Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-12-26
Margaret CARROTS
Husband
BOB REMAINS IN TOWN.
CHAPTER XCIII,
X By JANE PHELPS
X X X X n \ + n X X X X X

CHAPTER XCIII.
The afternoon wore slowly away, so
slowly that 1 thought night would never
come. Night that would bring Bob back
to me. couldn It believe he meant, that
he knew what he was saying when he
talked to me.
Yes 1 recalled the seriousness with
which he had spoken; the regret which
tinged all he said; his hollow eyes and
pale face, | realized that there might
( possibly be more in it than thought.
But that he meant it all was absolutely
7 beyond my comprehension.
/ Della had cared for the children the
entire day. What little housework she
had done had been done while they
slept. They both took maps after lunch
con, and so gave her the opportunity. 1
couldn t have endured Donald IS chatter
and Georges fretfulness. He was cut
ting teeth and consequently was not as
good natured as usual.
About six 'clock the telephone rang.
I answered to find Bob calling me.
81 shall not be at home tonight,
Margaret" he said in a strained voice.
At least it sounded strained to me.
you mean you will not be home to
dinner?'' l asked, my own voice sound
ing unnatural.
"No, l mean that I shall not come
home at all tonight. / think it better
that l remain at the club. 1t will give
you more time to think things over;
to decide what is-in your opinion
best for US to do"
"You don It still expect me to believe
you were in your right mind when you
talked to me last night?" L asked
trembling so could scarcely stand.
"I meant all I said, Margaret. want
ed to say good deal more; I would like
to have been able to make it easier for
you; but it was impossible for me to
make you understand without appear
ing brutal"
"But Bob"
"Ill be at home tomorrow night"
he made answer, and then before I
could object heard the click of the
receiver.
I Immediately called the office, but
his stenographer informed me that Mr..
Garrett had been gone about an hour.
He evidently had telephoned me from
the club; but when l called him there
they said he had not been in that af-
ternoon. There was nothing l could do
further, so I gave up the attempt to
reach him; and with the tears stream
ing from my eyes 1 groped my way into
my room and threw myself on the bed !
1 refused the dinner Della brought
me. 1t was not an untruth when told
her that food would choke me. The girl
seemed to comprehend that something
unusual had happened; something which
-, 4la
over which I had wept in the past. She
again offered to put the children to bed
as it was Nellie s day out.
Suddenly it came over me that I could
not bear it alone. l must talk to some
one or 1 should go mad. But who
Mother was out of the question. In the |
first place she had always taken Bob's !
part and in the second if she believed |
Bob was in earnest it would almost
break her heart that I, her only child
couldn It hold my husband-even tho 1
loved him.
Then Elsie occurred to me. She. would
tell me what to do. l wiped my eyes and
went to the telephone. Fortunately she
was at home.
'tCan you come out +" asked, cit is
very important, Elsie, or l wouldn It
ask it,"
"Do you mean tonight2'' was her
quick query.
eyes, at once, if possible. "
''I'm awfully sorry Margaret, but my
maid is out, it's Thursday you know,
and 1 must stay with the children. Even
Tom is out or I'd ask him to do it. :"
COIL IN so sorryl'
"Why don t you come in and spend
the night with me if it is something
that won't keep. Della can care for
the children. That is if Nellie is out"
''Yes, she is out; and Della has been
taking care of the children all dayl 1
don t feel like asking her to look after
them tonight
"They re so good ] am sure she
wouldn It mind. Ask her, then phone me
if you are coming. -
| called Della and asked her if she
would mind very much if L went into
town for the night.
''Why, not bitl" she said heartily.
''It win do you COED ma am, it always
do you good to be with Mrs. Barton,
ma am"
So it was settled and I called Elsie
and told her 1 would be right in, that
there was a train in fifteen minutes
that I could catch.
I put on a thick veil to cover my
swollen eyes, kissed the babies good bye
and for the first time since we had been
in the country left home for the night.
But I didn t worry about the babies;
Della and Nellie both were exceptional
servants.
All the way in town tried to think
what could say, how to put things to
Elsie so that she would not think was
wholly to blame But when I reached
town I had come to no conclusion. 1
would tell her things as they were. It
was all could do.
(TOmorrow-Elsie' s Weleome)