Sharp County record., 1918-08-23
MORE Than A HOME
BY EDITH KENYON.

MISS Lamont had endured Tor hve min
utes. "You do not look like yourself
tonight" he pronounced meditatively.
A faint flush warmed her cheeks.
ut Is your hair" he said again. "You
haven't crimp or curl. And that dark
gown, plain around the neck-you look
fve years older. I don't like it ei.
ther."
She spoke her answer firmly, al
though her redness deepened. II think
Mr.. Halden likes It," she said.
"Halden?" he echoed. "Lordl It Is
for HaldenT
II think" she answered, II ought to
dress to please Mr.. Halden If I can.
He would not like-his wife to look
SO much younger than himself"
"His-wifeY
HE has asked me to marry him, and
4 have made up my mind that I WILL"
do you care for himT' They had
coffed humorously at love; they had
even proved to their own satisfaction
that there was In reality no such thing
"No." she answered him, II am not
afraid to tell you, my friend-no, nor
ashamed. I am going to marry Mr..
Haldsn because II want home. I
don't want this always" The room
was agreeable, but 1t was conspicu-
ously a clearinghouse parlor.
"Mrs. Denton-you met her, you
know-has sent for me to come to Bos-
ton and take a position her husband
has waiting for me. It Is better one,
and I should have gone, but-Mr. Hal.
den," she hesltated, had spoken"
"You mentioned that" he remarked
tartly.
( He felt baffied. He suffered from an
unreasonable but burning spleen.
But" he cried with energy, "Halden |
If there must be victim, why Of all
men Halden1"
Because he wants to be the vic
tim," she returned.
Probably he thinks he does. Most
men have spasms Of mental alteration,
and this Is Halden's. Julia, you would
never take advantage of it2 Julia, you
couldn't.
"Oh, you might not make him much
more miserable than any other woman
would. But, Julia, do you know how
Halden puts In his time? Why, loung-
ing around the club and absorbing the
news and refreshing liquids; going to
an occasional stag dinner, and getting
new cures for his gout-or neuralgia, is
1T That" Perry said, rs what Hal
den does, and he's done 1t till 1t is q
habit with him, like eating and breath
ing. 1t would be smaller undertake
1ng to throw steam engine Off Its
track than to shunt Halden of his.
And what would It result for Halden2
Aiseryi" ar,
She threw back her head and
laughed.
Don't laugh, I mean It," he said
sharply, and for space his eyes looked
Into hers. The long look burned Its
way through the something that had
interposed ever between them--the
fimsy barrier which their ignorance
and their heedlessness had reared.
Julia" he faltered. The door bell
rang.
ut Is Mr.. Halden," she said, with
trembling lips Must you gof"
Nine days later, sitting In his Office
In the heavy gloom and the dullness
which for the past week had held him,
Perry received letter. It was from
Julia Lamont, and 1t was brief.
II am going to Boston this after.
noon. Good.by,"
"Good.byl" he muttered, hercely
scowling. But all his apathy had fed
on the instant, She was going to Bos.
ton. What did that mean2 He sprang
to his feet. She was going that af-
ternoon. She'll take the boat" he
hazarded. II was already past Ave. He
seized his hat and called taxi which
drove him to West Warren street swift.
ly. She was there.
II told you good.by in my note"
she remarked.
He saw with Joy that her hair was
wavy. "Where is Halden2" he demand
cd.
He Is cruising around the lake with
Mr.. Crane" she answered. I'll
thought over what you said, and ]
saw" she affirmed, not In humility,
but In rigor Of pride, that Il Is true.
II would have been n mistake. from
the first feared II. And-I almost think
he agreed with me, In his heart. SO,
after all, l am not going to have a
home. l am going to Boston" She
smiled brovely.
"rhose are misstutements,' ho an-
swered, "both."
"What do you meanT
"You will have n home, and you will
not go to Boston" he returned though
he spoke to the back Of her head,
abruptly averted. AS reckon II, we
have been fools for four years, and
that Il long enough Julia"
She faced him with valiant resist.
anaa NI want aaaaidse 10 " aha A