is still there”––thoughts ran like liquid fire in Kathryn’s brain––“why does he stay? It isn’t far.” She had made sure of that by road maps when the letter first came. “I could motor out there and see!” The liquid fire brought colour to the girl’s face.
She was dramatic, too, she could always see herself playing the leading parts in emotional situations. Just now, like more flashes of lightning, disclosing vivid scenes, she saw herself, prostrated by fear and anxiety for Helen Northrup, finding Brace, confiding in him because she dared not take the chances of silence and dared not disobey and go to Doctor Manly.
Brace would be fear-filled and remorseful, would see at last how she, Kathryn, had his interests in mind. He would cling to her. Sitting close by the couch, her face pressed to Helen Northrup’s shoulder, Kathryn contemplated the alluring and passionate scenes. Brace had always lacked passion. She had always to hold Arnold virtuously in check, but Brace was able to control himself. But––and here the vivid pictures reeled on, familiarity had dulled things, long engagements were flattening––Brace would at last see her as she was. She’d forgive anything that might have happened––of course, anything might have happened––she, a woman of the world, understood.
And––Kathryn was brought to a sudden halt––the reel spun on but there was no picture!
Suppose, after all, there was nothing really to be frightened about in these attacks? Well, that would be found out after Brace had been brought home and might enhance rather than detract from––her divine devotion.
Presently Kathryn became aware of the fact that Helen Northrup had been speaking while the reel reeled!
“And then that escapade of his when he was only seven.” Helen patted the golden head beside her while her thoughts were back with her boy. “He was walking with me when suddenly he looked up; his poor little face was all twisted! 131 He just said rather impishly, ‘I’m going! I am really!’ and he went! I was, naturally, frightened, and ran after him––then, when I caught sight of him, a long way ahead, I stopped and waited. When he thought I was not following, he waded right out into a puddle; he even had a scrappy fight with a bigger boy who contested his right to invade the puddle. It was so absurd. Kathryn, I actually went home; I felt sure Brace would find his way back and he did. I was nearly wild with anxiety, but I waited. He came back disgustingly dirty, but hilariously happy. He expected punishment. When none was meted out to him––he told me all about it––it seemed flat enough when he saw how I took it. Why, I never even mentioned the mud on him. He was disappointed, but I think he understood more than I realized. When he went to bed that night, he begged my pardon!”