The Detroit times., 1917-02-28
Chapter XXI.


Drayton!" Tim Mulhany whispered
copfdenttally. as We left the table,
and ! smilingly allowed him to think
j had prepared the dinner, when. in
fact, had had nothing 10 do with
IL. the woman I had hired even do
ing the ordering.
glanced Al Robert and knew by
the curl OF his lip that he had over
heard and despised me for my limo
cent deceit lie was absolutely
open and above board In all that he
said and did. and had scant pa.
tlence with sham in any form.
We had some music, as Mrs. Null.
hany neither danced nor played
cards, and for the hrst time heard
Holland Lansing sing. She had a
wonderfully sympathetic. highly cul-
tiysted voice. and even Tim Null.
hany congratulated her. altho he
frankly declared he couldn't tell
one note from another.
Il only know when like a." ho
confessed.
played for them. and we broke
up early. Tod Freeman going with
the caldwells and Holland Lansing
Tim Mulhany and his wife remained
a few minutes after the others, and
I took Mrs. Mulhany up to see the
baby. while Tim and Robert dis
cussed the political situation.
Her admiration OF my boy salts
fed even me. The darling was
curled up In his crib. one chubby
hand clutching the sheet: the other
thrown above his head. His little
curls lay damp on his forehead: and
his baby face was flushed with
sleep. She knelt down beside the
crib and softly touched his hair.
his little hands, and turning TO me
said:
How any woman 20 whom God
has given a child can ever be dis
satisfied, or do wrong to herself,
her child. OF the father OF her child
Is more than l can understand.
Then. in a changed tone: you
won't forget that you promised TO
bring him TO me; want to see him
when he Is awake" and she leaned
over and pressed light kiss on his
hair.
Ny heart ached for her. II must
have so poignantly brought her own
lors back TO her. But there was no
trace OF II in her manner nor IN
the smile with which she met my
eyes when ! assured her would
not forget. wondered II there
were many such women In the world
women so unselfish. so loving
that II was a benediction to be near
them7 How small II should make
the rest OF US seem with our petty
faulthndings. our graspings after
things we do not need, our neglect
OF those dependent on US. our un
thinking cruelty.
was az that time one OF those
luxury-loying women. restricted 4
no country or class. who expected
ali that life could give without do
ing anything TO deserve II. / wa
not what glib-mouthed people coul,
call bad woman" in any sense
was merely thouEhtless and ga,
and demanding What happened q
me may happen to any girl brough
I'D as was. with no sense OF TIT
responsibilities OF life. then trans
! planted 20 a totally different en-
vironment
still hated housekeeping. IN,
numerous details. the everlasting
monotony OF my life. knew abso
lutely nothing OF Roberts business
he never mentioned HIS client
names 10 me. And yet once OF twice
I had heard him discussing lega
questions with Holland Lansing.
own I was always frankly boret
when abstract questions were ap
preached, perhaps because I reat
so little at that time, and felt tina
could not talk intelligentiy. Ye
that did not prevent my feeling
abused and neglected when Rober
found stimulation and entertainment
In talking to another woman. II
be wholly happy q wife should un
derstand and be interested In al
that pertains to her husbands life.
II took me many years TO lear
this simple truth Like many won
en- ! hated all interests that tool
Robert away from me. even hat
ed his once because he spent hour