The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1915-06-16
"A Man and
His Wife,
BY Virginia Terhune Van de Water
CHAPTER XVIII.

nad right TO follow 1t.
John Hamilton told himself that his
wife had suspected him, had spied up
on his actions and that, therefore, he
was justified in being as deceitful as
she imagined him to have been.
And as neither looked at the matter
coolly and impartially, neither was
conscious of being in the wrong.
Yet women of IsabeTs type have
led more sheltered lives than have
their husbands and 1t requires some
strong impelling motive to make them
set aside the conventionalities as
mere trifles 1t is one thing for a wom-
an to determine to do as she pleases
irrespective Of her husbands ideas: it
is quite another thing for her to carry
out this determination.
So when Isabel received note from
Duval she hesitated for some hours
before answering it. Duval wrote that
Mrs. Ferris had kindly invited him to
to occupy at her table the place left
vacant by Mr. Hamiltons enforced alb
sence from the dinner. Might he not
have the pleasure Of acting as Mrs.
Hamilton's escort? Might he not call
for her and take her to Mrs. Ferris's
house and bring her home at the end
of the evening?
To do Isabel justice, her first
though was that perhaps John might
not like this plan. Then she recalled
the episode of the telephone message
from Adelaide Simmons. She also re-
Elected that probably John had been
with Adelaide during those night
hours following the delivery of the
message She would ascertain If this
was the case. At any rate, she would
let Duval bring her home from Ida S
dinner. Since John would not come
for her, there was no other way Of
getting home.
But she would not tell Duval just
yet that he might call for her She
would wait until tomorrow to answer
his letter.
So tomorrow after breakfast she re-
marked abruptly to her husband
Pardon me for seeming inquisitive,
but I have a reason for asking you
one question. Did you see Mrs. Sim
mons that night you were out SO
late?"
John flushed Was Isabel going to
start something" again? Yet he al
most wished she would, for she had
been so strangely silent since that
night with regard to that entire oc-
currence.
Yes" he said now. II saw her with
a lot of friends. You see
But she stopped him. Thank you"
she said briefly, that is all wanted
to know"
She Decides to Accept
Ouvais Invitation.
An enigmatical remark, surely, and
1t left him unable to carry on the con-
versation. Secretly, he was afraid to-
He could not know that already in her
own mind the wife had decided to &C
cept David Duvals offer for next
Thursday evening. 1t would be much
pleasanter to 60 in cab with him
than on the subway with Cynthia.
Afterwards. If John asked her any
questions. she would answer him with
the truth, exactly as he had just ans
wered her when she asked him about
Adelaide. But he had told her moth
ing until she had questioned him
Neither would she tell him anything
until he questioned her. Yes-what
was right for him was right for her
This was her pet formula nowadays.
Men are not noted for tact, so John
spoke now about a matter that sud-
denly came to his mind. I'VE must
have little dinner before long" he
said.
For Mrs Simmons I suppose?" 1sa-
bel suggested.
Why. yes" he stammered, "for her
and some Of the people we met at her
house"
Very WELL" Isabel agreed. 1--WE will
have this dinner, and after that We'll
have one for my friends-I mean for
the Ferrises and some of the people
whom shall meet there next Thurs
day night"
Perhaps we'd best go little slow,
my dear" he demurred. I'VE cannot
afford to have many dinners, you
know"
The dinner for Ida will cost no
more than the one for Adelaide she
said LAS Mrs. Simmons had US up
there first. we will have her here first
then. a little later. we will have my
friends"
He let this pass without protest.
What about a competent maid?"
he asked. Have you told Cynthia she
could leave?"
Il had talk with her" she replied,
and she says, to quote her own
phrase. that she ant no fancy cook
and waitress.
Indeed, she isn't!" he exclaimed
with laugh. Let her go. She's get.
ting too independent. And make your
plans to secure new maid next week
one who knows how to cook and to
wait on the table decently."
Ida Ferris told me the other day
that her waitress has friend who
is an excellent houseworker-a good
cook and likes waiting on table-but
she does not want to do the wa shing-
and she does want five dollars more
a month than we are paying Cynthia"
"Phew!" the man whistled. He
thought hard for moment.
Ida tells me that's what everybody
has to pay If she keeps competent
maids" Isabel continued. And if you
want to entertain. why. I suppose we
must get rid of Cynthia Yet, you see,
that means a woman in to wash and
iron every week"
His Idea Of Her
l.