...
Before Penny Crain, very pale and quiet, could sink into the chair she
was groping toward, Ralph Hammond was at her side, one arm going out to
encircle her shoulders.
"Don't look like that, Penny!" Dundee heard him plead, his voice
suddenly humble. "You've every right to be sore at me, honey, but please
don't be. I know I've been an awful cad these last few weeks, but I'm
myself again. I'm cured now, Penny--"
"Wait, Ralph!" Penny protested faintly, holding back as he would have
hugged her hard against his breast. "What about--Nita?"
Dundee saw the young man's face go darkly red, but heard him answer
almost steadily: "I hoped you'd understand without making me put it into
words, honey.... I'm cured of--Nita. I can't express it any other way
except to say I was sick, and now I'm cured--"
"You mean--" Penny faltered, but with a swift, imploring glance toward
Dundee, "--you don't love Nita any more? You can't deny you were
terribly in love with her, Ralph. Lois told us--told _me_ last night
that Nita had told her in strictest confidence that she had promised to
marry you, just Thursday night--"
The boy's face was very pale as he dropped his hands from Penny's
shoulders, but Dundee, from behind the portieres, was not troubling to
spy for the moment.
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