| Show 1 The Wrong W rang Wife By ARTHUR SOMERS SOl ROCHE t 1 1 I I INSTALLMENT 16 18 Cordova felt a sudden flare Hare of con con- contempt tempt Your relationship to Senator CarmIchael Carmichael Car michael in no way hurried me mc Into fate marriage he said coldly Please believe be believe lieve that it would not cause me to tc stay married The vanity of man Deborah said Vanity he said that I disclosIng disclosing disclosing dis dis- You ire are thinking am closing a threat that I am trying to keep you OU married to me You simply cannot believe that a girl who thought herself wildly in love with you yesterday yes esterday es has discovered disco that she isn't a bit in love with you today And we can get nowhere while you distrust me And of course he said bitterly what 1 know of you should inspire perfect trust I think it should she said sim sim- ply After all I did confess to you But not because of conscience he le charged Simply because I I-I I I had become distasteful to you You married mar mar- ried ned me me- meto to suit your whim you told me what me-what what you told me to me-to to suit another another an an- other whim The record she admitted is none too white is is' is it And of course if were we're going to to qu quarrel quarrel quarrel- rr lWe l- l We certainly are he said angrily you if if you take the position that my ambition am ans will make me do anything anything anything- Now Nov please she interrupted d. d You really dont don't have to tell me that youre you're Incorruptible Save that for the thet voters He stared at her and slowly his anger melted J I do sound pretty much of a prig dont don't I 11 You do she agreed Sudden gravIty was in her eyes and voice I I 1 dont don't love you she said But some day I shall tell you how wonderfully wonder wonder- fully ully you arc behaving That sounds a bit maternal doesn't it Now lets let's not be melodramatic he laughed You wanted to tobe be practical Ical Ucal I do I want you to get the nomina tion I want you to be elected I dont don't want you to 19 lose uncles uncle's support Now you Now you may tell Del what I did Of course I shant shan't he said stiffly I do dont don't t think shed she'd tell uncle That has nothing to do with it Listen to me mc Deborah Youre You're my wife How we happened to get mar mar- ned ried doesn't matter Youre You're my wife And until we have begun an arrangement arrangement arrange arrange- ment for a divorce no one is going to o be told the circumstances of our marriage No one is going to be told then hen protect me that far far even even if f Del misunderstood May I except her he asked Nothing that you say is binding upon you ou Dick You want to be kindo kind to o be generous generous but but if kindness or generosity works a hurt to you then I want you to think only of or yourself And that Is generous of you he said Its common decency no more she said Then were Then were we're to let uncle believe that well that well that were we're an in in- young pair He smiled almost gayly Too bad were we're not better beUer economists economists mists he regretted Well then were we're to fo pretend pretend pretend- Its for uncle too she said He lov loves s me H Hed He'd d be miserable to know that hat I had had done done something incredibly bly mean And if that sounds as if it Im I'm making excuses to protect my- my Dick sell elf Dick Im I'm glad I 1 came to my senses If I happened to have remained remained re re- re in love with you Id I'd be mis mis- erable lie te tell felt a queer pique Is it necessary to remind me every other word that somehow or other I haven't measured up I 1 dont don't keep telling elling you OU that I dont don't love you But I dont don't need that reassurance to o make me less miserable she said Oh is that it he said lamely Their porter came In now now to attend at at- tend end to their bags bacs and in a few minutes min min- utes tes the train stopped at Landing Banding As Deborah stood before belore the mirror applying the last devastating touch ouch to her lips Cordova saw that she he was pale That pity which he had dismissed last night came back to his heart now Whatever else she was she was surely courageous Oh much more than ban that She was tactful to a degree de gree cree that was unbelievable She had hadnet met net the most impossible situation this his morning in the only possible way She had made him who hated her laugh augh She had maHe matie herself who was the he most distasteful person in the world to him attractive and charming charm charm- ins ing ng And as she started for the corridor corridor cor- cor idor he spoke to her Do you know he said if we weren't married this would have been beena a delightful morning I found it delightful despite its disadvantages Dick she said And somehow for no reason that he could comprehend he felt Jelt justly rebuked CARl CARMICHAELS WELCOME Carmichael was waiting for them themon on the platform His His cruel grim mouth was relaxed in a smile of welcome welcome wel welt come and the opaque black eyes were lighted with what might have been pleasure or might have been amuse- amuse ment nent There were a dozen people on the he platform guides in the rough clothIng lothing of their profession and three three- or 01 four young girls obviously natives who stared eagerly at Deborah and giggled Jiggled to themselves The news of the he marriage had evidently reached Landing Carmichaels Carmichael's arms opened for Dc orah borah borah and her face was hidden against his chest Over Oer her brown hair he ic smiled at Cordova and he extended extend extend- ed d a hand band which the younger man grasped And in another second without with out a word of greeting having been spoken they were on their way from the he platform to the dock in the lake less ess than a hundred yards ards from the railroad tracks Then as they drew away from possible pos pos- sible auditors Carmichael Cormichael spoke Did you have to run of off Deborah dear he hc asked Cordova felt himself flushing I Ul had to was vas Deborah's simple reply In that case there seems nothing to o be said said ald Carmichael except to o wish you both all happiness and ando to o assure you Deborah Deborah and and you too Cordova that Cordova that whatever my niece does oes is pleasing to me The words were stilted sUIted but it seemed to Cordova that behind them was vas a warm sincerity Its mighty fine of you ou not to be annoyed with us Mr Carmichael he stammered I I we ic we I was young myself Cordova said aid Carmichael Theres Del St St. Standing up in the same motorboat which had taken Deborah and Cordova Cordova Cor- Cor dova ova to this dock on the previous Sunday was vas Delmar Carmichael She wore vole no hat and the breeze from Iron the lake ake moved d disturbingly the ash blonde hair The perfect lips were parted in a smile of greeting I Deb you little litte rascal she cried cred And nd you Dick I didn't know kow you were so sty sly Couldn't bear beaz t to greet you before the but now now now- I She leaped with grace that tat made Cordovas Cordova's heart ache to the to-the the tho dock dock If 11 I the kiss she gave Deborah Deborh lacked Inched in warmth Cordova did not know it ft it I Then she turned to him and held up the mouth mout that tat had just saluted Deb Deb- orah Cordova looking Into int the blue blueeyes eyes felt fel that in their their depths depths he read reada a mockery and a contempt contempt Or if U that were too strong a word an nn amusement amusement But as he bent bet to touch tuch the lips offered t to I him in so so cousinly a fashion he felt fel himself burning buring with wih quick embarrassment The kiss was as fleeting as the fabled touch of the butterfly's butterly's wing but Cordova felt fel as one Who is given givena a glimpse of paradise must feel if I the gates arc are closed cosed to him This was the woman whom he had hoped to marry This was the woman who had assaulted the fortress of his bachelorhood and made him know kow that if independence is is' sweet s sur surrender stir stir- r. r render may be sweeter stilL This was the woman who in the first moment mo ma- mert meat ment of their meeting had subjugated subjugated gated him hi wholly and forever Seeing Seeing See See- See ing her he realized more fully how much he had lost lost how much Deborah Deborah Deborah Debo Debo- rah h had taken from him And whoa And who Dick Dick om somehow Dick somehow how it hurt hurl hur hm him that she called him by his hi first name because he was married to Deborah De De- borah would borah would have guessed you so Impetuous impetuous' She turned to Deborah And you Miss Mis denying your cousin all al the excitement of preparation But young love cannot canot be denied can it i If I mockery were meant meant the most carping critic could not have found foud it in her tones Yet somehow somehow- Cardova Cordova Car Cor Cor dova was reminded of Milly Cragi Cragin's s 's swords swords words of yester yesterday yesterday was was ay-was was It only yesterday yes at at the Colon Colony in New NewY Y York k stepping Ito into the inc boat boat her hands held adoringly by a guide smiled her reply She looked as though for reassurance to Cordova and that young man felt fel a queer thrill at the thought that his wife wie in some fashion relied on him He braced himself himsel inwardly for some further attack atack upon Deborah's se Se- Of course Del didn't mean any thing But questions just now might prove embarrassing to Deborah and he didn't want that to happen no matter how unintentionally it oc OCt oc- oc But Del Carmichael took her place at the wheel with her uncle beside her and Cordova found himself In the stern ster with wih his wife wie A CARESS OF AFFECTION Surreptitiously Deborah's fingers around his hand and he gave them the tiniest of pressures It I was not a caress of affection Cordova didn't misunderstand it i it i was her present way way of expressing gratitude to him for being ready to defend her Only Only how how had she known his readiness readi read ness Was it so plainly written on his face And how did it happen that Deborah was able to read his thoughts and how did it i further happen hap pen that he was able to interpret a pressure of her fingers And furthermore furthermore furthermore fur fur- still sti if i she thanked him it was ws an ar assumption that Del had meant wis f t b be caty catty and and he and he grinned to himself From thou thought ht transference he had progressed to all aU of psychic things He must be pretty hard hit at sight o of Del pel if i his mind went off of Into such bizarre and silly siy wander wander- ings Theres Jeb Stone said Deborah suddenly He looked In the direction of her gaze caze F Far r away against a background back ground of sandy beach and pines a D canoe floated But beyond the fact that hat a figure presumably masculine sat in it it Cordova could see no reason for or his wife's quick identification of its ts occupant How can you tell teU he asked Jeb sits sis lower in his canoe than anyone else she replied Your our eyes see a great deal he said Sometimes she said said more more than I like But she offered of no explanation of this cryptic remark but exclaimed excl in delight at sight of Carmichaels Carmichael's Carmichaels camp visible now as the motor boat rounded a headland And in another five ive minutes they had reached the landing stage Two menservants In an obviously repressed mood of excitement met the boat and took charge of the bag bag- gage cage They mumbled congratulatory speeches at Deborah and eyed Cordova Cordova Cor Cor- dova with wih ill i concealed curiosity Three maids found occasion to be on the porch as the little party made its way toward the house and two of them frankly wept at sight of the bride Get changed and come down dow said Carmichael Carmichael In about two minutes said De Dc- borah I tr want to swim before lunch lunch- eon How about you Dick Dik after that dusty train It sounds perfect he said Well WelI all al go In i said Del Del Del- Up the stairway Cordova and his wife went At the top Deborah paused uncertainly She spoke to toone toone toone one of the Which rooms she asked aked the Miss Delmar told us to get east cast apartment ready was the tho re re- re ply She had us move all al things in there Miss Miss Mrs Cordova fine said Deborah But Cordova his ears cars acute sensed that his ills wife was annoyed about some some- thing However vever she led the way to the rooms indicated and Cordova once again found himself himsel marveling at atthe atthe atthe the Incongruous furnishings of Carmichaels Car Car- michaels michael's michaels place The rooms themselves them them- selves there selves there selve-there there were two great chambers cham cham- bers with wih a n bath between were between were beautiful and through the huge huce windows windows win win- dows nil all ni of and the mountains moun talus beyond were visible But they were not rooms for Sheraton chairs and Chippendale tables and Louis LouisSeize LouisSeize LouisSeize Seize desks Something of his esthetic horror was visible in his eyes Deborah watched him a moment moment Pretty awful Isn't it Awful I dont don't know what what what- She smiled at nt him Yes uYe you do Dick Theres There's Teres Tere's a lot lotof lotof lotof of bad taste here The Te things are beautiful he said But dont don't belong together together together-or together together-r or in ina i a camp Your undo uncle unco Is I a busy man and hasn't time to become an interior decorator he protested She looked at him queer queerly then shrugged her shoulders shoulders You just cant can't help being nice Dicky Really Realy want to go swimming swimming swim swim- mm ming g Sounds divine he said Youl find a selection of oC bathing suits suit in t the e co closet ct oft off that tt room She Sho pointed d through the bath to the thc connecting chamber The Te deft def servants servants ser sere vant had already unpacked the bags bacs and were hanging banging things In closets Meet you you on the lawn in well in-well in well closet 30 seconds Ill Il be there tere before you he boasted But he wasn't wast When he reached the dock she had already swum half halfway halfway haf way to the little island on the beach bech of which they had their first real talk tal six days ago He was about to plunge in after her when a cool ool voice gr greeted eted him I You will wi be married a long time Dick You will wi have plenty nty of time timeto to talk to your you bride pl He turned tuned Noiselessly Del had crossed the soft grass She stood now the thinnest of dressing gowns over her bathing suit smiling at nt him hi and he inwardly writhed beneath the mockery in her eyes A Ar he stared she slipped the gown from her hei shoulders shoulder and stood revealed as a perfect a specimen of feminine loveliness love loveliness liness as he had ever looked upon From her narrow feet and round ankles to her sweetly sweety modeled shoulders shoulders ders she was feminine He lie felt fel his pulse quicken Flawless That was wa the word he would apply to her Only the word was inadequate For it made one think of a figure fire c carved red from rom stone whereas this lovely lovel shape was indubitably made of human lesh flesh And m made de he realized real to stir str men Sit down for a moment moment Dick she she Invited d I 1 want to talk tal to you DISTURBING WOMEN He felt fel felta a desire to run from her He had read of women who so bewildered bewildered be be- mens men's sanity sanitY wih with with- th the disturbing dis elements element of their persuasiveness persuasive persuasive- ness that they lost completely their self sel control This was the first time that hn ho had encountered such a a un wo n n m man n. n nOh Oh not the first i st time for he I had met her a week ago and fallen desperately in love with her But she was the first woman of this type he had known His hands as he sat down beside |
