Poetry -- 20th century -- Periodicals; Short stories -- Periodicals
Everyone looked on with admiration, but particularly one to whom the
sight of him in the familiarity of shirt sleeves brought back the past
with even more moving and electrifying vividness. How many a time had
that same splendid arm been about her, and how often had she pillowed
her head in its bend!
“A fine development,” said Dr. Webb, appreciatively. He then took out
his point, and with a deft touch injected the virus, while Dick looked
on, smoking an Egyptian cigarette.
Emboldened by his example, Katherine insisted upon submitting next,
and, reclining on a gilded couch, she bravely held out her lovely
left arm. It was clear the doctor was quite as appreciative of its
perfection as he had been of the one before it, though he forbore any
comment. The scraping produced a faintness, and her eyes sought Dick’s
pleadingly. In a flash he was at her side, and supporting her head
against his shoulder, where it rested until the doctor had drawn a drop
of crimson to the ivory surface. A glass of water was brought, and she
quickly recovered.
The guests after that began submitting in turn, with more or less
merriment in the matter, until one Mrs. St. Cyr Smith cast discredit
upon the party by refusing to be vaccinated on the arm.
Discussion arose on every side, and under cover of it Dick sought
Katherine.
“Come,” he begged, not feeling at all interested in the location of
Mrs. St. Cyr Smith’s vaccination. “I did not finish what I had to say
before dinner;” and, gently shielding her newly scratched arm, he led
her back to the curtained recess.
Katherine let him guide her where he would, as completely under his
spell as in the first days of his magnetic attraction.
“You were so brave,” she murmured, “and so handsome!”
He drew the curtains before he answered.
“Then you _do_ cherish some little memory of the old days?” he asked,
with indescribable persuasion. “You have not forgotten? Yet you tired
of me, Katherine; cast me off like a worn glove. Oh, but you were cruel
to the man you swore to love and honor!”
She tried to look him in the face, but her eyes fell before the
passionate reproach of his.
“Dick,” she managed to gasp, “don’t blame it all on me. You forget how
soon you tired of me.”
“I tire of you!” he cried. “Never, Katherine.” He knelt on the window
seat, speaking in words that came warm and panting from his lips to her
shoulder. “It isn’t possible you ever imagined such a thing? I love
you now--to-night--this minute--as I have loved you always, and as it
is given to man to love but once in a lifetime. I never so appreciated
your beauty, never so longed for the privilege of owning it. Oh,
beautifulest”--the name he had given her in the happiest days of the
courtship--“I want you, want you, want you! You are the very breath of
me, and unless I can have you back, I swear to put an end to myself!”
His arm found her waist as it had in the old days, and before she was
aware, he had her close against him and was kissing her.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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