The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-11-13
Married Life
the Second Year
sy MABEL HERBERT uRNER.

Now don't be foolish! Go on if they
yant you to-" urged Warren. Wilson
md I want to play out our match of
billiards."
Helen stood, reluctantly. "Oh. but
sou know I don't like to go without
(ou.'
"That's absurd. You've been in all
lay-thc airll do you good"
Come on cried the Stevenses
gho were already out in the car. Mr..
Summers will take care Of you if your
husband don't come"
Helen hurried down the path to the
waiting car.
q believe you're to sit back here
with me-" said Mr.. Summers, as he
Bprang out to help her in. Hadn't
better get you a heavier wrap? VIII
hat thin one be enough"
"Oh, yes, quite enough, as she seat
ed herself back in the wide leather
yeat
Mr.. Summers was a cousin Of the
Stevenses and had been at the hotel
Tor some time. Helen knew that he
admired her. Her womans intuition
Told her that He had formed one of
their party for a number Of rides and
outings and had been particularly at
tentive to her.
Often when Warren, with his usual
Indifference had left her to look after
herself, it was Mr.. Summers who had
hurried to help her in and out OF the
car, and in many ways had been sollcl-
tous about her comfort.
Helen had shrunk from these little
attentions because they seemed only
10 emphasize Warren's neglect That
anyone else should have to look after
her when her husband was present
seemed but direct reflection on him.
And now as they sped through the
night over the smoothly ioled roads,
with Mr.. Summers beside her in the
seclusion of the deep back seat, Helen
was conscious that by HIS very silence
he was in some way creating between
them a curious sense of intimacy.
There is nothing more subtle, moth
ing that can be made more pregnant
with meaning than a conscious ST.
lence. Now and then a sudden jar of
the machine swayed her toward him
and she was conscious of his arm
against hers-and conscious of his
consciousness of it.
She tried to think of something to
say-something simple and natural
anything to break the silence, that
grew more and more insistent.
"All the roads are so we'll kept
here" she murmured at length. II
wonder how often they oil them"
But the remark was SO banal and it's
purpose so obvious that it only in
creased her discomfort. And when he
answered:
every few days, I suppose" and
then offered no further comment, the
silence was more pronounced than ev-
err.
Helen was intensely glad when a lit
tie farther on, they stopped at a road
house. She sprang out quickly without
giving Mr. Summers a chance to help
her.
Lets take a table out here on the
porch suggested Mrs. Stevens ut
looks SO hot and stuffy inside. Isn't
that red wallpaper horrible?
The porch was lit only by the light
that shone through the window. Helen
would rather have gone inside, when
the bright lights would have helped to
dispel this atmosphere of subtle ro-
nance that Mr.. Summers was deliber-
ately trying to throw about her.
wait Stevens, I'm doing this" and
Mr.. Summers promptly beckoned the
waiter and gave the order Now are
you sure you won't have a sandwich
or Saldd, he asked leaning toward
Helen who had ordered only a claret
lemonade.
She shook her head. "No, that is all
! care for
ooh, forgot your footstool!" as the
waiter disappeared I'm afraid I'm not
taking such very good care of you af
ter ALL
oh don't need a footstool for the
few moments we'll be here. answered
Helen, keenly conscious of his init