The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1911-11-18
Behind
Closed Doors
By Dorothy Douglas

"There's no use talking, Babs, a
girl who can sing is always in de-
mand." Bob Danvers gazed remi-
%niscently up into the apple tree I'M
der which he was lying.
The hurt look that came into Bar
bara Trents eyes escaped him. He
went on, happily oblivious.
"The two girls III our quartette
never have an evening to themselves
and I'll tell you it would be a pretty
slow town without them to keep us
going"
Barbara glanced siftly at her fan
ce. No; his words were not inten-
tional but with all a mans brutal
franknes8 he was stabbing her to the
heart.
To the mans ears, the hurs in her
voice was well concealed.
eyes it is nice to have them here.
You see l was right in refusing to
become engaged to you unless you
kept up your quartette two evenings
a week" There was a wistful express
sion in the eyes she turned from him.
"You are a girl in a thousand,
-
Babby," he said and drew her near
er to him. "Now 1 couldn't stand
it for a minute if you were to spend
two nights a week with any other
fellow" He tried to look into her
eyes, but for the first time some
thing in their depths eluded him. 81
sometimes think you don't love me-"
he said.
Barbara remained silent.
eff you loved me you couldn't be
SO Indifferent"
"Perhaps not" Barbara's voice
was c~uriously %preoccupied.
81 suppose you will insist on my
keeping up the quartette when we
are married"
Certainly. I will not marry you
otherwise"
Suddenly Barbara laughed-a
laugh so completely the outcome of
her own thoughts that Bob looked
aggrieved.
Three weeks later Bob and Bar.
bara were saying good night dowr
by the old gate.
"Well, Pll see you tomorrow
night" said Bob.
"No, nor cried Barbara quickly
tomorrow is Friday-quartett
nightw
A breathless something escaped
Bob's lips. 81 am coming anyway
) he said doggedly.
Barbara's eyes had grown wild,
and dark in the moonlight.
"You may as well have this rinl
back then" she said quietly.
But Bob had flung off down tn,
, lane. Barbara laughed softly as sh.
!, went slowly toward the house.
|
The next evening Bob Danver
) took a roundabout way to the littl
club house where the quartette met
S The way took him past Barbara
D house and he strobe along with hi
e hands deep in his pockets. But the
we're not deeper than his thoughts
. Barbara's indifference during tn
q last few weeks and a certain air 0
aloofness and mystery had sen
, gloomy forebodings into his brain.
He had not intended to stand an
gaze at the house as he passed, bu
a voice arrested his attention.
+ Bob Danvers drew nearer and
/ great wave of jealous heat surge
8 through him.
e Through a tiny crack between tn
s blinds Danvers had seen a man sea
ed at the piano. Beside him stoo
Barbara-his Barbara-and II
mans arm was about Barbara
waist. Blind with jealousy, rag
and convictions of Barbara's dupli,
n ity, he went swiftly away from Il
scene.
so that's why she sends me o
d to sing" he muttered as he stro(
al along.
It An hour later, because he wantt
to make sure that his eyes had n.
2 played him false, Bob returned
the walk in front of Barbara's HON
His heart thumped within him.
81 will see you tuesday," Ba
re bara's sweet voice called out.
to "You certainly will" a mar
ii voice responded, then Bob Danve
k heard the front door close and
r. mont evy;ftlv out brourb n