Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-09-30
The Wife.
nv lane PHELPS
Brlhn Takes MOIIlc King 10 Dinner
a Second Time
CHAPTER XXXIv.

CHAPTER XXXIV.
The next morning. when Brian
reached tho office, no found bright
Htt!e note from Ruth. She had seen
the house she was to plan doing
over, ana II was a lovely old place
81" would surely be hVne in time
for dinner the following night.
Il hop" you are not lonely, eat
ing alone" shc had written. II must
make II up 10 you when | get home"
RrI smiled rather shamefacedly,
al'hor there were none 10 see,
when he read that passage then
thought, flushing little at the hint
| of dlsloyalty IN hia mind, that II was
| lucky she wasn't coming back that
day. He had Mollle King on his
hands for dinner
He met Mollo at tho usual time
and, once more. they dlned In the
old corner. But that night they were
not alone, ~ they were the night
before. and In way Brian was an
noyed.
Several Of the old bunch we're
there the "BOhcmians." as they
styled themselves whom he had
known before he married Ruth. even
before he had met her. After he
became ac1uainted with Ruth, these
mon, almost vulgar in their parade
Of their poverty and uncOnvcntion-
ality-all but Mnllie: she had always
been little different from the rest.
Brian was, however. cordial In his
greetings He could be nothing else,
he thought, as long AZ he was with
MOllle
Couldn't keep away could you.
lIackett?' Claude Wetheril. n
writer who had not yet arrived.
asked, slapping him Familiarity on
the back. Hello. Molliel aren't you
afraid OF getting your hair pulled
Mrs Brian may hear OF this" and.
thinking he had been clever. left
them 10 toll others that Brian Hack
ctt was back with Mollie King again,
that he couldn't keep away from her
nor from the village.
II wish we had gone somewhere
else" Brian said when he and Mol
lie were alone for moment one
after another had come over 10 well
come Brian back, 10 get a clEarot. or
something to puench their thirst.
1T iS "a bore, isn't IT." Molhc re-
piled, and yet, Brian. they are real
ly glad to see you. You were rather
popular in the village, you know"
Yes, but now It seems somewny
different--all but you. They seem
cheaper-G suppose I should be
ashamed to say it, but they do"
81 understand. You have heen with
woman 10 whom nothing in the
village would appeal a woman who
Is conventional. Thev are the best
kind to marry, Brian Although n
man misses lot Of fun" she added
naively.
"I know 7 have missed YOU, Molllc.
But tho rest" he left the sentence
unfinished
Come on over 10 the studio. All
Of them rushing over to see YOU, has
upset Won. Don't let them annov
YOU. Tell her first, then they will
have nothing to gossip about" she
said reading his mind correctly.
"Oh. Ruth IL all right. She said
she liked you"
"Yes-but Brian, liking mo when
she meets me with others and Viking
mo when she knows dine with her
: husband when she Is awav, are two
I different kinds OF liking"
In in the studio they sm oked and
talked Rrian told of the reason for
: Ruth's absence. and Mo'lie agreed
5 with him that 1t was not his duty TO
cat alone, oven IL MrJ Rrian were
! away on business: especially as he
| objected 10 her being in business.
Now, Mollle did not object to a
: woman doing anything she could DO.
or thought she could do--if she
wanted to. Rut. like many women.
she said nothing OF hcr own fnel-
lngs, but agreed with thu man. Men
like women who do not contradict
them. And Mollie wanted Brian to
like her.
Then, too, why should conven-
tionally brought up woman like
Ruth want 10 he In business " she
loved her hushand' Brian had said
very emphatlcallv that he could sun
mort her. and, Judging by his eN-
trnvagance in ordering the two div
ners she had helped dispose OF, no
had not misstated the case,
His law business must have i'm
proved wonderfully" she said To her
self thinking OF the size of the
checks he had paid, and also OF the
difference in his appearance. She
remembered that he used 10 bc bit
careless: now nc was perfectly
groomed. She liked him tnis way,
even better than she had hc.orc.
When the clock struck twelve they
neither started, as they had the night
before, and for another hour they
visited without meaning TO, Brian
uad conveyed To NollIe the idea that
he was rather Il neglected sort or
p,rgon; that he was disappointed in
Ruth, lie would have been shocked
could he have realized the impress
sion she had gained from his chat
ter. Feeling that he was perhaps un-
happy. disillusioncd Moliie had been
b even moro sympathetic. more friend
q, Iv than she would otherwise have
; been Their comradcship took on n
: dcepcr meaning to her. She must
, try to make up to dear old Brian for
what he had lost bv marrying some
= one who didn't understand him.
' A dangerous conclusion for any
I woman to arrive at, and one apt to
. make trouble.
( Tomorrow-Rrian tells Ruth
I about his dinners with Mollie.
l. on a road to Belgium a German
t officer met boy leading a jaCkass,
e and addressed him in heavy Jovial