Show M liar Marg rgaret aret Garrett s t m-C m Husband mCHusband J By JANE JANC AO a t. t CHAPTER 61 61 Numerous Excuses Bobs Bob's business had been very prosperous prosperous prosperous pros pros- and I could not understand why he wanted want d to branch out go Into something something something some some- some some- thing of f which he knew w nothing nothing or or of Which I thought he knew nothing We Westill Westill still sUIl lived In the tho same apartment we had taken when first married but Bob constantly talked of buying a a. ahome home home home-a. a suburban home The city Is no place to raise ralso two boys he would say when we discussed discussed discussed dis dis- dis- dis cussed the subject They will soon bo be old eno enough gh to romp and play piny and a aboy aboy boy who Is cheated of the country misses so much Often he ho seemed boyishly eager when talking of a country home and finally I began to look upon the Idea with more favor than I did when he first suggested it Just think Margaret l ho enthused we could have a tennis court and If we couldn't have links of our own we could locate near some club where I could play occasionally Then It would be bo nice for you I looked up quickly Bobs Bob's tone had been elaborately casual It was the tho first time he had hinted that I too might like a a. home homo outside of 01 New NewYork York Before it always had b been cn the boys he had considered Bob was out a great deal at this time b but t he always had an excuse one I s suppose he considered adequate But often I was far from satisfied and as he talked of a a. country homo home homeI I wondered red 1 If he would be with me more than he was in town I hated to leave father and mother and I hardly knew what I should do without t Elsie Scarcely a day passed that I didn't see her and her chatter anent her children I her advice and assistance when I wanted to go shopping had become become become be be- come almost necessary to me If Bob had wanted to buy on on Long Island I should not have hesitated so long but buthe h he had seen a house over in Jersey that he claimed Just suited him and which he could get very cheaply as the man who owned it was pressed for money Why do you say it would be nice nicefor nicefor nicefor for me I Masked asked I am not very keen about It it 1 Well you see Margaret you are not particularly happy nowadays Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps Per Per- haps you do not realize how much fault you find how much you you you-I I hate to say it nag It-nag nag me Then too you dont don't like my friends and you practically practically have no society save your youn mother and Elsie There might be people In a smaller smaller- place who would share your social tastes and whom you might find congenial That was what I m meant ant when I said it might be nice nicefor nicefor nicefor for you A few days later he spoke of It again You seem very anxious I rejoined The boys are too small to consider seriously in our plans Dont be sarcastic Margaret It will willbe willbe be healthier for them The air is better better better bet bet- ter and I want them to grow up sturdy little fellows not weaklings and his face showed the pride in his boys he always had felt Perhaps I said doubtfully But theres there's no hurry and I dismissed the subject by asking him to come home I early to dinner as father and mother were to be with usIm usIm usIm us Im sorry Margaret but I have an engagement t. t What kind of an engagement A business engagement One that cannot be put of off I II I never break my engagements as as' as you should know by this time It seems that your excuses to stay out are be becoming oming very numerous If It I were like some men I should make no excuses Where are you going I asked a ked al although although al- al I aI-I though I knew how he hated to be I questioned Down Dow town he replied and that tha that I. I was all he would say I tried to make mak him see that his toward m me was wrong that I had bad a right to 0 know all about where he went and what h he did But he either paid no slightest I attention or answered me mo Impatiently giving me no information Ho He would not discuss his affairs with me at this time refused t to give me his confidence He was nearly nearly nearly near near- ly always courteous as thoughtful o ot of my comfort as ever but he was in indescribably indescribably indescribably in- in remote He appeared t to listen to me yet I knew ho hI was no not conscious of what I was saying I It seemed as if a wall had been reared between us and as far as mutual confidence confidenCe con con- went we were living on opposite opposite opposite site sides of it I talked to him constantly constantly constantly con con- of ot it It I realize now that I mus must have worn him out with my importunities ties But I did realize very keenly that something was wrong even eve I though I could not grasp what it wa was Some way it seemed as if it Bob n no longer loved lo me me-he me he no longer made mad love to me seldom kissed m me unless I asked him him and and that he grasped a at every excuse to absent himself from home Time and time again I accuse accused him of not loving me any more but h he always put me mo off and tried to smooth things over I was nervous irritable and questioned questioned ques ques- his every move When I begged begge for his love and hung upon his neck weeping he ho would become impatient oftentimes though I could see he tried to restrain himself and accuse me o ot of making his h home Ine unbearable because of my nagging him all the time Ume to love lov I me CHAPTER 62 Bobs Bob's Theory If It you you want me to love lo you yo you must be be lovable Bob would sometimes some some- times limes say to me wb when n I tested his patience pa pa- tience e I am sure I am as lovable as mos most women I would reply never once one thinking that there were swee sweet 1 companionable women to whom I might be compared to my disa disadvantage van van-i tage As we were marri married ed it wa was was was' Bobs Bob's DUTY to love me and I demanded de dem demanded de- de m that he do that duty never neve giving thought to the idea that it isn isn't always easy to compel against tion tionA A dozen times that winter he asked me to accompany him to studio and an another other th r affairs but as often I refused And I always urged him to stay a ahome at home with me pleading for his love and the consideration I desired As I look back I wonder at my colossal colossa selfishness I demanded all and what wha did I give either of comfort or companionship com com- n I III In spite of ot my objections Bob often ofte would spend the evening with John Joh Kendall either at his studio or In ou our library usually library usually with the door closet closed Often pUen as was the case when Bob re returned returned returned re- re turned from his Western Vestern trip I would woul hear floating bits of ot conversation o or entire sentences connected with th the publishing business in which Bob ha had confessed he had a share Always 1 it fretted and annoyed me and after John had gone I would disparage him an and Bobs Bob's other friends I thought them frivolous unstable men and women simply because their ideas and habits habit were different from mine We Ve went out together very little that tha winter but there was no feeling o ot of cosy companionship when we were alone Bob would look through the magazines or pore over the newspapers newspapers newspapers pers until I would impatiently insist that he talk to me when he would ask What do you want to talk about Start any subject that interests you and I 1 will endeavor to keep up my end You never like to talk about things in which I am Interested As one can imagine such a reply did 0 not increase my good nature and often orten I would burst into tears and rush away to my room I would throw myself myself myself my my- self on on my bed beil and wait walt for tor Bob to come como and beg me mo not to cry Sometimes Sometimes Some Some- SOme SOme-I times ho no came sometimes came sometimes he did not If It I didn't do that I would talk of Della Delia her faults and her good points or I would tell him of the childish tantrums the boys had Indulged to when they couldn't havo have their own way Bob was as much or more interested in his boys than are most fathers but butt butas buttas as ns averse to hearing of their little pec pec- cadillos He planned their future futuro what he ho would do for them but at the present they were mere babies and were not intensely interesting subjects of conversation to a a. tired business businessman J man an Bob had made two trips to Chicago One Just after atter the holidays the other in March He had not asked me to go n neither had I proposed it as on both occasions John Kendall accompanied him He had not remained away for forlong forlong forlong long not either time Four or five days But I considered myself terribly abused and was at no pains to conceal my feelings Each time he brought both me and the boys a a. gift but I cared nothing for his gifts I wanted him himAs As spring came camo he ho agrain broached I the subject of a house In the country He Ho spoke of it one night when We wo had Elsie and Tom in for bridge I am strongly tempted to buy that house I told you of ot Tom he said In a pause pauO of the game but after atter a a. few words he let the subject drop as no noone noone noone one sided with himA him A few days later he spoke of ot it again At first I argued against it it especially after he had repeated that he thought it would be bo nice for me He claimed that I was not reasonable that he was thinking and planning for the comfort of the entire family I do hot not yet know why I objected so strongly I I. I of course would have havo been better contented had he spoken of buying near father and mother Finally Final Final- ly one Saturday afternoon Bob took Tom and tind Elsie and me over to Jersey to look at the house When I saw it nestling at the he foothills a lovely lake shimmering in the distance my opposition opposition opposition vanished It was really a charming charm charm- ing place and a woman would have been hard to please if not suited with it as a home Bob was like a boy in his glee and he continually repeated I knew you would like it once you saw It it You couldn't help it it Tom and Elsie were ere Very enthusiastic tic and it was settled before we re returned returned returned re- re turned that 1 if the owner had not changed his mind abo about t selling Bob would buy and We would move immediately imme imme- You can have your mother here for tor forthe forthe the summer father too Bob had said when I ag again in regretted d the distance from them Theres room enough for all of us Ive I've already invited Tom and Elsie Elsie conditionally Better mean it for Im I'm coming 1 Elsie laughed Me too Tom echoed the laugh Consider it settled then Bob exclaimed ex exclaimed exclaimed ex- ex claimed and amid much mirth and laughter we returned to the city Had I known even dreamed the change about to come In my life I never should have given my consent con con- sent Continued Monday I I |