Show Margaret Carrett's i x C. BJ-C. Husband 2 ti l ft BV BY JANE JANK PHELPS CHAPTER Indifference Elsie then chose a dress for a quaint flowered thing thins very becom becom- becoming becomIng becoming ing to her piquant beauty B By that time It was 4 I o'clock and after having some soma tea I 1 started for home hom 1 I stopped In a drug store thinking I would telephone Bob and wait walt for tor him himat himat himat at the station Then suddenly suddenly It came cama over me that ho ha might not be pleased that he might act as he had done when I met him on his return from Chicago So after buying a a. lit little little little lit lit- tle to toy dog I 1 saw displayed for Don Don- ald I 1 took my train for home Oh come come I 1 heard Donald call as he heard my voice And a thrill ran through me meas meas meas as I 1 thought of or the love my children gave me Come to mother dear I said and I he ho came running to m my arms I 1 didn't t have no bad dream Daddy told em not to to You ou mean dadd daddy said you ou wouldn't 1 i td curre corn correi L Yes that's what I 1 I 1 unwrapped the dog and gave It to him Nellie Nellie Come see the dog me he yelled Then without waiting he he- heran rat ran to show his prize B Bob b came In about an hour later looking very tired Did you have a good rest resU he asked Yes I 1 was shamefully lazy I 1 did not get up until nearly noon and then Elsie came down and ordered m me to toI get up and go shopping I That was nice he replied in a careless careless careless care care- less tone showing no slightest Interest Interest interest Inter Inter- est in me or what I 1 had done After dinner he went almost ImmedIatelY immediately immediately imme Imme- to bedI bedI bed I have a hard day tomorrow and need some sleep he said as he left me reading In the library Would he never ne again be loving 10 Wa Yn I 1 never to have haY another caress caress caress' The next morning Bob was rested I and more chatty with me than he had been In In some time timer Mj My r hopes vr wre w.-t e again tailed raised lr IT He had 33 t b bc bea n 11 tired aired ll the UH nl night ht before That wo would ld excuse his Ind Indifference So I thought thought then then smiled to myself to see how quickly I r wa was learning to snake malto excuses for what I 1 had deemed unpardonable so short a time before Elsie Is Js E going tn to give a dinner I 1 told him when conversation languished There was after all very little that wo two could talk about I 1 realized with a feeling of 01 regret very regret very little I could say ay to him to excite his Interest I must commence studying the things he liked at once once once-my my reading music etc I Yes when Next week some night A really smart affair I bought a new dress she made me I right Im I'm glad she has sense enough to have you do whatever is necessary How flow I wished he would ask me to tell him about the dress that ho would show somo some Interest But no he was wall only glad that someone had sense enough to look out that I wouldn't embarrass him because of or my appear appear- ance This was what I 1 thought It is a small dinner only dinner only twelve I 1 commenced again Quite enough I If they are tho the right kind of people too many J If they are not sententiously Bob answered I I hope you'll like my dress It It will be all an right if Elsie selected It She's always smart I would learn to be smart too was pas my thought but I 1 didn't say so so and gave up trying to excite Bobs Bob's interest In my clothes Id like to have some people In for the evening soon coon Bob Dob Some night when you surely will bo be at home What you What you said he asked He hadn't been listening I I said that I would like a a. few tow people people peo peo- plc in for tor the evening some night soon when you will bo be at home homo I 1 repeated yes Urn Um yes all right he said his mouth full fun of ot hot muffins his eyes of ot amazement Just people Who Vho would you have he asked and pleased at even a a. slight show of or interest I replied The Baldwins Baldwin of course Mrs and that nice Mr Lansing Lansing Lansing Lan Lan- sing Mr and Mrs Bolton You know I went there to a tea and and well well 1 I hadn't thought of it before but we weI might I ask f John Kendall and his cousin Bob had seemed mildly Interested until I mentioned John Kendall Then his o eyes es opened and his Ills expression changed But all he said was Suit yourself but I 1 thought you didn't like John You told me once that he spoiled everything for you I 1 have exercised a womans woman's privilege privilege privilege lege and changed my mind But 1 I never knew him really He lie was so nice the other night might I 1 have been mistaken mistaken mistaken mis mis- taken In him No more than you have been in all my friends he replied with all the theold theold theold old bitterness I thought best to make no reply but asked him to name a night when It would be convenient for him so I 1 could send out my invitations Make it next Wednesday and dont don't donti t i make a formal affair of it I know you you'll give them something to eat you always do But dont don't try to amuse them in any way way unless unless you play bridge Hot Mot anger prevented my replying and Bob soon rose lose from the table and andI left for tor the office I He had hadl thought me Incapable of ot otI engineering anything which would Interest in interest interest In- In terest people like John Kendall lendall and I Soma oma Wells Veils I was sure he had them in mind when he he spoke as he well knew lenew the others save others save Mrs FarnesI Farnes Farnes- worth possibly were possibly were simple people I and so easily entertained I ISome Some day Ill I'll prove to you that I I Ican can do things I muttered as all II I watched him swing down the street I That is if you'll let me I 1 added as asT r T thought how frail was the tenure I had Thad upon him I Wednesday was Nellies Nellie's day out soI so soI I I r sought her at once I am giving a a. little company Wednesday night Nellie and shall I n need ed you to wait walt Will fIl you go out Tuesday instead I Of or course Mrs Garrett And if you'll pardon my saying so Id I'd be I willing to give up going out altogether alto alto- altogether g gether ther to help you ou have company It I Isn't good for tor you to be alone so much Thank you Nellie but you can go I Tuesday perfectly well I 1 was very fortunate in my help I Nellie the nurse and waitress was an exceptional girl fairly well educated Della Delia too was absolutely devoted to the children But both of them simply worshiped Bob Just why I 1 never could explain save that he always spoke kindly to them But I 1 was seldom seldom seldom sel sel- dom either harsh or unreasonable with I i them yet et I 1 realized they cared much I 1 more for tor Bob than for me I was uni un- un i un- un unfortunate fortunate in that people did not care i for tor me even me-even even the servants I 1 thought i bitterly CHAPTER I In the Depths J I had entire days at this time when I it seemed as if I could not keep going Days when all I 1 wanted was to weep and bewail the r fact t that Bob didn't I love me Then some little thing would I happen and I 1 would pick up my courage courage courage cour cour- I age in both hands and go along again I Elsie helped me wonderfully She I spent much time with me and In every way was so sympathetic yet so determined de determined de- de I I 1 should not give way that I grew to love her dearly I Bob often otten made me very uncomfortable able without In the feast ast Intending todo to todo todo do so that so-that that I know But Dut I 1 didn't just know what to d do about it or even in what terms 1 I could speak to him about It Once I said Be charitable Bob Dob I did not know that I was uncharitable I he had replied Something had been said anent Marlon Marion Riggs and he I had referred to the time I 1 so embarrassed embarrassed embarrassed embar embar- him I I 1 am only reminding reminding- you that such things make me fearful tearful you will offend others So that was It he feared to have me go where his friends were thinking I 1 might offend them Oh if he only knew how hard I was trying to be pl pleasant to them not only pleasant but attractive he would not talk like that But I 1 couldn't tell him not him not for tor fora tora a long time I 1 had to prove myself fIrstI fIrst I shant shan't be home to dinned Bob said on the Tuesday before I 1 had In Invited Invited In- In my little company Where are you going the question question ques ques- tion just slipped out without volition on my mv part I 1 bit my lip Up but as Bob Dob never looked up I said laId nothing He lIe put down his cup and flung out an address In town I happened to know that It was the address of an artist whom Elsie and ald I 1 had one day clay discussed discussed dis dis- l.- l. cussed as being a collector of ot engrav engrav- ings Then he glanced at his watch vatch n i il and 1 hurried from the table E II I 1 was surprised when he reached the front door to have him return and say rather sheepishly I 1 thought Why dont don't you get Mrs Baldwin and go to the movies or something I Ithen then without waiting for tor an nn answer I hurried away All An day I 1 was happy He Ha had comeback come comeback I Iback back to tell ten me to have a good time 1 He had thought of ot me So I sang over my preparations for tor the next evening until I 1 caught Della Delia and Nellie exchanging ex exchanging exchanging ex- ex changing glances I 1 was only to have a a. simple supper late in tho the evening But I 1 Intended to have it absolutely perfect If It my housekeeping were the only thing which Bob praised he Ito should not praise without reason So the maids and I worked busily all the morning Then rhen Nellie took the children out and Della Delia said t to me Why dont don't you go and lay down downa a little while maam ma'am You look so BO rested and young you do do doId Id sta stay in bed all day to look young I said laughingly but I 1 followed followed fol fol- lowed her advice Elsie had stipulated that I 1 should take all the care possible of or my looks I 1 was trying to do it itI It I rested over an hour then put on my things thins and walked over to Mrs I I found Mrs Baldwin there and a few moments afterward Mrs Bolton came In inDo in Do take ot off your things all of you and well we'll have a game of bridge Mrs suggested We Ve needed no urging and we soon having a a. lively and interesting game l Once when Mrs was wa dummy she spoke of ot her rellO reeo s i c t take up her French again with a at I teacher s ifil iE Oh I 1 should like to study Fish I 1 exclaimed Bob spoke it P Why not join me me Wo We could could Irl together and one would q other she replied td Count me in too Mrs Ba said and before we played tho th tr hand it was settled that we tour four II make up a class in French ands andi lessons three times a a. week I fol 1 that no one was to know we I II doing it until we could at least UI h ourselves intelligible a good idea well we'll those husbands of ours urs some Mrs Baldwin laughed 1 I was vas delighted th that mt at atleas leas least move had been made toward ay a education for mys myself lC that it v wi be so enjoyable le I 1 surely would would I Ibe much more moie than I could to alone Then when 1 I had adv adva far enough so that thai i felt like to t I him perhaps Bob would help nv me When we wo finished playing wet wel 1 walked home together I 1 said no about going to the mo moles movies les I home and commence that very nl course of 01 reading Elsie had lal laid 1 ou me All on subjects subject i in in 11 which Boll Bob interested JE It will be dry reading at first I of it she had told me but yo ye soon get interested Jt 1 I dont don't care how dr dT it is if it help make me Interesting to I Do i. i n I had replied and I meant it L To be continued m |