Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-06-10
Merton Gray Arrives.
CHAPTER XC.

A1At L ISlN -NOs
"WeI. whom do you think l Just
ran into?" George asked, when ne
returned from his walk. >,
II don't know, | am sure
Gray! He says he Is ready 10 I'M
ish that picture as soon as YOU ia u1t
give him a couple OF sitinss. ! tou
him you would attend to II az onee'
Might as well get 1t over WIN
/ felt puzzled and confused d. ~
r,a Merton Gray was nothing to
me vet his coming where l was
gave me intense pleasure.
II am ready any time you thlhA
best" | replied quietly.
"I'll telephone him in the morn
ins Then we can make arrange
ments. | am going yachting, so you
had better sit then. II VIII preNen'
your being lonely" :.
Already George was planning "
leava me. The thought, perhaps
unged my answer: . .ho,
"Yes. that would be better Una"
moping alone" ..,.-,,
Any thing would be better than
nursing my bitter thoughts. ! nao
been glad TO leave Narragansett pe
cause thought ] should nave
George to myself In truth, | nae
ahsaintelv gwen no thought to the
man to finish my picture in new,
hort IL considered 1t at ALI !,
VAS az something TO be done az
some time during the summer. rain
or than SO soon after our arrival
The Next Morning.
George arranged everything: lie
f,xed the hour and did the talking
IA usual. all I had TO do was tc
nsev orders. SO, about an houl
sfter George left for his yachtint
trim I walked slowly aver to Mer
tCh's studio. chaperoned by Celeste
| Madame is triste, this morning
~, Girl said, as we walked along
mo Celeste, not sad-just thlnk
ing"
thouehts made me blush.
wondered il George would like m'
botter ~ he saw that Merton Ora!
really cared for me- Deep down II
| INV heart, | knew that l could Verl
easily make Merton care for me
How l knew this. I could not ex
| nlaln. But that he liked to be VIII
| rne-en loved my company kne"
novy. IL would not be a long stel
10 winning his affection. was pos
| itive'
I,iiked him, too. Would 1t be un
fair TO play him off against George
| By the time we had reached his stu
| dio | decided. no, that / liked MN
too we'll to use HIM in any way
even to win my husbands love thru
iealousy of him. That there wa
any danger for me In my friendship
for Merton, I never imagined:
realized thasaI enjoyed his society
hut believed it was for the sam
reason that ! enjoyed being VIII
Hurts and Evelyn; he was young, N
was not critical, and / could be nat
ural when with him.
So l went along. blindly-wantinI
to do right-wanting happiness am
love. / have learned, in the year
long past, that love is the common
need of woman; they cannot thriV
and be happy without love OF som
| kind-that of husband or OF chill
dren without II, their natures ar
| but half developed, and they 3
laundering along through life, reach
| ing out for something TO satisfy ina
craving, Just as ! was blunderlh
| and groping then.
Merton was unaffectedly glad I
| see me, and showed no disposltio
to hurry the sitting. But ! was Sc
conscious. and very subdued. IN
thought which had filled my mine
on the way over, had made pecu
liar impression upon me. IL wa
as IL had planned to rob someon
and had been caught in the act
was glad when he finally con
menced to work.
The studio was not large, ana ~
leste was able to see and near
was glad that it was So l felt SOM
way. that she was a safeguard. Ne'
err before had | felt this way. Nev'
had 7 so dissected, my feelings toV
ard anyone. l longed for Evelyn
though had she been with me-