Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1917-11-09

IL.
Il know you will find London inter-
| esting, but l hope not so interesting
as to make your trip longer than you
planned. / did not know that the
thought of six weeks could seem so
long.
with best wishes.
MARION.
Marion Wendell! The letter proved
what Helen had always thOught-that
she had cared! She had cared enough
to write this, for there was betrayal
In every line.
She had never married. Was that
the reason? She was rich and attrac-
tive. Why had not Warren cared7
Athrill with the thought that this
woman had loved her husband. Helen
sat musing over the letter.
And Warren-had he known? Just
last year her father had died, leaving
Marion and her brother a large for
tune. Did Warren ever think what
such wealth might have meant to his
career?
But he was so fiercely independ-
ent, could he have been happy with
a rich wife? He always made scath-
ing comments about any man who
married money. Could that have been
the barrier?
'Will l make cream sauce for them
| lima beans, ma'am?"
'Why, Dora. it's not after five!"
with startled glance at the dresser
clock. Then hurriedly, mo. Mr.. Cur
tbs likes them just with butter"
Stumbling to her feet, Helen pushed
back the trunk against the wall. leav-
ing the rest of the clearing out for to-
morrow.
| Still under the influence Of Marion
with questions.
| A hurried bath. and she took out
her new taffeta evening gown. She
did her hair high, the way Warren
liked 1t, and rubbed her cheeks with
ice to make them glow.
When she was through she looked
long in the mirror. How would she
compare now with Marion Wendell?
He had only seen her at her best
often she had dressed to receive him.
Did he ever make comparisons?
"HellO! Somebody for dinner?" was
Warren's greeting, half an hour later.
mo, dear"
"Then why the glad rags?"
Cant l dress for you sometimes"
"Huh, splurge your best buds around
you've nothing to wear, Jove. I'm tired
Did the tailor send around for that
suit?"
1t was not until they were half
through dinner and Warren's frown
had relaxed, that Helen ventured a
casual:
"Dear, what's become Of the Wen
dells? Do you ever see any of them"
"Saw Frank the other day. He's
engaged to Baltimore girl
isn't it strange that Marion's
never married? I used to think she
was awfully pretty and NICE"
"Yes, Marion's q mighty fine girl.
Too much salt in these beans"
"Do you suppose she's ever cared
for anyOne-someOne who didn't care
for her-that's why she never mar
ried?"
II doubt It," with shrug. MA
rion's not the sentimental kind"
A moments silence and then Helen
asked musingly:
you're always so down on men
who marry money, but if man
really cared for girl who had
money-should he let that stand in the
way?"
Mighty few Of 'em would"
would your"
"Never was up against that. None
of the girls l knew was Overburdened
with coin"
"Why. Marion had"
ooh. Marion's all right, of course, but
she's too intellectual. Goes In for too
many cults and fads. A man don't get
lit up about a girl who's so blamed
self-sufficient."
Helen had not thought Marion's let.
ter particularly intellectual, nor had
1t shown any marked degree of self
sufficiency. But she had found out
what she wanted. Warren had never
cared for her, nor in his masculine Oh
tuseness had he ever known that she
had cared for him.
When Dora had served the salad
and closed the pantry door, Helen
threw down her napkin. went over be
hind his chair, rumpled his hair. drew
back his head, and kissed him with 9
teasing, $50 I'm not intellectual?
mot that anybody ever noticed
Here, while you're up, let's have some
of that Stifton cheese