The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-12-13
LIE 7 TIERS OF
TWO WOMEN
Paul Takes a Hand.
BY ZOE BECKLEY.

new Y OTks fTludy.
Dearest May:
Paul came home tonight and asked
what there was for dinner.
A steak, thought, some baked
sweet potatoes, a salad and fresh
fruit pie. But why?
oh, he just wanted to know, be-
cause some one was coming at
o'clock to dine.
BY the tone of his voice, the look
on his face. May, 1 knew he was up
to something. 1 took him by the ell
bows looked into his strange, gray
eyes that never seem to go with the
rest of his face. and read the answer.
Paul had invited c. ]. to came to
cur house for dinner.
Was there ever such a disturbing
situation, May?
How he managed to make c. j.
come 1 shall probably never know.
'I simply hunted up his office" says
Paul, introduced myself as Kate Os-
ways husband, and told him Kate
wanted him to come and see us! He
promised to come, that's all. Now
let's telephone for some extra dessert
and have Lottie put cheese in the
salad dressing and serve branay with
the Coffee
Maize! Can you imagine the men
tai circles 1 began to turn? / couldn't
get another word of explanation out
of Paul. OF course I know there
must have been lot more to the af-
fair than just what he told me. There
was a queer, determined look on
PaurS face when he came in. l saw
it once before-as he spoke to tie
doctor when 1 was ill that time with
grippe 1 shouldn't wonder if he and
c. ]. had had an unpleasant scene to-
gether. L don't see HON he ever got
him to come.
In fact, 1 didn't suppose he would
come.
"Oh,, he'll come, all right" said
Paul. unperturbedly.
And at exactly 7, dear, the boy
phoned up that he was calling.
turned icy cold Not from fear, not
ment. But from sheer uneasiness as
to how the strange situation would
pass off. A woman, her husband and
her former sweetheart invited by the
husband to dinner at their home!
1 had a struggle to appear calm.
felt as tho I were on test, being
watched, altho there was nothing in
Paurs manner to hint at such a
thing. He was delightful. He greet
ed c. j. with warm handshake and
a man-fashion slap on the back.
He kept a general conversation go
ing thru dinner. He told jokes. He
showed C. J. his new sketches and
his collection of freak drawings by
European artists. He set the old vic
trola singing, He even played lit
tie by hand on the piano. He told
c. ]. about my new work and dilated
on how well 1 was coming on with
it. He sketched a funny bungalow
that he declares we are going to build
next summer on the Staten island
shore. And drew out c. ]. by skillful
questioning.
Maize. 1t was C. J. who fell short
of the requirements, not Paul. He
was wretchedly i'll at ease, awkward,
at a loss for words; oh, May, he was
out of his element. His element, as
realized tonight for the first time,
is lovemaking!
He is a sort of professional lover.
Some man are. you know. Set them
in an environment of seclusion and
sentiment. and they shine-for wom-
en-, anyhow. Put them among men
or in social life and they are as dull
as a druggists color bottle robbed of
it's electric light
/ saw c. j. with new eyes I guess
1 got what you'd call perspective on
him. I don't know what will follow
whether 1 shall see him again or
not. But I feel as if some heavy
weight had been lifted from my heart.
Your funny old KATE.
p Sob, darling, I'm a brute to
you happy at the prospect of an
other? Write me a seven chapter
letter about it. And everything else.
K.