| Show II LOVE AND DISHES I By Ry Margaret Wood CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE TWENTY Bill had seen her riding in Gregry Greg Greg- ory ry Longs Long's automobile Bonnies Bonnie's world crumbled about her She must not lose her head She had gone one back to work because it had been cen necessary She had kept it from Bill Bm to protect his pride and his health She was using her money for living iving expenses to allow Bill a freer use use of his hIg own for his mother she reminded reminded re re- re minded herself herselL She had done no wrong She had assiduously avoided even yen the appearance e of evil of-evil evil and now Bill In hi his trying and impossible manner man man- nero ncr was as making an issue out of an incident that was the most innocent act of her life He should not goad her into giving away her secret into shedding her self respect or throwing away her chance hance to stabilize their finances If she he could understand and approve even unwillingly that Bill must give his ils mother a thousand dollars when they hey had less than enough to live on it was little indeed to expect him himo to o understand that she might give a afew few rew ew minutes of her time to an old friend She looked into his eyes squarely and calmly almly and did not speak peak Bill would have to demand an explanation You went out with him and rushed home lome changed your oUr dress and tried to think that you had been here all day dayl i i She still faced him calmly a slow smile mile covering her face and crinkling the corners corners of of her eyes You refused to meet me in town but you did meet him himl Why dont don't you deny it the use Bill You know everything already You wont won't believe anything I I tell ten you you dont don't want to believe anything except something you think you already know Why didn't you tell me you were seeing him again Seeing him Yes Seeing him Arent Aren't you I saw him today BONNIE EXPLAINS I didn't say anything when I first came in I was hoping you would mention it it And suppose I had Bonnie laughed outright If you were a normal normal nor nor- mal person about anything that concerns concerns concerns con con- cerns me I would have mentioned it itI I might have said simply Well Ole OleSon OleSon OleSon Son I went to meet you after all thought Id I'd surprise you but I missed you ou and who do you suppose suppose sup sup- pose gave me a lift liU Bill looked at her longing to believe be lieve but doubting every word She went on And if you had been that normal person Im I'm talking about you might have nave said something like this I haven't lavent an idea unless it was waS' our friend the taxi driver who done it once himself Then I would have come back Not on n your life Who ever heard of a thing like that happening more than once in a lifetime Guess again But this same person Im I'm speaking of would never have thought of his own wife in a triangle would never have thought for a moment that a woman who really loved him would still have another male Interest in inthe inthe inthe the world He would be as ns bumptious bump bump- about that is you arc are about aboul everything everything else and so he would just have shaken his head and said I 1 1 give up Who Gregory Long I would have said I was waiting on the corner corner for a bus and he came along and offered offered offered of of- me a ride and so I got home first after all all' But could I have told you that You with your eternal eternal eternal eter eter- nal pride and hateful unhealthy attitude atti atti- tude toward everything except except except ex ex- ex- ex our narrow meager meager little life liCe together STILL SUSPICIOUS Bill Em sat at his board fingering his hir pencils and md his pipe It sounded sound d very reasonable the way she put it buthe but bu the thought that she and Long had hac planned it between them laughing at him made made him him writhe Is this the first time you have seen him What do you mean I have known him a long time You know what I mean Since we were married You haven't forgotten surely the day we we saw him in Inthe the cafe You wouldn't forget a 3 thing like that No I haven't forgotten I wondered wondered won won- dered at the time if it were a planned meeting your being ahead of time and all And I thought how sweet you were about it when J J. should have known better said Bonnie sadly Is it the first time youve you've been youve been in his hi car Yes This is a new car Oh you went with him hini in the one he had before How long has he had this one I dont don't know anything about it Today is the first time tim Ive I've seen it Youre You're wasting your breath Bill I haven't done anything Im I'm ashamed o of and I wont won't be badger badgered d by you about abou this or anything else If you dont don't believe me all right Make your our own conclusions I Ive I've ve had ample time timeto timeto to run wild while you were working at night but have you ever been In Inthis Inthis inthis this apartment when I wasn't here No But I cant can't stand tho the thought though of ot Long and his everlasting money If It it had been anyone but Long Longs APOLOGIZES u Well unfortunately my acquaintance acquaint acquaint- ance with people who have automobiles automobiles automo automo- biles is limited she turned disgustedly disgust edly back to her book Bonnie I do believe you Im I'm not the fool you think But I love you ou so you ou mean so much to me and I can give you so little I I. I I to Bonnie broke in in But you OU could give me that little without continually continually continuo ally reminding me that I am a chat chat- tellI tell I dont don't want to make you feel fee that way Don Bon I I. I He got up and came around his board Dont touch me now please Go Goon Goon Goon on with your work I cant can't work You must be upset I cant can't do anything without you OU Bon Nothing You know that Well Im I'm here That's what althe all al the fuss is about about she smiled Forgive me Bon Boa and kiss me Wont Won't you Ill I'll try to be sensible Id hate to strain you foul ly by Hard as nails arent aren't you Sugar Dont Sugar me now I dont don't enjoy en enjoy joy being insulted any more mOle than you do dol But you admit I had a good reason reason rea rca son to get excited dont don't you The best in the world for you youl Your pride was touched I have a little pride myself Did that ever occur to you Bonnie Bonniel It is surprising Isn't it she flared He stood in front of f her his hands in his pockets The old urge to comfort com corn fort him was beginning to work on Bonnie Sh She hadn't told him the whole truth after all She had not meant to meet Bill But she couldn't tell him about the overtime and she couldn't mention taking her check to the bank She had lied to him about everything except the essential thing ALLS ALL'S WELL Her ride with Gregory Long had been Innocent and she had not been out with him before Suppose Bill knew about his invitations at the office of of- fice flee Suppose he knew that she was seeing Gregory every day But he need never know any of that and she would keep her record clear Bill shouldn't have a just cause to resent Gregory Dont you love me any more Sugar lOOt Of course Silly or I wouldn't put up She him and everything was ight again in Bonnie read quietly but buther buther her mind was miles mUes away She would have lave liked that trip in the country Gregory had suggested This minute they hey would have been speeding along in n his powerful car the thc wind in her face blowing her hair about anc and sprinkling her fair skin with freckles They hey would have gone to some quiet quiel country place beside a stream searched for wild flowers and spread their heir lunch on the grass It If would have been ages before sundown sundown sundown sun sun- down but it would have seemed only moments She had refused this treat just to sit at home with Bill while he dug away at his plans for tor Croesus But Bu Bill didn't know that and he wouldn't think hink it a sacrifice if he did Bill Bil had lad no yen toward outside pleasures He would rather by far be sitting there here with her than anywhere in the world without her and he took it a aa as asa asa a matter of course that she felt the same way about it And after all she asked herself hersel wouldn't she prefer being cooped up in n that apartment with Bill that fine fineday fineday fineday day both occupied with their own thoughts while he worked for money to send his mother to the seashore anc and she read a silly book than to be in inthe inthe inthe the cool clean country air lir with Gregory Greg ory She shifted in her chair and answered d her questions BONNIE BONNYE DECIDES Yes yes yea But it would be nic nice in the country today with Bill Bil with anybody she amended Heard from Mom today Bon How is she Better Still Stin has to keep her nurse of course She asked for 50 dollars 50 Bonnie turned a page She did no not reply She thought of the money sh she had s saved ved out of Bills Bill's salary last las week weck by using her own instead It was worth while Ah yes no matter matte how ugly and distorted it seemed I Ibe to tobe tobe be working on the sly it was worth worthwhile worthwhile worthwhile while It was going to turn the trick Bill would ha have ve the cash to send his mother and they would still be corn com She was looking out of the window and Bills Bill's voice came to her huskily I haven't sent it Bon Boni Why not She used some of that last I 1 sent her for for for other things She said she couldn't have me tell ten her what to todo todo todo do with the money I r I gave her he laughed uncomfortably Bonnie laughed with him the spirit But what am I to do I have suggested that you ask the people to send to you That's the only way I I see to get them paid She wouldn't like that No Would you do it anyway I would if I ever hoped to pay them Shall ShallI I send her this 50 Why do you ask me You never have before I think you have a right right to decide whether we can or not Bonnie went to the table and picked up her bag She opened it and counted count count- ed cd d the cash in the smaller purse I 1 saved 10 dollars last week BIlL She had 20 but that was another thing she he couldn't tell him I think we can manage but Id I'd mail mall those letters just the he same To be continued I Copyright 1932 the Register and Tribune Syndicate es I |
