The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1917-09-14

laugh. If anything could be more
serious
That isn't the point at ALL" she In.
terrupted, with little impatient ges
ture. "and you know It, You are ut
terly aggravating and ridiculous, Bill
lyv she declared. with pink cheeks
Little pale gold wisps of hair had been
loosened by the drive home In the wind
and now blew about her soft, throb-
bling neck In bewitching restlessness.
The fine veins In her temples pulsed
with excitement, and her eyes, awhile
ago gray. had deepened to black. Her
lips, red and moist and vaguely tremu-
lous, lost nothing by their sudden ac-
cess of gravity as she went on:
"Waiving preliminaries, the subject
is just this. rs love-romantic love,
that is-a possible thing without jeal-
ousy?"
Mainwaring stared at his wife oddly
for an instant before he spoke. Ger
tainly not" he delivered authoritative
ly. After seconds silence he leaned
over and imprisoned one of her hands
in both his.
Mrs. Mainwaring pulled away from
him impatiently. Il disagree with
you" she remarked, with abrupt cold
ness.
ooh, it Is possible. of course, where
no cause exists" he commented, with
masculine complacence.
THAT point necessitates definition
of the word cause"
"As a matter Of fact, what would be
ample and sufficient reason with one
person might amount to SO much wind
with another"
Jealousy is merely an acknowledge
ment of superiority in some one else"
she submitted positively.
I'm which event-a tribute to the de-
linquent ones good Judgment, an es-
sential tribute / rather think your
point of view is somewhat quixotic.
tastes, you know. have seen them
walk over pearls and take the stones"
II don't see
+ "Let me illustrate. l once knew a
man whose wife was beautiful and
clever and good. He openly abandoned
her society for that of another who
was neither attractive, interesting nor
In any way good"
Possibly his wife bored him with
her very PROJECTIONS"
"She did not bore other men,"
And was she jealous?"
I'm proud, silent way I presume
she was"
did she exert herself to hold her
husbands lover
Most women who love men do. don't
they?"
Geraldine made no response and for
several minutes afterward was silent.
Presently she suggested, Perhaps, aft
er all, If she was, as you say, clever
she was not Jealous Of her husbands
attachment"
"Geraldine!'
"YesY
"Just suppose now, for instance. that
THAT were-to'-
Don't be absurd, Billy. We are not
trying to get personal, are we?'
That Is the only way to arrive at
correct conclusions"
Personal applications are biasing,"
remarked Geraldine, with a sage look.
''They are vital, and they tell"
She laughed deliciously and tossed
her head into one Of its ravishing
poises. "Then I am still determined to
disagree with you on the original ques-
tion," she said. There is nothing
that could make me jealous of you,
Billy"
Mainwaring contemplated her with
Swallowed eyes, "Then / am very
much afraid" he returned, in defect
ed Tone shat you do not care for me
in the right way, the real way"
ION the other hand, my dear, you
ought to consider this the very highest
compliment I could pay you"-a radi-
ant smile broke across her face-"the
sincerest evidence of my absolute love
and trust" she added earnestly.
"But my dear girl" he protested in
surprised tone, women like to feel
that their husbands are jealousy in
clined; men like to think that their
wives are-'cause' counted out"
Geraldine bridled. THAT / consider
most vulgar statement" she flared,
"and 1t does not In the least alter my
views, to which ! mean to adhere
strictly, whatever comes-or goes"
Mainwaring rose, stretched himself
resignedly and stalked to the end Of
the veranda. When he came back Ger
aldine had fed. He pondered, mo-
ment, during which his face underwent
succession of panoramic changes |
Finally he drew from his pocket a |
small memorandum book and fountain |
pen. This is what he wrote:
My Dearest Daphne (the name sounded |
well, he thought-I am longing fercely |
for a sight of your sweet face. Excuse |
haste and drop me line by return mail |
saying when. Ever your own
BILLY BOY.
He reread the lines with an inspired |
expression, then turned the leaf over
and scrubbed something across the
back Of 1t. Afterward he took a
careful inventory OF surroundings and,
STOPPING, placed the paper. face up. on
the floor.