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Show ' il'&T2T the The Love of Two Mer By MEREDITH SCHOLL (Associated Newspapers WNU Service.) ESTHER sometimes thought It would be better, easier to bear, if Ralph, her husband, would give the thing a name that was eating away at his vitals, robbing him of everything she had once loved and admired. Jealousy! She knew that's what It was. She saw it gleaming in his eyes whenever she mentioned the name of Mel Raymond. Mcl had once been her lover. He had made it possible for her to satisfy satis-fy a whim by giving her the opportunity oppor-tunity to go on the stage. She had failed miserably, had been glad to abandon thoughts of a career and marry Ralph. But Mel had been her lover, loved her now. Of the latter she was sure, though since her marriage to Ralph she saw him only on rare occasions. Ralph knew Mel still loved her. The knowledge tormented him, because he was always al-ways afraid she might return his affection. At first she let him think so. It was curiously satisfying to her vanity to see him made miserable miser-able because of her. But after a while it became annoying annoy-ing to feel that she was under surveillance sur-veillance at all times. Unjustly she her eyes. "So! That's aH your love has meant! It wasn't me you wanted, want-ed, it was " "Your love. But I can see that you don't understand, my dear, and I'm afraid you never will. In fact, you're rather a disappointment." Her eyes flamed. For a moment Indecision held her. But Mel was calm and unwavering, a little smile on his lips, pity in his eyes. Pity! She shuddered, turned abruptly and fled. Outside she tried to marshal her senses. Anger and humiliation burned at her soul, yet gradually these emotions were dimmed, forced into the background by a more persistent per-sistent something. Fear. Fear that Ralph might not take her back, might not want her. Fear because of what she had done, because it would justify whatever course of action he might choose to take. A taxi deposited her in front of her own home. Relief surged through her as she saw that a light still burned in the library. He was still there, then. Probably waiting, wait-ing, hoping, longing for her return. Probably sunk into the depths of despair and misery. A wave of sym-. sym-. pathy possessed her. Perhaps she had been a little hard. After all, it wasn't right to toy with a man's love. She'd have to change, make Ralph happier. Redeem herself in his eyes. Make amends. Repair the damage. Atone for her sins. The idea appealed to her. The fear that she had known during the taxi ride began to be replaced by confidence, a certain pride and satisfaction satis-faction because of her admission and resolve. She would go to Ralph, tell him that she had reconsidered, realized now that her love for him was greater than all else, that she had resolved to prove it to him. He would believe. He would be eager to believe. She pictured the grateful, grate-ful, humble look of his face, and smiled to herself. Her feelings were similar to those of a benefactor, a philanthropist. She mounted the steps, let herself Msmjk u into the hall, glimpsed the back of Ralph's head as he sat before the library fire. , She paused before the mirror to add a t6uch of color to her cheeks. Then she went to Ralph. Ralph did not turn when she spoke to him, and so she came up from behind, be-hind, caressed his hair with her hand, stooped to kiss him on the cheek stooped and suddenly felt herself overcome by nausea, felt her throat go dry, choking off the involuntary invol-untary scream of horror that struggled strug-gled to be free. Swaying uncertainly she stared, fascinated, horrified by the wound, at the blood that had streamed down his face and had dried into a crust on his shirt front. She saw the gun lying on the floor near the chair. She saw the stark, lifeless eyes of Ralph staring at her. And at last she screamed; a sound that bespoke remorse and regret and wild hopeless hope-less longing; a sound that reverberated reverber-ated against the walls of the room and was flung back mockingly against her ears. "Darling!" He came toward her, gripped her arms, hesitated, looking look-ing deep into her eyes. laid the blame on Ralph. It didn't occur to her that the situation was the result of her own selfish desire to be amused. And at last she had flared out at him. "If I'm ever unfaithful to you it will be your own faultl You don't trust me! You never have! You've been suspicious of me since the day we were married!" "Only because you led me to believe be-lieve that your interest in Mel Raymond Ray-mond was not dead," he told her bitterly. "You gloated over the fact that he still loves you!" Esther's cheeks went white. "So! You were jealous of Mel!" She got slowly to her feet. "Very well, Ralph, now I will give you real cause to be jealous. I'm going back to Mel." Ralph stood in the center of the floor and watched her put on her hat and coat She didn't trust her-, self to look at him, but his eyes were like two hot points of light piercing her soul. She went out, slamming the door. From the veranda she glimpsed him still standing there, and a little shudder passed through her. i There was a light in Mel's apart ment. She paused for a moment in the lower hall to regain her composure com-posure and dab at her nose with a powder puff. She was glad now that she had never permitted Mel's love to die. He was waiting for her in the hall when she stepped from the elevator. "Esther!" His eyes devoured her. She gave him her hand and led him back into the apartment. "Mel, I've come to you. You've always wanted me, and now I've come! " "Darling!" He came toward her, gripped her arms, hesitated, looking deep into her eyes. "Ralph? You've left him?" "For good!" "Why?" Esther sat down on the arm of a chair. She looked up at him, and then away again. "I don't love him. He's become overbearing." "But " Mel frowned, gnawing his lip, studying her closely. "The man loves you, Esther. My love for you has tormented him ever since you were married." "He deserved to be tormented. He deserves this." She fell silent, waiting. Mel lighted a cigarette. "Esther, you didn't come to me jecause you loved me. You came to avenge Ralph." "What difference does it make? You've wanted me. You've always wanted me. Now I'm here. What else matters?" He shook his head sadly. "A lot else, Esther. It's true that I've always al-ways loved you. I still do. But I don't want you this way." She looked up, alarmed, fearful. "Mel! You don't mean " "You don't respect my love, Esther. Es-ther. You endured it once for a career. You're using it now to avenge your husband." He paused. "You couldn't insult me any more completely, my dear. I'm sorry my love isn't your kind." Esther stood up and faced him. There was contempt and scorn in |