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。 She'll never leave that place。 Never。 I can't tell you how much I love her； Josie。 I miss her so damned much。 Every since that night； I I I can't stand 〃
She placed a hand over his and said； 〃I'm sorry； David。 I understand； I'm glad you told me。〃
In some strange way； the incident served to bring them even closer together。 They discussed things they had never talked about before。 David smiled when Josephine told him about her mother's religious fanaticism。
〃I had an uncle like that once；〃 he said。 〃He went off to some monastery in Tibet。〃
〃I'm going to be twenty…four next month；〃 David told Josephine one day。 〃It's an old family tradition that the Kenyon men marry by the time they're twenty…four；〃 and her heart leaped within her。 The following evening； David had tickets for a play at the Globe Theatre。 When he came to pick Josephine up； he said；
〃Let's forget the play。 We're going to talk about our future。〃
The moment Josephine heard the words； she knew that everything she had prayed for was ing true。 She could read it in David's eyes。 They were filled with love and wanting。 She said；
〃Let's drive out to Dewey Lake。〃 She wanted it to be the most romantic proposal ever made； so that one day it would bee a tale that she would tell her children； over and over。 She wanted to remember every moment of this night。 Dewey Lake was a small body of water about forty miles outside of Odessa。 The night was beautiful and star…spangled； with a soft； waxing gibbous moon。 The stars danced on the water； and the air was filled with the mysterious sounds of a world； a microcosm of the universe； where millions of unseen creatures made love and were preyed soon and died。
Josephine and David sat in the car； silent； listening to the sounds of the night。 Josephine watched him； sitting behind the wheel of the car； his handsome face intense and ferious。 She had never loved him as much as she loved him at that moment。 She wanted to do something wonderful for him； to give him something to let him know how much she flared for him。 And suddenly she knew what she was going to do。
〃Let's go for a swim； David；〃 she said。
〃We didn't bring bathing suits。〃
'It doesn't matter。〃
He turned to look at her and started to speak； but Josephine was out of the car； running down to the shore of the lake。 As she started to undress she could hear him moving behind her。 She plunged into the warm water。 A moment after David was beside her。
〃Josie。。。〃
She turned toward him； then into him； her body hurting with wanting； hungry for him。 They embraced in the water and she could feel the male hardness of him pressed against her； and he said；
〃We can't。 Josie。〃
His voice was choked with his desire for her。 She reached down for him and said；
〃Yes。 Oh； yes； David。〃
They were back on the shore and he was on top of her and inside her and one with her and they were both a part of the stars and the earth and the velvet night。 They lay together a long time； holding each other。 It ras not until much later； after David had dropped her off at home； that Josephine remembered that he had not proposed to her。 But it no longer mattered。 What they had bared together was more binding than any marriage ceremony。 He would propose tomorrow。
Josephine slept until noon the next day。 She woke up with a smile on her face。 The smile was still there when her mother came into the bedroom carrying a lovely old wedding dress。 〃Go down to Brubaker's and get me twelve yards of tulle right away。 Mrs。 Topping just brought me her wedding dress。 I have to make it over for Cissy by Saturday。 She and David Kenyon are getting married。〃
David Kenyon had gone to see his mother as soon as he drove Josephine home。 She was in bed； a tiny； frail woman who had once been very beautiful。 His mother opened her eyes when David walked into her dimly lit bedroom。 She smiled when she saw who it was。
〃Hello； son。 You're up late。〃
〃I was out with Josephine； Mother。〃
She said nothing； just watching him with her intelligent gray eyes。
〃I'm going to marry her；〃 David said。 She shook her head slowly。
〃I can't let you make a mistake like that； David。〃
〃You don't really know Josephine。 She's 〃
〃I'm sure she's a lovely girl。 But she's not suitable to be a Kenyon wife。 Cissy Topping would make you happy。 And if you married her； it would make me happy。〃
He took her frail hand in his and said； 〃I love you very much； Mother； but I'm capable of making my own decisions。〃
〃Are you really？〃 she asked softly。 〃Do you always do the right thing？〃
He stared at her and she said；
〃Can you always be trusted to act properly； David？ Not to lose your head？ Not to do terrible 〃
He snatched his hand away。
〃Do you always know what you're doing； son？〃 Her voice was even softer now。
〃Mother； for God's sake！〃
〃You've done enough to this family already； David。 Don't burden me any further。 I don't think I could bear it。〃
His face was white。
〃You know I didn't I couldn't help〃
〃You're too old to send away again。 You're a man now。 I want you to act like one。〃
His voice was anguished。 〃I I love her 〃
She was seized with a spasm； and David summoned the doctor。 Later； he and the doctor had a talk。
〃I'm afraid your mother hasn't much longer； David。〃
And so the decision was made for him。 He went to see Cissy Topping。
〃I'm in love with someone else；〃 David said。 〃My mother always thought that you and I 〃
〃So did I； darling。〃
〃I know it's a terrible thing to ask； but would you be killing to marry me until until my mother dies； and then live me a divorce？〃
Cissy looked at him and said softly； 〃If that's what you want； David。〃
He felt as though an unbearable weight had been lifted from his shoulders。
〃Thank you。 Cissy； I can't tell you how much〃
She smiled and said； 〃What are old friends for？〃
The moment David left。 Cissy Topping telephoned David's mother。 All she said was； 〃It's all arranged。〃
The one thing David Kenyon had not anticipated was that Josephine would hear about the forthing marriage before he could explain everything to her。 When David arrived at Josephine's home； he was met at the door by Mrs。 Czinsky。
〃I'd like to see Josephine；〃 he said。 She glared at him with eyes filled with malicious triumph。
〃The Lord Jesus shall overe and smite down His enemies； and the wicked shall be damned forever。〃
David said patiently； 〃I want to talk to Josephine。〃
〃She's gone；〃 Mrs。 Czinsld said。 〃She's gone away！〃
The dusty Greyhound Odessa…El Paso…San Bemardino…Los Angeles bus pulled into the Hollywood depot on Vine Street at seven a。m。； and somewhere during the fifteen…hundred…mile； two…day journey； Josephine Czinski had bee Jill Castle。 Outwardly； she looked like the same person。 It was inside that she had changed。 Something in her was gone。 The laughter had died。 The moment she had heard the news； Josephine knew that she must escape。 She began to mindlessly throw her clothes into a suitcase。 She had no idea where she was going or what she would do when she got there。 She only knew that she had to get away from this place at once。 It was when sh