Show w. w Margaret Mrgaret Carrel Carrett s s ss Ir- Ir I Husband Husband s m JANE PHELPS i a CHAPTER 79 A Period of Anxiety t Donald onald had been very ill m and was peevish and ailing for some time I 1 Iwas Iwas was completely worn woin worn out with nursing him loss of or sleep and the care of ol little George Mother came out and took George home with her hoping to relieve meI me I realize now that during this time I was fretful and cross my nerves were strained to the utmost and I magnified every untoward circum circum- stance Dont watt walt dinner for me tonight Bob Dob said as he left the house about a week after alter Donald had been pronounced pronounced pro pro- ro- ro out of or danger I am going over o to see Miss Riggs Why Bob Dob you wouldn't leave me menow menow menow now would you ou Why not Why shouldn't I 1 keep leep my engagement Donald is all right and there could be nothing else to keep me me But I shall be so lonely I am amI amIgo amso I so Igo tired and worn out out Nonsense If you ou are tired go to tobed tobee bee bed It if you ou are lonely have Mrs Baldwin come In and spend the evenIng evening evening eve eve- ning with you ou be back tonight No she Is going to put us up for forthe forthe forthe the night so that we will have time timeto to the manuscript Wet et Who Vho else is going Kendall of or course I might have known it waS waS' he who got you to leave me Oh how I dislike that man II John had absolutely absolutely- nothing to toI todo todo do with my going I am going be because because because be- be cause I 1 vi want ant to and b because cause it gives I me the relaxation I 1 need deter alter my work in the office I should think It would be Just as much relaxation to stay at homo home with I me and read in your own library as asto asto asto to go and spend the evening reading somewhere else Why In the world I you couldn't have been content with your real estate business I dont don't see I Bobs Bob's lips moved he started to say sayI something but hesitated then said I Some Somo day I want a serious talk with you Margaret This cant can't go goon goon on on What hat cant can't go on Nothing Nothing that is is never mind now v. But what is there to talk about You said something serious I dont don't I understand I know and some time I shall try I to m make ke you ou Now I must be off ort Goodbye and go to bed ear early You need the rest I As he closed the door I burst into I is a p passion of oI tears I was really tired out lout and he ht had gone without even evenI kissing me me goodbye Gone Cone to stay o erni overnight o ht He lie had not given me the I usual morning kiss nor the one in greeting at night for some time one oneda da day I spoke of ot it it and he muttered something about hypocrisy but he I was feeling cross that day so I paid no attention to the excuse Now ow I Ir I recalled r recalled d- d dit it and w wondered what It meant At t first I T l' l tb thought I would take his hIs' advice and aek ask Mrs Baldwin to spend the evening with me But Dut as a.'S asI I thought of her hr keen insight berlack her ber lack of ot faith in men ment and the remarks she would surely make anent Bobs absence I concluded I would rather spend pend the evening alone Bob Dob had insisted d that I have a second second- girL girt You have ha too too much care care he had said when discussing it Those two boys boy are a handful and they were werl yet I bad opposed d another maid on the grounds ground of ot ex expense I r can afford aCCord it it all right Bob n b had answered my objection If If I couldn't I wouldn't e have proposed it it itI I knew money meant nothing to Bob even though he worked hard for tor it lIe He spent generously always and now noT that he had a It home bome all paid for he seemed at times a 1 little reckless Then too T T. T often told him lm I would woud rather have ha less to cio do w with h and h ha e ve I j him give up the partnership in the publishing business which had become my I I my bete noir I But Dut at last I had bad consented to employ employ em em- ploy plo a second maid The house was wasI I large large- the work with two children rather heavy and Della Delia was becoming j I a bit bU disgruntled I had advertised 1 I and as the day passed I r had little I time to think of Bobs Bob's defection or defection or i I considered such such because because of the constant stream of applicants i As I 1 wanted a nurse girl principally principally pally pany one I 1 could trust to take the children out and to care for them when both Delia who Della who was entirely trustworthy trustworthy and and I were away at the same Ume yme I was very careful as to references tes Finally I 1 decided upon a aled ared ared red led cheeked checked Irish girl named Nellie She was to come the following I morning It was as about 4 o'clock when I en enI engaged engaged en- en I her and a few v minutes later Mrs Irs Baldwin came in to see how Donald was getting along Really Keally she had been most kind and when she told me that Mr Baldwin would not be home for dinner I asked her to remain and have a bite bUe with me She was delighted and accepted imme Imme- I put Donald to bed for the night then we sat down to have a chat before dinner I wonder why it is that some people people people peo peo- arouse distrust of others In us I never saw Mrs Baldwin that she shedid shedid shedid did not make me uneasy over Bob Dob I CH CHAPTER 80 Unwelcome Advice Two lone neglected females Mrs Baldwin said with a a. laugh as wo we made ourselves comfortable Mr arr fr Garrett had business to attend i to to I responded My Iy pride would not I allow her ber to think I thought myself I neglected I knew her too slightly i Mr Ir Baldwin said he had business i also she returned in her laugh half i ling Ing cynical halt way They all an say Fay I that you know You mean you think they lie to us I I asked I I dont don't think I know they do The j I dear creatures But Dut not all all Mr Garrett II By ny that you mean not sh she interrupted I Yes ile Lie always tells me where he heIs heis Is going and whom he is with Always 1 I Yes What a model man D By the way then you ou can tell me who the young lad lady was he lunched with at the Castor Castor Cas Cas- I 1 tor the other day Joe hasn't stopped i talking about her ber yet I What day was It It I asked to to gain time Does he tell you ou of or so many handsome handsome hand hand- I some women he takes lunch with that you have haxe to know the day to distin distin- distinguish I them and she laughed merrily merrily mer mer- rily You certainly are good natured What did Mr Baldwin say she sheI looked like still I 1 did not lc know ow low what I to say how to handle the situation I A wonderful blonde with the most wonderful hair and the daintiest hands hand and feet Joe is Js a 11 great admirer of those three things In a woman woman and Mrs Irs Baldwin looked carelessly at her own well shaped hands Oh that was vaa a Chicago authoress l Xou ou know Mr Garrett Is Interested in ina ina a a. publishing business in business In a small wa way I 1 added Oh and know you ou her No I never met her I dislike the entire lot of ot people who claim to do doI I things I 1 returned The They usually are very ordinary and their claim to be i Bohemian Is only another word for li license 11 cense I keep entirely out of it all nil as would any self respecting woman But nut arent aren't you ou a little tittle hard on them I f have ha met only a few literary and I artistic people but those were absolutely absolutely fascinating They had bad so much to talk about were 5 bd ad interesting so 0 t energetic IC that I 1 was quite carried away That was It lt Mrs Baldwin had exI exactly exactly ex ex- ex- ex II I expressed it Bob was carried away by the enthusiasm of ot the people I opposed I I l dont don't think I am hard on them no T i answered They are In a a. class by themselves s let them keep to themselves themselves them them- selves Then you ou object to Mr Garretts Garrett's i Joining them Wasn't that charming channing Mr Kendall a publisher or writer or something like that lIe He is a publisher the head of the firm In which Mr 11 Garrett has an interest inter Inter- est cst nut But you ou concede him charming You wouldn't C call him undesirable lIe He may have o charming manners but he Is an undesirable acquaintance for home people for anyone who wlm But is Mr lr Garrett domestic He lie doesn't strike me as one bit Inclined that way way Bob would be domestic he would beall bo be all right If those people would let him alone I burst out forgetting to be cautious in my Indignation You shouldn't have bave married so fascinating fascInating fascinating fas fas- BO so brilliant a a. man He lIe is an addition to any circle and I 1 dont don't wonder wonder wonder won won- der they want him By Dy the way if It you vou dont don't mind how bow old a man isI is Mr Garrett He is one of ot those perennIally perennially perennially peren peren- I young Houng men whose age it is almost al almost al- al most impossible to guess Bob Dob is nearly 28 I said slowly would she ask asle me my age next I 1 wondered Mr Baldwin guessed about that But I declared he wasn't over 23 25 2 Joe said he couldn't be such a good business business busi busl- i ness man were he not older than I I thought him I He went Into business ImmedIately I Ic c- c he ho left college and amI has always been successful I said boastfully I might decry what Bob Dob did dill but no one else should I I should 1 judge so EO But honestly Mrs Garrett do you ou think you are wise to let so fascinating a man as your our husband go so much without you Oll I II I should think you jou OU would be afraid Afraid of ot what I Of losing him I Know I should Why the way 10 Joe loo described that wom- wom tt rl i ap Mr 11 Garrett wa was lunching willme wit will me mo shiver cr for tor your o ir r happiness I have 8 een seen her she is rea V goo good looking J JAnd And very young vomit Joe lne J e said sald said 3 She looks young bui but bj dresses so y n I Is b bI ti la I Judge age Vine fathers f you kr ki I tried to speak but wi vt I relieved t l when T IcIla ann dinner j I To he be continued i |