Show BEGIN HERE Margie Garver and Dennis Killian Killia have been married for lor over tw two months and have been perfectly perfect happy happ Shortly after their marriage they took Margies Margie's 3 old 3 old or orphaned orphaned Or- Or niece Daphne to raise Dennis Dennis Dennis Den Den- nis was wonderful wonder ul about having th the child in their home and Margie worships worships worships wor wor- ships him more than ever Trouble starts when Dennis Dennis' former fiancee Zinna Keating returns to Detroit Detroi She has left leet the husband she eloped to New York with and is now trying to obtain a position Dennis had admitted ad admitted ad- ad when they were first mar mar- ried that he couldn't quite forget forge Zinna but later swore that she mean meant nothing to him and that he loved Margie Margie Is determined not to le let Zinna come between them anc and staunchly overlooks Dennis' Dennis rather rathe distracted appearance those first few weeks after alter Zinna's return She can cant can't help Wondering just how the presS pres once ence O 01 of Z Zinna nna in the same town will wil affect Dennis One da day Margie has tea with her former roommate Vera Blake and Vera Vcra tells her that she saw Dennis and arid Zinna having lunch together at atthe atthe atthe the Cadillac Book-Cadillac th the previous day CHAPTER 15 Margie Margic returned to her apartment feeling absolutely ill from Irom the shock of Veras Vera's information She had suspected sus sus- suspected that Dennis DemUs was upset by Zinna's Zinna's Zinna's Zin Zin- nas na's presence in Detroit had feared eared that every chivalrous instinct of ot his impulsive c nature would be stirred bythe b by bythe the trouble she was in in but at the same time Margie had counted on that same chivalry for her own pro pro- She had been certain no matter matter matter mat mat- ter what his secret longing might be that Dennis would do nothing which would reflect on his relationship to her Yet he had lunched with Zinna publicly at the Cadillac Book where any of their friends might ha have e seen them and had not even mentioned it to Margie MARGIE DECIDES Evidently she had been mistaken when she thought the reality of their 1 marriage was more important than those bitter sweet months of his engagement engagement en en- nt to Zinna Perhaps she had overrated the power of ot her affection their home and their deep congeniality congeniality congeniality and understanding There was more to hold him in Zinna's slow moving husky voiced languor thanIn than thanIn thanin In all Margies Margie's open-hearted open comradeship comradeship comradeship comrade comrade- ship and devotion All Margies Margie's sunny little world seemed chang changed d. d Transformed by the cruel mysterious alchemy of Zinna's charm She asked Mrs Cook to stay with Daphne and telephoned Dennis to suggest that they go out for dinner If he was going to take Zinna places he might as well weB take her too She was in no mood to don a smock and spend an hour or two in the l kitchen cooking the things Dennis liked Neither had she an any intention of confiding confiding confiding con con- in him He lIe accepted her suggestion that they dine downtown with an alacrity which surprised her SICK CONTEMPT CONTEl a good gooc idea Youve You've been working too hard lately Lets Let's go some someplace someplace someplace place where we can dance Remembering his elation clation in Los Angeles after Zinna had telephoned him Margies Margie's heart sank lower than ever He was happy because he and Zinna were friends again Perhaps he had explained to her har that the coldness and md lack of ot sympathy in the letter he had sent her had been for lor Margies Margie's eyes That in his heart he was still sUB her own dear Dennis Never even in those dreadful days before their marriage had Margie Margic felt the smothering sensation of sick contempt contempt contempt con con- tempt from which she was suffering now Yet she wore a new frock of thin black chiffon with clinging seductive se seductive se- se lines and a black hat which turned back from her winsome face appealingly Youre looking mighty gorgeous tonight Dennis said turning upon her the full force of or his bis most in infectious infectious in- in smile Sorry for her probably Complimenting Complimenting her to conceal the thc fact that he was simply dizzy with joy over his secret understanding with Zinna Whatever his reason Dennis was more than he had been since Zinna's return He told Margie he hc had been working too hard but buthe buthe buthe he was going to turn over overa a new leaf and spen spend more time playing with her Im Fm afraid Ive I've been neglecting you darling but its it's only because Ive I've I I I been worried over business and so dog tired he said apologetically Im glad you suggested that thal we step out tonight I 1 weve we've been staying stay stayS ing home too much CONFESSIONS His ardent words left her cold I Iwas It was only when the they danced together that Margie felt her aching heart hear soften toward him He was so tender so boyishly sweet She remembered the other times when they had danced together On the boat going to Los Angeles from San Francisco and again going soing to Bob What fun they had had If It only she could lower her pride su sufficiently to ask him why he had lad asked Zinna to lunch with him But she She couldn't even mention it They had reached their dessert when Dennis leaned toward her to tosa sa say You seem more like yourself than nan you OU have for a n long time I 1 feel fee that hat I could tell you OU anything tonight and you OU would not misunderstand Her heart beat heavily warning her that he was about to confess but buthe she he made her voice light What have you been doing now I had luncheon with Zinna at the Cadillac Book-Cadillac yesterday Dennis inthe in inthe responded promptly She came the he office just as I was getting ready to o leave so I asked her to go with me me He looked at her a little anxiously as s if it eager to know what reception lis bit of news would have Vera Vcra told me she saw you there Margie largie told him quietly She did Where was she I 1 didn't see ee her Was he lying Had he told her only because he knew Vera Vcra had seen them Hurt urt as she was Margie Margic could not believe be- be leve lieve Dennis would be guilty of that I didn't say anything about it last night ight he continued because I was not ot sure just how you OU would take it iL This his affair has put both of us in a rather ather difficult situation Not that I blame lame you jou Margie dear I 1 dont don't see how you jou could she said aid coldly After the thc things youve you've told me and the thc wa way youve you've acted Dennis' Dennis charming mouth hardened What do you mean the way Ive I've acted Have I done anything I 1 shouldn't since Zinna came back Youve changed completely Margle Margie Margie Mar Mar- gie gle accused bitterly You arent aren't at atall atall atall all the way you you were when we were first married I have tried very hard to be honest honest hon hon- est cst with you Margie Perhaps it is a mistake to attempt to be as truthful with anyone as I have wanted to be with you I 1 was afraid for Zinna to come back We were so happy I was was afraid she might spoil it it iL And now she breathed in a small voice not much above a whisper Dennis laughed The moment I saw her again 1 I knew there was nothing to worry about except the reaction on you She leaned across to him flushed starry eyed Truly Dennis darling You aren ton tone t tone on one bit biL in 10 love lovo with her N Not Nf f one tiny bit Dennis an answered answered answered an- an positively Im sorry SOrly for her though Margie She is terribly lonely lonely lonely lone lone- ly and depressed and would Jike to tobe tobe tobe be friends with both of us I told her wed we'd have her for dinner 1 Margie ie gasped You told her what You wouldn't mind would you you dear But Dennis why should we have her for tor dinner She has never liked me When we were all at Interlochen Inter- Inter lochen last summer she scarcely spoke poke to me I dont don't want to be befriends befriends friends with her Weve We've absolutely nothing in common If you dont don't care are about her any more why not just let the whole thing drop I told you jou I was sorry for her Dennis repeated patiently She doesn't see her old friends any more It t t takes kes money to run around with them hem and Zinna hasn't any If you dont don't want to have her out that is is of course your privilege but there theres is s no use being unkind or ridiculous about it it iL is there Margie Had he forgotten the night they r were married and his his his' own admission that his love for Zinna was like a fever in his blood Wasn't he proving proving proving ing his devotion his devotion now In spite of althe alt all he had said Zinna needed him and he would not desert her He couldn't oh oh ho he could not have not have any idea how his loyalty to this other girl irl hurt Margie who had Insisted that they go on with the bargain they had made It was evident no matter how much he denied it that he was not yet ready to put Zinna out of his life All right she he would ask Zinna to the apartment She would include her in one of those triangular friendshIps friendships friendships friend friend- ships from which no good ever came If Ie Dennis hadn't been blind been blind as a moth flying closer and closer to the flame he would have seen through Zinna's pretense Zinna Crawford didn't care if she never saw Margie again and Margie knew it But she would play her part parL Would pretend she suspected nothing and ask Zinna out I Then a suspicion came to her A dark ugly suspicion which corroded her very heart Dennis was being nice to her so that she would be generous generous gen gen- erous crous and invite Zinna to dinner It hurt so she could not look into his dark eager eyes Did Did you tell teU her any particular time Margie inquired I said perhaps the end of this week You'll like her better than you Used to She's changed Zinna Zinn would be clever enough to appear softened and wistful knowIng knowing knowing know know- ing she would appeal more to Dennis Dennis Dennis Den Den- nis thus than in apy of oC her other moods Ill telephone her tomorrow Margie promised But she said it with a hard core of resentment in her voice Dennis' Dennis gratitude was W sickening She held herself utterly aloof from rom him spiritually spirit spirit- spiritually and physically When he attempted at attempted attempted at- at tempted to kiss her goodnight she turned her face until his lips only brushed her cheek check And she went to sleep leep with the thc black dot of Zinna spreading like Ink over the picture of her ber entire future Knowing that in less than 24 hours she would no longer be a f hidden menace but a visible opponent Ill know thou thought thought-Margie wh en I see them together No matter wha whai ent he says I can tell can teU how he feels her then To Be Bc Continued Afo J I |