Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1917-04-27
(Copyright, by w. G. Chapman.l

letter in Enthusiastically feminine hand
writing she started to open when she
saw that the address began with "Mr."
instead of "Mrs.," so she stopped and
looked curiously at it, trying to recall
| the chirOgraphy of her various friends,
but finally deciding that this was en-
tirely strange to her. She handed it
to her husband with puzzled and ex
pectant air. She thought he would at
once tell her who it was from. But he
read it hurriedly, thrust it back in the
envelope, and said nothing.
She saw he was not going to explain.
She could not bear the suspense, so
she spoke.
Il see," she smiled, "you have let
ter from lady,"
"Yes," he answered. Then seeing
she was looking at him as though eX
pecting an explanation he added: Its
q woman who wants to know about in
surance rates"
Its strange she did not write on
business to your office"
"Yes." he answered, picking up the
morning paper as though he wished to
dismiss the subject.
"DO 1 know herr"
81 don't know" he answered with
some irritation.
Let me see the letter, and 1 can
tell"
"Why in the world do you want to
see a simple business letter?
Because do" Her lips were trem-
bling, and her voice bit unsteady.
He looked up from his paper, and
spoke with increased irritation.
"See here, Grace, if you hadn't been
so Internally suspicious, I'd have let
you see it. But don't intend to now."
IF it had been just business, you'd
have let me look at it at first"
Her lips no longer trembled, and her
voice was defiant.
"Very well--think what you like.
But 1 tell you I'm tired of this eternal
nagging. I'm not going to stand it,"
And he flung out Of the house.
Grace sat for some minutes staring
ina Sachnt way.at the.wah. Then;she
began to sob, and the tears welled up
and trickled down her cheeks. After
this upheaval of emotion she began to
think. He had accused her of eternal
nagging" Was it true? She remem-
bered once looking up the meaning of
the word: 1t was, ITO scOld or find
fault with continually" Was she do
ing that? She didn't think she was
but she meant to watch herself here
after. Still that did not altogether ex-
cuse his conduct that morning. She
told herself that if she had not no
ticcd for some months q change in him
she would not have been so suspicious.
They had been married only three
years. 1t seemed very little while for
happiness to last. She loved him very
deeply, her whole life was bound up
with his. Was this the end? If he was
caring for someone else there was lit
tie use i'm trying to win him back. She
had always thought that.
When John Lester left the house that
morning he did not take the subway,
as he usually did for his downtown Of
flee, but he boarded a surface car, and
left it at one of the fine cross streets
about a mile from his home.
Phyllis Bert met him delightedly.
She was dark-eyed, dark-haired, with a
large full mouth, and very red cheeks.
She was handsome in a high-cOlOred,
rather coarse-g grained way, with ever
ready laughter, ana fullness of animal
life. She had come to New York Os-
tensibly to study art, but had found the
metropolitan whirl rather more allur-
ing than the study of drawing.
80 Jacky! you darling! to come so
sooni" she cried, meeting him.
phyllis! why in the world did you
write that letter to my hOuse?
"Did she open it?" she asked, now
thoroughly frightened.
mo, but it made scene"
"Oh deari never thought. l want
ed TO see you before you went to the
office, and 1 didn't dare phone. Did
she suspect anything?"
Suspect? l should say she did. !
got nagging TO beat the band"
"Well, she'd find something else to
scold about if it wasn't that You say
she's always ct it," said the girl.
"Yes, she is. Grace has changed. We
used to be so happy" He spoke in n
disconsolate, regretful way as though
loath to part with the love of those
years.
But Phyllis was thinking only of her
own love for this man. She had never
thought much about anything further
than the qualification of her own de-
sireS.
"If you are not happy, and you know
you are not, why don't you put an end
to it? You will yet-why not now?"
"You mean a divorced" he said.
"Yes, of course"
"Phyllis!" !" he cried out, ''you've made
me forget my troubles lately. You've
been wonderful to mel"
81 want to stay wonderful to you
k-always-forever." Her voice
was cooling. full Of meaning, and he
caught at her hands, looking In her
eyes.
"Phyllis, I can't give you up! But
can't take this step just now."
"Why not?" she urged.
For many reasons-not just now"