The Washington herald., 1916-09-04

wv Warren m, lifted 3D. suitcase teas
to the green velour couch.
Yes, both of them. Dear, this
rooms. going to be sitting" COM
planned Helen. looking out on a red
timed roof that reflected the hot
afternoon sun. "lf we could get one
higher up"
well, we can't. Only double
room he had. They've some sort of
convention here. These Boston
hotels are always full"
You'd think they'd have awnings
at these windows" drawing down
the dark green shades.
Now, you get your clothes off
and lie down. No sense in your
trotting around in the heat. I'll
have to hustle to catch Reynolds
before he leaves his Office. Be back
about SIX" glancing at his watch.
We'll hunt up some outdoor place
for dinner"
Gulping down another glass of ice
water, Warren wiped the moist
leather band of his straw hat, clamp
ed it on his head and was off.
Quickly Helen got out of her
travel-wil.ed clothes. A cooling
bath, a loose nightgown, and she
slipped into the fresh-sheeted bed.
1t had been a trying fve-hour
trip. Even the linen-swathed par
lor car had been intolerably hot
and dusty. BY comparison, the rest
fully darkened room seemed almost
cool.
From the hall came the busy hum
of Aig hotel, the shuttle of hur-
rying bellboy, the clink OF ice, the
jangle of chambermaid's keys and
the thud OF heavy trunk.
With the lassitude of exhaustion,
Helen stretched her arms over the
pillow and was soon in relieving
doze.
The loud slamming of door and
a mans angry voice
Its all l can Afford It's a whole
lot more'n you had before you mar
ried."
Aroused, Helen raised herself on
her pillow The bed was close
against a door to the adjoining
room, and through the thin paneling
every sound seemed startlingly near.
ooh, you're throwing that up, are
you?" shrilled a woman's voice:
What if I'd married Frank Martin?
He wouldn't have begrudged me
every cent spent"
You're always harping on Mar
tin. I'm not so sure you ever
had a chance to marry him. That
was a pretty little story to bring me
to time. Now, look here, Nell, I'm
giving you forty a month for your
clothes-that's all can afford"
Ten dollars week." contempt
uously. II can't dress on that
and you know it. l can get fifty
in the movies any time, if you
DIDN'T"
"WeTl call that bluff right now.
You've been throwing that up to me
long enough. If you can make fifty
a week in the movies-go ahead.
Let's see you make it"
ooh. then you're willing for your
wife to be on the screen, there was
a nervous note of withdrawal. 81
thought you didn't want"
why should | care what you do !?
You don't care about me. All /
mean to you is a meal ticket.
well, if that's all l married for"
her voice held a hateful sneer, Il
could We done better than you"
Maybe you could, but I've done
my best. When | married YOU
well, it meant whole lot to me. !
tried mighty hard to do my share.
went shabby to give you lot OF
fine frills. The more | gave-the
more you wanted. 1t took me a
long time to get a line on your self
ishness. Everybody else saw it
but l couldn't"
who do you mean by everybody
else?' | know a few people who
think different"
"Oh, what's the use. We never
get anywhere. There's mighty little
love left on either side-but let's
make the best OF it."
"Well. who started it? Just be-
cause / asked for few dol
"You had forty the first of the
month. If you didn't spend all your
time at these cabaret dances-that'd
be more than enough"
"Why shouldn't | 60 to a dance
now and then? We haven't a car,
we can't afford to entertain-you
want me to sit in the house all day
and twirl my thumbs?"
you might take some interest in
your home. It's because you're SO
idle, Nell, I've told you that all
along. If you had something to do
we'd both be much happier"
ooh, you'd like me to discharge
the maid and do all the housework,
would you? Well, if you think
you've married a cook and dish
washer-you're mistaken"
A short silence, eloquent of the
mans weary endurance. Then the
woman's voice again, shrilly rasp-
ing:
SAnd I'll tell you something else.
I'm not going back with you! I'm
going on visit to Ethel-and l
don't know how long I'll stay"
Stay as long as you like. l
don't care a d what you do"
"Oh, you don't? What if l de-
eide not to come back at ALP"
THAT suits me! The doors open.
Nell, you may think l don't mean it
but l do. l tell you Pm through
I'm pretty easy. You've had good
thing. You've made a fool of me
for over two years-but now I'm
through"