Show THE FICTION ION SECRETS ARE BAD CORNER By Richard H. H Wilkinson J NO ONE caught on to my secret I but Sheila Sheila was smart Pretty too She had smoky gray grayeyes grayeyes grayeyes eyes and titian hair and pure white skin We met at a winter whiter sports house- house party up in New Hampshire and the next Monday 1 back in Boston I took her ber to 3 Minute 3 elin 1 lunch u n c h. h Ive I some friends Id I'd like to have you meet I said They have an apartment apartment apartment apart apart- ment out on the Fenway Suppose looked at atme atme atme we run out tonight She me with a n sudden flash of her smoky eyes and I said quickly Sounds like a stuffy evening I suppose It wont won't be Bette and Gill are OK You'll like them Id love to go she said And so that night we called on Bette and Gill GUI On the way home Sheila said shed she'd lad a grand time which is why Ive I've always marveled at Bette and Gill Gm because wed we'd done practically practically practically nothing I like them Sheila said married and they seem happy They are happy They've been married six years and they're happier than when they started Ive I've known em cm both since high school Well during the six months that followed I saw a n lot rf tf Sheila Shena and together we saw a lot of Gill and Bette One night I went up there without her and you'd think those two had been waiting for an opportunity opportunity opportunity to get me rue alone Say listen Gill GUI said youre sr L LI L I knew It It Bette cried de de- de- de Its Sheila Hes He's In Inlove Inlove Inlove love with Sheila Shena getting old I mean here we weve we've ve been married six years and youre you're not even in love How would you know about that I grinned at himI himI himI him I knew it iU Bette cried delight delight- edly Its Sheila Hes He's in love with Sheila Oh Jim we think that's grand Shell She'll make you a wonderful wonder wonder- ful wife wile all right Good company So are the dozen other girls Ive I've been bringing up here Gill shrugged OK Jim Weve We've been hoping you'd fall for one of them because youre you're missing some something thing thing not not being married ViTO nights after that I saw Sheila T TWO We w went nt to an town in-town hotel to dinner and dance Around 10 o'clock I suggested we leave and run out outto outto outto to Gills Gill's and Bettes But Sheila shook her head and I looked at her herin herin herin in some surprise nice people she said I II like them but Im I'm Ima a little tired o of being an excuse Excuse Ive heard About bout the other girls They were all all excuses but Ill I'll bet they didn't wit it Now wait a minute I said What is this Call it a game if you like She looked at me steadily Jim you'd better give up Gill happens to love his wife and I have an idea hell he'll keep on loving her I flushed angrily Of course he will Who says he wont won't Nobody But you hope hupe he wont I hope what What the devil are you talking about She Sho sighed Oh Jim stop pretending Youre You're in love with Bette Youve You've been In love with her for so 60 many years youve you've lost count You kept bringing pretty girls up there hoping hed he'd fall faU for one of them hopIng hopIng hop hop- Ing shed she'd break up their match Then you'd have ha a chance chalice with Bette Stop I yelled Youre crazy No Im I'm not Im I'm quite sane What kills me is that neither Gill nor Bette have caught on She stopped and bit her lip Well its it's none of my affair but Ill I'll tell you this Jim Those two are about the only inspiring people Ive I've ever known And Im I'm all for tor letting them stay that way From now on count me rne oulI out I shrugged OK Youre You're out There are two dozen others out with you But youre you're the first who's guessed the reason I sighed I Iguess Iguess Iguess guess Id I'd better quit Gill and Bette think if I married you Id I'd b be getting a prize Im I'm beginning to agree with them Will you marry me No said Sheila Which is what a chap gets geb for tor having a secret like mine |