Show ak ld JL WIFE 4 by KATHLEEN NORRIS CorT cortright TIght bv Kath kathleen leet non CHAPTER IX continued 12 so I 1 thought tills this was my chance to pity pay a little attention to mrs mm pepper we were going to have tier her over to the house tom ou know arid and we never did and lindsay lendsay was jhc thc re I 1 thought be lind had gone cone to washington but he was there and lie had to nanke make art an early start for town tills this morning to so it all fitted in thus lillian readily anil and innocent innocently y gibbs apparently indifferent to the conversation was squinting at his canvas rubbing the wet paint with a tentative linger finger the old man stood at the he picture too with un acing seeing eyes lie ile was heartsick at finding himself his years mid and I 1 his dignity arced forced into a hideous role lie knew now that he was being deceived debeh pd if not in actual fact in the underlying motive so BO much more important than the fact ile he knew what simplicity and ingenuousness from lillian meant and standing there in the pleasant winter brightness of the lie studio with the fire snapping pally gaily behind him and his bis tafe s soft hand ban on ills his arm his heart burned with ringer and shame ellen had bad not spoken at all she stood like a bomal of wood beside the fire marle the little janitors wife hobbling bobbling lit in piped a query as to whether heftier cadaine Ma daine gebbs would have some coffee too loo ellen gate gae tier her a dumb shake of the head for negative site she was afraid slie she was going to faint she felt broken dazed struck to the heart it was all a bad dream so pleasantly talkative tal kathe gibbs scowling at ills his work her father in I 1 saw aw gallantly struggling to regain his composure after the sudden revulsion of feeling and herself silent sick helpless fool that she had been to think that she carld convict them what was vas the site to gain even supposing the worst to tip ile true and herself successful in forcing them to confess it nad had the painter with his clever bronzed face and his mop of sliver silver hair ever been ans anything thing to her except a cruel and alien figure had she ever rested her mack black head against that loosely hanging banging linen linan smock and felt the delicious strength of that big arm am about herl her lie was angry now she said bald to her telf self but it did not seem important it was too late tor for anger of his to concern her like a scene in a play torrens ar blied ile he came upstairs to say that he be had just brought the car from great neck keck ile he was full of the accident concerned conn mod to know how gibbs had managed the small car roads Is filled with cars care mr josselin Joss eliu u you attempt to get out to wheatley hills lost last night I 1 never seen the roads so bad mr pepper managed to get through tills morning lillian said tier her husbard husband turned to the chauffeur with directions ions gibbs somewhat bat awkwardly sauntered over to stand beside his 11 ta 14 I 1 V at he was wag heartsick at finding himself Hin telf his years and his dignity forced into this hideous role rife T lac in all her own di distress stirs she felt fell a piang of pity fifty that gibbs should lit 1 asi shamed amed tind and embarrassed it must hate haie been a heavy snow lown there he offered olT ered she raised heavy eyes her voice was uns 11 fellas it was a stormy night and and I 1 1 had bad a toothache lillian joining them was all aln pathy it was vas arnin ged that ellen should hould go eo fit at once to her dentist and nn jos elyia senior might cals li ills hi I hy by tile ine studio ire fire abile the th second sitting sl KIn went on and you must be tremendously surprised alien you get the picture on your birthday I 1 lillian said playfully thus began becan the barce they still playing they lind had all come home torether in the car after a lanb at whon where more than one envious ou sider lder noticed the four our liand som Joese lyns laughing oehling ng and chatting to settler gibbs lad been fuu frill of con COA coin fur for his wife and had seen that she was comfortably tucked into bell bed when then she got home ile he had gotten tier her books magazines he be had find brought tommy in for good goodnights nights and talked cheerfully to his wife while he undressed the child by the fare and ellen watching him had been beca afraid that she would suddenly scream out and go mad ste she loved him so she lovid him so her big clever masterful gibbs site she had loved him since the hour they met and she ole could not him now she longed with unc unceasing ensIng hunger bunger gnawing at her heart to have him her own agillon to have hare his laughter his confidences his moods all for her ellen E ilen was not proud she had told him a thousand aind times thries in their happy years that her life and her being were ere hound bound up in him she could not change because he had changed tommys tommas prayers were said tommys tommas goodnight kiss given and all the while she knew she knew that gibbs was longing longing to get downstairs to meet lillian nn for one minute for just the necessary second that should reassure them both that should equip them for fresh play acting and she knew ho he was not happy that he never could be happy again in the old way nor in the new way either 1 As surely as tile the day would come when lillian would give herself to him and ellen said feverishly to herself that it might already have been so surely would the day come when he be would read that cold and cruel heart of her aright and would shudder away from it in utter titter sick ness of soul josselyn senior had find aged ten years in this week ills pride was pierced in a vital spot ile he had liked his position as elder in this houseful of brilliant young persons lie he had admired gibbs lillian and ellen in their separate spheres and had liked nothing so go much its as to make them happy to be the power that could indulge and please them untiringly now accepting their ready explanations in the same spirit that men did lie was awakened from the fools dream he saw himself an old man gulled and blinded put off with empty caresses ile he saw himself bringing untold suffering upon ellen by his sentimental ti dream of haeng the younger family beneath his rooftree he saw tier lier life ruined his boys life ruined his own old age dishonored of lillian lie he thought little tor for many years lie he had realized that whoever might pay for his second cifes delinquencies it would not be his second wife there was no punishing lillian her heart was like a mirror that could give back only a refleCt reflection Inn of her own charms and bet et of them all during this strange week it was lillian who was really enduring tile the severest mental discomfort for lillian discomfort of any sort was new and she tried a hundred times to writhe away from tier her apprehensive thoughts for although it had been perfectly true that lillian on the night of the storm had gotie gone to seek unexpected hospitality from old mrs pepper at great neck the fact she had successfully alii concealed from froin her husband was that mrs pepper at this time had bad been making a along long visit to her daughter in montreal lindsay pepper keeping keehln Z bachelor quarters with ills his japanese boy had find welcomed her find and lillian Lillin li resting and vi warming arming herself by his lire fire after tier her adventures had assured him gaily that hint he must find her a chaperon before dinnertime dinner time or somehow anyhow she must get back to tom and the VII IIno dell otto while ellen restless and suffering sulT cring had find been wandering about lie house it wheatley hills and while gibbs thinking perhaps of lillians coming in the morning had been dressing for hs his dull dinner at the club lahi tit in had been experiencing experienc ans her own uneasy uneasiness tto too Lind says devotion to tier she flie had blid never questioned que stoned it was one ine of tile the elements it in her life will which tier her fancy liked t to i lay but she real iced now that she bud ml never truly estimated m tinia ted its depth arl I its Is s power tie ae torm was in fury and rid the meals frien tift to eliom lir ds duly telephoning one after another anoll irr remarried regarded ills bit pay suggestion of getling rt together fd fir r a 9 plinty as 86 wing less thun than mail pi finally nally he had to lo ruce tier lier ruefully with the simple summary nothing doing 1 there was left them tile lie alternative out into tile the storm n of I 1 struggling lighting fighting their iv ay for more than limn it 11 hitter bitter mile to lo tile the station gett liaw into the city hv by eight clock then lien lillian an wet and blown blovin might still join tile party at the rhe clarn leaving to tn dine and amuse himself nit lemise a lils cincy pd and had find lillinn of fit the following the events fore foreseen morning mornine she would certainty certainly have adopted tills this course at any sacrifice but ills his house and ant kirtos dinner was already its dis bensing a delicious lit odor no one need ever know bat lilg ills mother lind had not aoi chaperoned mils arrain tile japanese wilt discretions left and 1111 inn rig af no girl to lie fluttered by a touch or of the unexpected more slie site begrin to tb enjoy the almost ci nollon ot of terrified terrin cil pleasure tile tie situation wor war full foil ot of theatis theatrical teal beauty and sli ile her bar self was the leading woman slie she borrowed a richly embroidered mandarin c coat 0 a t which pepper sometimes wore about the house and came downstairs a vision of marvelous marve loua beauty it was not only pleasantly exciting it was the easiest thing to do and lillian above all things loved ease and then hall had come the early trip into town for lindsay was leading for montreal to bring ills his mother home and lillian had io to keep tier her eng rage ment with gibbs lindsay was nas all devotion tills this attitude in fact wai the one element in the matter of which lillian had taken no account ile he alarmed tier her with the vehemence of his affection and made her nervous and uncertain she had supposed that lie he would leave tier her at the art studio hut but instead ile ho crime came upstairs ind and the two men talked together a few minutes I 1 during this time lillian experienced exquisite uneasiness gibbs showed a disconcerting familiarity with old mrs peppers movements when had she gotten back how biow did she find montreal 1 I know you knew old mrs pepper so well lillian said when lindsay was gone oil oh I 1 see tier her sometimes watching the tennis he answered carelessly now take your wraps off and ill have marle bring you in some gome coffee tier her big fur coat in ills his arms he caught up op tier her bare hand no ring he smiled for he was painting her in a dull green robe and the big jade ring she frequently wore was tin on excellent bit of color in the picture it if she had had bild the quickness to say that she had bad left it nt at home but lillian was not quick at best and just now she was tired onil and confused she had left it on the washstand in the bathroom next to mrs peppers room she remembered its exact position and she said that she would write mrs pepper at once and ask her to return it well run along and get into your rig gibbs said cut but when disappeared into the little models room and when marle had brought in the coffee and when he had loitered about waiting idly and still she did not come he picked up the telephone book As well to settle the matter quickly the delay of a few hours might moan mean that the ring was swept carelessly away and lost and so it was gibbs turn to have his castle of dreams fall about him in ashes when lillian came InnocentI 3 back from the model room enger eager for the exquisite hour they had both b been sen anticipating tor for days lie he saw for the first time the woman she really was your rings till all right he said presently 1 I telephoned the jap sald said hed found it her eyes eves flew to his face she saw what he knew and her color failed a little gibbs she said quickly and bre breatix atit lessly less ly you know liow how it happened I 1 wanted to lell fell you all about it anyway but Lind lendsay sity asked me ine not to you see it was storming horribly 7 beautiful eager in her green robe she poured out tile the story as she had arranged and adapted it in the night and slowly mixing the colors color ft on his palette not meeting her eyes gibbs listened there was a certain shade of yellow brown that would woul always speak to him film of tills this hideous moment with its blare of brassy truth aud and its taste of ashes when she flie ended with a wide eyed innocent appeal he smiled and still wath averted eyes he nodded blama you no o o I 1 dont maine blaine yon lillian le ile sned gently utter a silence nut bill smile ht at me gibbs she said filth tin nn laugh and a rather uc certain resumption of hor ber old con trial ani ner ncr or ill have to conie over there and ninke make you smile before he could speak again apala the door was opened by her husband she knew that in the moment he had find realized zed tier her deception about land ay felper aei she lind had come lose los to losing gililis gibbs slie he felt a contempt for the he euh ness in herself that had find permitted cpr her to in risk the love of the lie men man she really desired fur for the old admirer who had 1 lost lo st t by contrast it ith the n new ewt any power to in stir sair bor but bill 1111 lillian could not think that gibbs would not return to tier her ll 11 he was hurt lie lie was tore bare and angry now but she had still as a their innizer In rizer bui fous propinquity and slip she hall had still til tire lie and appealing beauty hv he had find found irresistible so lillian played tier her paine gaine safety safely and bided her time this st str ani nil would blow over as other alier storms rid ld she would need only a little patience ab she would need raitt caution lon patience and anth falness were ere huun ailiin LI liin frilich but knew kne v that lint it aris till nil over ile ie tin and made a fool of himself for ber lie hail bad told blin self unit thill it 1 was 44 i fl pretty onil 11 exciting rame kine lie bull lived in tile lie celil of 0 those dark nun ana I 1 kieft ipg he had thrilled to io the touch of tier her sil looth tSi naria arm land that lie in liml had never leei false to ellen ans of ft email comi elnra i fo fa him now trie house of rardin hall alien about him lb nUli no bercic i measure of lilg his own owa ne he bad placed himself in an undignified la in is a ridiculous position he had tot let her deceive him with the rest and with nith the revelation thrill that she ho had from sheer good natured laziness placed herself under tinder lindsay lindaay perpera peppers roof for the night and with the bitter thought that Lind says coarse cievo tion meant quite air a much to her insatiable appetite for admiration as did ills own exquisitely expressed fri friendship gibbs wakening had bad come ue ile could not net bear to look at her now to speak to her ile he fell into a mood of angry silence its his fathers attitude of watchfulness ellens voiceless question find and reproach and lillians tireless ti reles efforts to reestablish establish re the old order rt things alike infuriated him film CHAPTER X As ellen cuine in n with nn an armful of roses the big clock in the hall be began an to chime in u n leisurely in manner tinner and glancing at it she saw that it was twelve long afterward ellen allen josselyn thought of that moment and of the events that would stamp themselves on her heart and brain before the clock chimed for another noonday but at the time she only reflected that luncheon was in half an hour and she was muddy and tit dl I 1 |