The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-09-15
Married Life
the Second Year
ev mAerI HERBERT uRNER.

FTF,N was in a flutter of exclt- |
u I'd preparation. It was Satur- |
L day' the day she had asked |
VIII Farrel to dine with them
With some misgiyings she mad TOTO
Warren Of the invitation but ne had
only grl,nted an indifferent On II
you want to have nm. all right. met
him once, and he seemed 10 me pic
y much Of a chump-
.'Whv. he's anything but that, ans
wered Helen lndigna ntly. And II he
comes / want you to be particularly
nice to him
All right" carelessly, bring him
on"
And with this assurance Of his con-
sent Helen nad prepared the dinner
with much care.
There can be no more deilcate or III
teresting situation for any woman
than that Of entertaining, after ner
marriage. a man who wanted to mar
ny her.
And TO the possibilities OF this stu
alton. Helen vas keenly alive. She
wanted to prove to Will Farrell that
she had made no mistake in her mar
riage. She wanted him to see her
home, her baby and her husband at
their best.
II was almost six, now, and she was
putting the last touches to the ldble
before hurrying to dress.
''Here. Della. fiji this silver salt eel
tar. And that isn't the dish for the
olives. | told you to use the one WIN
the handle. And put some more ice
on the celery. want it to be very
crisp"
HER FEARS FOR WARREN.
By hall past six, she was dressed
and was LAYING out Warren's clothes.
He had promised to come home early
Surely. ne wasn't going to be late TO-
night.
At o11arter to seven he had not come.
Tho lump, that always rose IN Hei.
ems threat, when she thought herself
tlagrantly neglected, or mlstreated'
was now lodged there. Was he going
to fail her tonight?
Seven o'clock brought Mr.. Farrel,
seeming bigger and better groomed
than ever in his evening clothes. Hell
en led the way to the library, and mo-
tened him to a morris chair by the
gas logs, which she had just lit.
II am so sorry Mr.. Curtis has been
detained. But I'm sure he will be here
any moment now"
She tried to talk gayly, so that he
might not see her uneaslnesS about
Warren.
''Whdt q 0ellSnllul dpdi lll1hI Sou
have here" he commented.
ooh. yes; we like it very much. It's
very convenient, just a block from the
subway Mr.. Curtis can reach his Of
fee in twenty minutes.
Shall | serve dinner, now. Ma am
or wait for Mr.. Curtis" asked Della,
appearing at the door.
ooh, WHY guess We'll wait few
minutes. He's certain to be here very
soon. | can't imagine what has de-
tanned him so long"
Another half hour passed and Hell
en-. knowing the dinner would be spoil
ed if they waited longer ordered De-
liza to serve it.
HERE HE is NOW SHE SAID.
They were hardly seated when the
hall door opened.
"Oh, there is Mr.. Curtis announced
Helen jOyously.
She thought, of course he would go
to his room and freshen up before
coming to the table But to her sur
prise he bolted right in upon them.
One glance at his flushed face and
over-brilliant eyes and Helen knew he
had been drinking!
"Ah, that's right-that's right Glad
YOU didn't wait" with a foolish smile
that always came when he was half
intoxicated.
Warren" Helen's voice was curl
ously strained, Il want you to meet
Mr.. Farrell again. | believe you did
meet several years ago"
why, of course, of course! How
are you, Farrell. old man? Mighty glad
to have you with us"
Helen half rose from the place at
the head of the table which she had
taken that she might serve in his alb
sence.
oh, no no, my dear keep your seat
The head Of the table for the Madame
every time, eh Farrell"
Helen felt herself grow sick-cold,
tremblingly sick. If only he wouldn't
talk. they might get through the din
ner somehow. But, with him, drink al
ways brought first a foolish. maudin
volubility, followed later by an irrita
BILE sullenness. And now be was just