Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-12-12
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By Jane Phelps.
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BRIAN DECLARES HIS INTENTION.
By Jane Phelps.
CHAPTER CVII

|
ceal. AT least he thought he had, whicl
amounted to the same thing. He ha,
dined the night before with the tw
khaki-clad Englshmen, then had takel
them to Mollie King 3 studio-ffrs
calling her and asking her permission
They had remained until late, but hat
all left together. Which last woult
have excused his going in Ruth s eyes
Even though Ruth was jealous o
Mollie King, there was nothing mea1
or small about her. Had Brian STAYED
lat her studio so late alone, she woulC
have been both hurt and suspicious
But three of them-wry, surely, no sen
sible woman could object to MAI
going with a party to call upon a girl
especially when his wife was out Of
town.
But because Brian was so uncommun
ieative, Ruth imagined things. And il
that her imagination grossly exagger
ated. She was no different from most
jealous wives.
But because she was suspicious she
took the greater pains to hide hel
feelings, instead of doing as most
young wives are prone to do, and
spilling over" as Brian expressed il
one day when talking Of woman he
knew. 1t would perhaps have made for
her peace of mind had she "spilled''
a little in lieu of holding back all her
emotion, and her thoughts.
Brian was an enigma to her at this
time. After her Washington trip, more
50 than ever. Scarcely ever did he find
fault. Yet all the time he made her feel
that he was about to do something; and
that no matter how it turned out she
was to blame. 1t was a peculiar feeling
one that made her uneasy without Civ
ing her anything tangible to which to
object
Mandel seemed to understand that
Ruth was passing through some sort of
experience which might react to his
advantage, if he could keep from max
ing the mistake of showing his feeling
for her. So he avoided being alone with
her, and while he was just as thought
fnl, just as kind, was not as obviously
50 as he had been.
Without making it appear that he
was endeavoring to save her, he light
ened Ruth IS work, and in everything
made her comfort consideration.
That he did all this without in any
way approaching Ruth, or without let
ting her feel his thoughtfulness obtru-
sive, proved the strength of his love
for her. SOD.
Dimly, Ruth sensed he was trying to
make her comfortable.
9 He is trying TO make me forget
what he said to me, that day his wealthy
patron tried to make love to me-" she
said to herself. Then: He didn It mean
REALLY mean, what he said. He was
sorry for me, my humiliation, and said
more than he intended"
Yet, strangely, this reasoning did not
bring quite the comfort to Ruth it
should have DONE Not that she wanted
Arthur Mandel or any other man than
her husband to make love to her, bug
: the ways of women are past finding
out" and Ruth was a woman. She felt
little, that Mandel should
so soon have found out his mistake. And
she resented his ability to dismiss hg
from his thoughts-as she judged by his
actions he had.
That night the rent was due. Ruth
stopped on the way home to pay it,
and found Brian waiting for her when
she reached the apartment
81 stopped to pay the rent, dear.
Put away the receipt while take off
my things 1 won't be moment"
"I wish the landlord would take his
old apartment!p
'FWhy, Brian Hackett! You are so
sorry for the soldiers, all the time talk
ing Of how hard it is for them, and all,
that l should think you would be glad
you had the money to pay instead of
being in those horrid trenches with them
fighting for your life," Ruth had pur-
posely said 'glad YOU have the
money to pay"
"a man doesn 7 have to pay rent in
the trenches, neither does his wife have
to throw it in his face if she does pay
it for him--he's too far away from
lere.''
Ruth stood still, very still. Tt had not
been Brian g words as much as his man
ner which caused her heart to almost
stop beating, and that suffoeating feel.
ing to make her put her Hand to her
throat. It was as if Brian were seeking
IN excuse. More than once their clash
IN the eternally sickening subject of
money had led to hot quarrel. This
luiet, caustic Brian was new species
% her. She scarcely recognized him as
Ter husband.
"What is the matter, Brian You are
10 unlike yourself, lately, Tell me what
makes you talk and act so different |
VI"
"Nothing is the matter with me,
,nly--you won't have to pay rent for
ne much longerl I'm going to enlist
With the Canadians