Show jANDRA ANDRA THE JEALOUS By Jane Phelps I I I CHAPTER 80 Confidential Talks With Mother Perhaps Its It's a all l right she conceded grudgingly b but t I l' l wouldn't do It Then Then she changed the subject and began talking o of Barrett Edmonds as she Invariably bly did He lie had made a great Impression upon her and she constantly hinted d for another Invitation Invitation invitation tion to visit me which I did not extend extend extend ex ex- tend owing to Everetts Everett's cau caution Anyway Barrett was In Europe ona on ona ona a business trip I missed him too but butI I didn't tell Rose so Mother and I 1 had long confidential talks I 1 told her how dreadfully put putout put putout putout out I 1 was at first when everyone said Everett had married me because o of my coloring that it was the same as his first wife's And how t terribly It made me feel to be called Number Two etc She didn't laugh at me me nor even look amused She Just sympathized sympathized sympathized sym sym- with me and told me sh she was l I sure she would have felt Just exactly as I did under the same circum circum- stances But everything In life has compensations compensations com com- as I see you have discovered discovered dis dis- covered she said gently Then too dear one al always ays has to adapt ones one's self to conditions The first year o of married life Is always a trying one In many ways with ways with you jou ou perhaps more than usually so because o of the difference dif dl- ference In your ages and the entire change in your way of ot living I 1 consider consider con con- sider alder you have done ery very well dear and I If I am any Judge Everett thinks so also I 1 believe he cares a great deal for you you Do you ou really think so mother I 1 have thought so 80 at times and then something would happen to knock every everything Into a cocked hat as father says But I do try try most most o of the the time time to to please him I had told mother nothing of ot my Intense Jealousy of Leola or my ef efforts efforts efforts ef- ef forts to find out all about her so 80 I 1 could imitate h her r and win the same game sort Bort of o of affection from Everett that he gave to her Someway I J knew she sho wouldn't approve that who he e would tell me to forget torget the first Mrs Graham Gra Gra- ham and be happy in spite of her Neither did I 1 mention the finding o of Leolas Leola's wardrobe In the attic and my determination to explore further That too would meet with her disapproval disapproval disapproval dis dis- approval I was positive But I 1 did tell her about taking Leolas Leola's pictures down and sending them to the attic and that Everett had Insisted they be brought back immediately She laughed a little then Not enough to hurt me and said I iI 1 guess guess' most girls your age would have done that Sandra But she had done nothing to harm you You admit admit admit ad ad- mit the I picture w Was leas S lovely Then why Just because she had preceded you care care that It ornamented the walls especially if It Everett wished It ft there I dont don't mind it t quite so much much- now But at first It hurt me dread dread- fully I 1 used to wonder J If I had been married before If Everett would like the picture of ot my first husband starIng staring staring star star- ing at him all the time Mother now laughed heartily But when she he spoke it was very seriously Sandra Sandra dear you married Everett o of your own free tree will I 1 believe you are very fond o of him and that he really loves you Ho Ilo not let anything anything anything any any- thing come between you He is a fair minded man Il Give him your complete trust and faith alth He is so much older that at times times times-as as you have confessed his confessed his Judgment seems harsh to you But try and see both sides o of every question that than comes up pp p. p 1 I want YOP you yop to be happy dear dear dear- as happy as I have nave been The night before we went back me mother gave a small dance for forus us In all the time since I 1 had married married married mar mar- ried Everett I 1 never had been so proud o of him as I 1 was that night He Ho danced with all the girls Rose Included and was so gay and entertaining entertaining enter enter- that she whispered to me later later- Its a shame that anyone who can be so charming should bo be such a brute in some ways ways I will wUl pardon your calling him a brute because you first said he was I charming channing I l' l retorted quickly at which she laughingly told me I was getting on when I co could ld make such sucha I a reply i J You will be a regular society dame by the time you are 30 she said 1 can see see It coming I have always that always that Is ever since I 1 have been married envied married envied the women o of Everetts Everett's set Rose because o of their poise their quickness of ot r repartee partee the way they fitted into any place they found themselves That is why I am now reconciled ed to studying wl with h Mrs Barr although I 1 Iwas Iwas was furious about It 11 at first J. J I rather enjoyed telling Ro Rose e of my ch change o of ideas ideas- s bhe he had seen so much heard so much when visiting me that was childish and unwise It beats beats beats' all how how you you have changed I 1 should never know you for the same girl Sandra Is changed for tor the better betterin in many w ways ys Rose Mother had come up quietly rand and had heard that last speech We are all very proud of her for tor the way she has adapted herself hersel to the change In her life a lire a avery very great change for tor a girl of her age Our simple wa way of ot living did not nott fit It her to take charge of a menage like hers Her home Is really wonderful Rose enthused As I 1 have Just promised Everett to visit them next month I 1 soon shall see my girl In her own home When the tha guests had gone I 1 spoke o of the promised visit Everett was wasso was so insistent I 1 had to set a time mother said as she kissed me good night CHAPTER 81 Optimistic Youth On the train I 1 spoke of Mothers Mother's visit to us and thanked Everett for tor Inviting her and Dad I You do not need to thank me Dear Your father and mother will always be welcome In our home The reason I 1 did not wish them to come before you know know l I did not want you to appear at a disadvantage neither did I want them to get the Idea that you were were an abused wife because I 1 co couldn't let you do as you pleased In all things Your mother was not keen that I 1 should marry you you because because of f my age so near her own I 1 felt sure I 1 could make you happy if it I 1 had time I 1 may fall fail but you have learn learned d to handle yourself better and shall no longer be denied the pleasure o of en entertaining entertaining en en- your own people people- when you wish Thank you Everett l Ia May I 1 have Buster and too some time Of O course you may Any time you like lite They are great boys both o of them I 1 shall enjoy having them Dont Don't ask them during their school term They are at an age when It is quite necessary their school routine should J not be interrupted But ask them in vacation That will be nice I 1 am so so glad you like them No one could help liking the little beggars which was great praise from Everett Youth would not so often otten be disappointed disappointed disappointed dis dis- dis- dis appointed 1 if youth were not so Because Ev Everett rett had been kind because he had appeared to good advantage In my home because he had shown me attention I 1 built air castles o of what he would do when we reached our home again air again air castles castles castles cas cas- that crumbled before we had been home an hour He did not go up to the house with m me but stopped at the office to look over the mail I 1 asked to be allowed to wait walt but he told me Impatiently Drive on home Sandra Sandra l' I may be some time You will be home for dinner Yes He was only a little late but as far tar faras faras taras as I was concerned he might as well have remained downtown I 1 saw him I heard him speak when he wished something but as far as his knowing or caring about me as as far as his being beIng being be be- ing company for me me me-l I might as well have been looking at a picture of him placed In a chair at the foot toot o of the table or talking with him over oer the thelong thelong thelong long distance telephone where the I service was so bad I 1 had to wait walt an unconscionable tl time e for an an answer I 1 asked him I If he found round everything at the office all right He made no reply Added to the hurt of ot being Ig Ignored Ignored ignored Ig- Ig nored was the hurt that he never confided in me in any way that asfar as far as his affairs went we were strangers He fie had that firm determined determined determined deter deter- mined Io look k on his face all through dinner that used to frighten me me to speak but which now made me feel so shut outGo outGo out Go to bed early You look tired he remarked as he rose from the table Are you going out A cold hand I seemed to clutch at my heart as fl I 1 asked the question Was he leaving me to hurry to to Irma Bart Barton n Yes shortly I may be late He kissed me lightly as f if it made no difference whether he kissed me or or not I 1 thought bitterly as the fro front t door closed and I stumbled up the stairs scarcely able to see for m my tears Oh Everett I said aloud when I reached my room I keep thinking you are going to be different and you never are You Tou just act act as i if you cared a little tittle then as 1 if you didn't care at all It was as I 1 have said The engendered red by his occasional l show o of affection made harder the Uie times like this when he seemed cold hard and o of meI me I 1 had been so pleased at our we wit wit- come All the servants as well as as Mrs Gra Gray had seemed so pleased to see me I felt they must mint mu t like me to tobe tobe tobe be so glad to have me back The dinner too had been an ex extra tra effort on Mrs 1 Grays Gray's part and and cook h had d carried out her instructions faithfully Had Everett only remained at home with me reading or smoking I 1 would have been perfectly happy As As' t Iwas I was I 1 was was perfectly perfectly miserable I it To be continued |