Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-11-22
The Wife.
BY JANE PHELPS


Brian Rem n,alnS out Late Us Before,
CHATTER l.&NN.
Brian yip-toed into the room, aud
very audible Sigh OF relief escaped
him AZ he saw Ruth aslcep--as he
supposed. lie had not meant to h"
SO late. he had intended TO come dt-
rcctiy home when his lesson was fin
ishcd, about $40. hut some OF the
old crowd had dropped in to Moiiie's
little studio, and they had sat smok.
ing and talking until late,
Really, he felt terribly consCienc"
stricken. II only he could get to
he'd without waking Ruth, perhaps
he could say he didn't know the time
he got I'm, II she asked him in the
morning: IIc was ashamed 10 think
he had been 40 thoughtlcss.
She's a dear girl" he WHISPERED
10 himself as he quietly placed one
shoe on the floor, then the other, in
stead OF kicking them Off with the
racket he usually made. II ought 10
be assumed. | am" he added with
rather a sheepish grin, as he crawlrd
into bed, staying on tho very edge
~ fearful was he Of waking her.
There they both lay wide awake,
each trying to convince tn" other
they were asleep, ana each guilty
awake.
Fortunately neither were aware OF
the ludicrous situation; and when
finally they slept IL was IN hllSsfuI
ignorance that either had lain awak"
"Whut time did YOU get In.
Brian Ruth asked in the morning
81 didn't look at the clock he said
lyon were fast asleep, so | crawlcd
In without disturbing you
"You must have been later than
You expected to he. Nou recall yOu
promised to he home by .. or a little
after. II You didn't come home 10
dinner. didn't go TO bed until at-
ter ., and -
con. don't nag fellow Just he
cause ne couldn't get home on the
minute | had to wait for car
he interrupted.
Ruth had been about IN say That
she had been very tired. and had hal
a hlr dinner with her employer and
1t had made her sleepy. She had no
falutost idea Of nagElnE him. or or
letting hlw know she was aware OF
the time he came in. But II h"
werr going to take this tone with her,
sho would toll him nothing Her lip
uuivcrcd as she recalled how she had
StFl\tn not To- una llNAl 'NtN N'l'N
she tclt she had cause.
II had been IL o'clock when no
came in vet he had resented her
simple question In such manner as
TO freeze the confidence on hPr lips
What ne been doing, where had ne
been, that he was so quick to blame
her so inpatient
She said nothing more, but dressed
ana while at breakfast tried to ap-
pear as usual although her thoughts
never left tho question Of his where
ahouts until - o'clock the night he-
fore. She knew he never remained
in his office after s. also that no
schoo, kept open until midn!ght At
ter his lesson he had gone some
whore; and IL was n place about
which he did not want her to queS-
tiOn him.
Brian seemed to forget he had re-
piled impttiontly 70 Ruth, ana in ms
usual cCotistical way was telling her
~ n new client he had secured,
whom he thought was going to be a
good one" as he expressed Il, be-
cause he was supposedly wealthy,
That's fine" Ruth replied. en-
him as was her habit But
had Brian not been SO wrapped un
In himself as not to notice the shade
" her tone, he would have seen that
he encouragement was not 80 hearty
nor 50 spontaneous as usual
"YeS. ! hope through him TO meet
others like him" the reply WAS
rather pompOusly given, and Ruth
smiled In a sad sort OF a way at what
she had always considered his boy
ishneSs; hut which She had OCcas-
q hp ytsl4,'l