| Show The Wrong Wife By ARTHUR ARTJUR SOMERS SOWERS ROCHE Copyright 1932 by Public Ledger Carmichael was Cordova admitted a graceful host He gave Deborah his arm and led the way into the house During the luncheon he talked and acted as though no possible difference difference difference differ differ- ence of at any sort had arisen between himself and one of at his guests He chatted entertainingly of at his experiences In the senate of busness business business busi bus ness deals of politics He dominated the he board and Cordova busy with his lis thoughts was glad to remain si- si lent ent He had heeded Deborah's whisper when his every inclination was to leave eave the camp immediately All that hat he had hd passed through in re recent recent recent re- re cent days came back to bewilder him dm now Grady and he had decided that hat Carmichael was in earnest in his lis expressed intention to place Cordova Cor Cor- dova lova in the mayoralty The fact that Clara Raynor was no longer under the he as protection as it is euphemistically cally termed termed termed-f oi the senator had seemed the convincing argument in favor avor of at Carmichaels Carmichael's sincerity Cordova felt felta a a faint feeling of disgust disgust dis- dis gust rust as he thought of ot the girl who had lad accosted him outside of at Grenell's Grenfell's Grenfell's Gren- Gren fells fell's apartment H He was no prude He knew that liaisons outside the approval l of church or state were common enough Many Mariy of at his friends frIends' had indulged In them But these were we're were young men indulging In those follies for or which youth h must be pardoned CORDOVA REPELLED But Carmichael was no longer young oung and aDd Cordova was repelled by the he idea of at an elderly man indulging In n furtive affairs It seemed to him that hat if it a man thought enough of at a woman to live with her surreptitiously ti or otherwise and to pay her bills bUls he ought ought to to be willing to marry her His unwillingness to do so ar argued as' as I ar-I gued a meanness of at spirit At least I Ito to o Cordova it did He hated t talk lk of practicalities It seemed to him that when men advanced advanced ad- ad practical reasons for the dong doIng do do- lag Ing ng of at some deed the deed nearly always involved some dishonesty But he 10 had given his word to Deborah that he would listen to her uncle and would bear hear what Carmichael had to say ay Ganley did not look as badly as when he had raced across the street to o intercept Cordova He was shaved hi his lis hair was trimmed und and nd the burnIng burn- burn Ing ng wildness of his eyes had bad cooled He listened as one who hears his master naster speak to every word uttered by Carmichael and only volunteered one remark on his own account That was an timed ill comment lavishly laudatory on the furnishings of the camp Carmichael beamed at lat atthe the he compliment I I 1 wish I 1 could take the credit he said aid said but my niece Delmar deserves I it t alL sh She selected every single thing here she placed them whore where they are Cordova glanced at his wife Only a couple of ot hours ago she had let lei pass unchallenged an assumption of his that Carmichael was responsible for the atrocious taste shown here And she had known that her cousin was guilty of the lack of discernment She colored beneath his glance She was it seemed to him a good sportsman She had refused an nn opportunity to belittle her cousin He remembered that Del had not refused opportunity to humiliate Deborah The luncheon finally ended Cordova Cor Co dova led the way to the porch A servant offered liquors and cigars and Del threw v an arm about the shoulders of her cousin While these men men talk their tiresome tiresome tiresome tire- tire some business lets let's amuse ourselves with backgammon I 1 think Ill I'll stay here said Deborah Deborah De De- borah quietly Carmichaels Carmichael's eyes fixed themselves upon her You wouldn't be Interested Deborah Deborah De De- borah dear he said Id rather stay she said Del shrugged her shapely ders Marriage so extends a womans woman's interests she said softly It has extended mine said De De- borah Carmichael turned to Cordova His thin lips were smiling although his expression was not mirthful An uncle never has much authority authority author author- ity he said and and when a 1 ni niece ce is married he loses loses' what litt e he had But the husband acquires some I understand Could you explain to Deb that her presence while always charming always a joy will not always always al al- al ways be necessary in your affairs Cordova grinned The most dan dangerous erous mistake a bridegroom can cnn make Senator is to claim an an authority which he cant can't maintain You wouldn't have me start my marriage with a mistake Perhaps it was an error before It started said Carmichael softly It would take a great deal to con convince vince me me of that said Cordova I trust Jt it wont won't be necessary to advance argument retorted the Sen Sen- ator He turned to Deborah My dear child not as a command but as a request I put to you the proposition that your presence is unwanted I 1 think your grammar is is' pretty awful uncle she said placidly It sounds more like a statement And uncle youre you're the ablest man I know attitude attitude attitude atti atti- That argues an un ish tude toward your husband commented commented com corn Carmichael The girl colored faintly I could qualify the praise Ablest in matters that Dick doesn't comprehend compre compre- hend bend perhaps In ways that I never want him to comprehend had disapproved disapproved dis disapproved dis- dis I 1 didn't know that you OU approved all these years Deborah I Isaid said her uncle Disapprove What's approval or disapproval Youre You're you uncle What you choose to do you can do But Dick couldn't do the same things Using a a different brand of ethics asked the Senator Her response was utterly ing lag She rose from the chair where she had been sitting and walked over overto overto overto to her uncle She stood before him a second smiling down at his upturned face Then she took his head gently Who speaks of ot ethics when he mentions Napoleon she said Who talks moralities when he mentions Genghis Kahn Youre You're different uncle that's all nil She bent over and kissed the old man on the mouth She straightened up and smiled at her husband Let us go on with our weighty discussion she said She started for tor her own chair but Carmichael caught at her hand He drew her back and she sat upon the arm of his chair and her elbow crooked about hi his neck Out of at the corner comer of his eye Dick saw h her r cousin faintly shrugging her shoulders walk I from the porch and enter eater the house To be continued tomorrow |
