Evening star., 1915-01-28

S1ADoN.
she heard him in the hall she called
over the banister: II may go to see
Fanny Cameron when I've finished
shopping"
Struggling into his overcoat. he look
ed up at her surprisedly. I'm going,
Betty he said, irrelevantly.
She smiled down sweetly. Goodbye,
Peyton, dear"
Aren't you coming down. he asked,
amazedly.
why. if you don't mind-rm in such
a hurry
"Oh, of course not"'
But riding downtown he found he did
mind. He missed his young wife's
kiss and her pretty, flashing smile as
he turned their corner Through the
day he found himself wanting that
winch he had come to consider rather
tirssome and quite unnecessary-her
voice over the telephone.
In the evening he walked from the
station with unwonted alacrity and
looked eagerly for the opening of the
front door But it didn't open until he
1tted his latchkey. There was no Betty
III me .ne nall with a gay welcome.
Mrs. Dundas just te1ephoned, SIR"
the maid Informed him, that she would
remain at the Camerons' for dinner.
Your dinner is ready, sir"
Peyton sat down to the table rather
Indignantly. No matter how greatly
mitted nothing to interfere with his
dining with Betty. Yet here was Betty
carelessly prolonging pleasure call
with no thought of his lonely dinner.
IT was deucedly lonely! He fiddled
with his dessert. then pushed it away
and fooled the time a, ny aimlessly,
waiting for Betty He waited-e until
almost o'clock, and then went rather
sulkily to the club.
Somehow the club did not prove par
ticularly attractive. Jimmy Hender-
son asked him where he had picked up
the Crouch" He decided Jimmy was
something of an ass. In fact, the whole
bunch bored him. SO he went home
When no little figure rushed at him
came genuinely alarmed. In an instant
he heard Betty upstairs. humming soft
ly. He began to feel something more
than Indignation; but he wanted to
feign unconcern, SO he turned into the
library. He quickly discovered there
He went up the stairs two at time.
Betty looked up at him, from where
she rummaged through dresser draw
ers with friendly. careless smile. I'm
so busy" she exclaimed. She appeared
to consider of no moment her absence
I've joined Fanny Cameron's sewing
club! We sew for the needy, you
know, and Where did 1 put those
pieces of flannel! Perhaps I'll find them
in" She hurried into an adjoining
room, calling back from. there. "Pey-
the library table with some splendid
articles on the European situation in
them"
With an uncomplimentary comment
on Fanny Cameron and her sewing
club. the European situation and every
thing in general, Peyton flung out Of
the room angrily, and tried to figure
out down in the library what under the
shining heavens had come over the
most devoted of wives.
And this became his greatest problem
in the days following. While Betty was
always bright and sweetly friendly, he
missed her many loving ways desper-
ately. 1t really was abominable the
hours she spent away from him. A
lonely dinner came to be staple arti-
more, either before or after his even
ing at the club. 1t was always a chari-
able affair, or something or other, or
long drawn-out conversation with
Fanny Cameron over the telephone.
Frequently he reflected: Pm glad to
see Betty get down to outside affairs
at last: but heavens above, I don't want
home life crowded out completely"
Betty" he wheedled one evening,
"cut out this COMPOUNDED meeting you
nave oA. Woii 81 " SAS SA1Us anu
We'll have the cosiest kind of time at
home. I miss Dear, you're chang
ing. Are you firing, Betty?" He caught
her hand impulsively.
She smiled up at him, gently impa-
tient. This meeting is very irnpor-
tant, Peyton. so you mustn't detain me-"
Without word he went to the club.
He stayed less than an hour. He could
not enter into it's life with the thought
that his wife was drifting away from
him. It was a relief to reach his libra
ry, even if it was indefinitely lonely
there.
Not switching on the lights. he
dropped morosely into a chair by a
window. He had been seated only a
few moments when Betty came up the
steps. He did not move to meet her.
Why should he? She did not want his
greeting. She came directly to the
library He remained, unmoved, in the
shadow.
oh" she exclaimed, softly. II couldn't
bear it there another moment! l. got
thinking of Peyton, and Oh, II II
was sure 1 wouldn't bore the life, out
of him any more I'd go right to the
phone and tell him that want him-II
want him-I want him."
She switched on the lights and looked
straight into Peyton's eyes. "Pey-l
Pey-ton Dundas!" she gasped.
After an hour or SO Peyton whis-
pered: Betty. dear. do You really.
really love me as much as ever"
She turned from him swiftly. She
wanted to laugh outright. Instead, she
answered. with a suspicious choke:
"You bet I do, Peyton, dear"