Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1917-07-20

Ii was the library clock she was
watching now.
The stimulus of her flaming indig-
nation slowly ebbed before the sick
consciousness that he intended neither
to telephone nor to come for her.
The long, lonely, wretched evening
lay before her. This was his punish
ment for her note! What If he had
had some very good excuse? But she
could conceive of none that was plaus-
ible.
The physical depression resulting
from no dinner added to her mental
distress. She forced herself out to the
icebox. There was cold meat and
some leftover asparagus, but, too
heartsick to eat. she gulped down a
glass Of milk.
Where was he dining? She pictured
him lingering over a carefully ordered
dinner with leisurely indifference.
Again her resentment flared up, but
only to die down before the realization
of his ability to make her suffer.
The old consciousness of beating her.
self against a stone wall over
whelmed her. Not lately, but in the
first year of their marriage, she had
flared out at Warren's selfishness, only
to recOil In helpless defeat.
BY ten o'clock she knew that he was
| adding to her punishment. He was
not coming home after dinner. He
had probably gone to the theater.
How futile-hOw pathetic had been
her uprising! 1t had only reacted to
her greater humiliation. With a fe-
verish headache and choking pressure
at her throat, she made ready for
bed.
1t was almost twelve before there
came the tensely awaited click of his
latchkey. With her arm shielding her
eyes, Helen lay feIgning sleep.
Through her closed lids shone the
yellow blur when he turned on the
light. Familiar sounds told the prog
ress Of his undressing.
The glow darkened. and the springs
quivered as he got into bed. Now,
staring into the darkness, Helen strug-
/
ward him-tO talk 1t QUITO get his
| explanation. whatever 1t might be.
But his silent remoteness was sternly
forbidding.
| The hOnk of a belated motor grated
on the midnight hush. The bedside
clock licked insistently.
While she was trying to formulate
some pleading overture, he broke the
silence with a harsh: swell, you
made fine mess Of things tonight
"Oh-oh," nesting closer, for even
this brusqueness was a relieving break.
Then, sobbingly: "Oh, dear, why
why did you"
THAT half-hour with George Win
stone meant a clean fifteen hundred.
That's why!"
George WinstOn?" recognizing the
name of a prominent western manu-
facturer.
81 was to meet him at five-thirty,
but bunch of reporters fairly mobbed
him-we couldn't get down to bust
ness. He's retained me to do some
work on q price maintenance case"
"Oh, Warren, couldn't know that,
brOkenly.
''If / kept you waiting-I had some
blamed good reason. You didn't have
to fly off the handle and send in that
fool note"
'But afterward-you could have
phoned after l got home"
"Could-but wouldn't" ignoring the
supplicating hand slipped under his
shoulder. "You mixed your dose-don't
kick If you had to take it. Missed q
corking good dinner, TODD planned
blowout"
With the memory Of her aching lone
illness glowed a tantaliAng picture OF
the forfeited dinner.
did you dine with Mr.. Winston 2
hoping the advantage of a longer inter
view might compensate for their mis-
spent evening.
"Dine with Winston? He had a doz
en- appointments after that. 1 had q
snack at the bar and took in a rotter
show. Hungry as a bear now. Any
thing In the icebox?"
"Oh, yes-yes," eagerly. There.
some cold lamb and asparagus and
Oh, I'll make you a welsh rarebit 7
Already out of bed, she was fumblin,
for the light. "We'll have q real mid
night supper. No, you lie there-Fl
bring 1t In on tyay."
Aglow with reactionary relief. SIT
few out to the kitchen. Just to d,
something for him, to wait on hin
seemed a joyous compensation for tn
| doaolafa Hurofchodnacs Of tho oxrorinu