Christine of the Young Heart; A Novel

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1920. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XX CHRISTINE DRIVES DR. DENTON'S CAR A letter from Cort lay on her dressing-table when Christine wearily crept into her room late that afternoon. Without an instant's hesitation she thrust it unopened into her desk-drawer and turned the key. That chapter in her life was closed, she told herself grimly. But her thoughts were busy with that closed chapter of her life and the events of the afternoon so curiously interwoven with it, when she wandered into the garden in the cool of the evening. The Professor and Jennie had taken to each other at first sight. Her lips curved into a tenderly mirthful smile at the memory of the Professor's exuberant joy over the quickly-made arrangements, and Jennie's parting words, I'm your slave for life, you brown-eyed angel, kept running through her head like the refrain of a song. The night was vivid, starry, lit by a moon which was riding like a golden galleon in a heavy sea, and the air was still as a held breath. She was suddenly swept into a realization of the ecstasy and beauty of life that was throbbing all about her, and she felt as if the whole world were moving to a rhythm. And because it was a night for romance, she fell a-dreaming, and her dreams held her, with shining eyes, and caught breath, and teeth denting her lower lip. Then in imagination she grew bolder. Fancy created the loved one's form. They walked close together in the garden paths, gazed deep in each other's eyes and held sweet converse. She heard footfalls, and, turning, saw Freddy Blue coming towards her over the moon-silvered grass. Why didn't you tell me you were coming? Christine reproached her. I'd have gone halfway to meet you. I decided on the spur of the moment. There was a queer tenseness to her voice. After a moment of ut...