Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-06-14
\ = = = x + \ 4 + 4 \ \ : !
! : The Woman Who Changed !:
4 By JANE PHELPS x
4 !.
4 X \ X X X X = = X X X X \
MRS. COLLINS is ANGERED.
MRS. COLLINS is ANGERED.
CHAPTER CIV.

CHAPTER CIV.
Naturally notl" she returned witt
an ill-disguised sheer when l said tina
she would not be as concerned owe
George as | was, nor so sensitive t,
waiting in the crowded station.
"lt was kind of you to bring Mr.
Howard home, and l do appreciate it
| rang for tea, giving her no time t
answer. "You see the hotel clerk kept
me informed, and said he would SEE
that he got up all right when the train
came in" | stretched the truth a lit
tie, but as it harmed no one l did moi
feel guilty. 81 was too nervous to re.
main where the public could stare at
me. Then, too, | knew George would
prefer | should not wait there-would-
MT you George2"
"YouN did perfectly right DEAR" he
returned just as Celeste brought the
tea. [ never let the hotel serve tea. 1t
seemed so much more home-like to have
Celeste do it.
A dull flush covered Mrs. Collins
face. | saw she was annoyed, angry. 1t
raised my spirits immensely. To think
that Ia little country bred girl could
annoy the lovely Julia, shake her poise
was to say the least, encouraging.
She left as soon as she had finished
her tea. | thanked her again for her
kindness, and expressed the hope that
if George ever had another accident
she would be where she could bring him
to me.
While l was talking 1 saw that look
Of satisfaction, of pride or something
of the sort cross George s face that he
always wore when / had held my own
with another woman.
Heart to Heart
"Oh, George, you ore sure you aren' u
badly hurt?" | said as soon as / closed
the door after Mrs. Collins. "Isn t
there something ! can do for yous"
eyes, come here and give me kiss"
] kissed him fondly, running my fin
gers through his hair. For once dared
take liberties with him
$50 you were worriedY"
"Worriedl / was almost wild with
anxiety. I went down to the station,
but when | saw that crowd, all eaten
up with curiosity couldn u bear to
stay. 1t seemed to me that my feeling
for for you was too wonderful to let
them all gapo at me-"
For a moment George looked at me
without saying anything. Then with his
left arm he drew me to him. ut was
lis right wrist that was sprained).
81 understand that. / should probably |
lave felt just the same had you been
IN the train. When we are very much
we do not care to take the
public into our confidence"
"No, indeedl and you don Il think it
vas because | didn't care enough, do !
-oug"
Ono, dear, I understand you better
han you think -
For half an hour we talked. The most |
atisfying talk we ever had had to-
,ether--frOm my point of view. l told
i'm how cared for him; how i resent
d the implication that / did not. And
hat | wanted to please him in every
hing. / told him all this without in
NY way belittling myself. A while back
should have talked very differently,
hould have begged him to love me, and
robably wept a little. AS left him to
ress for our tete tete dinner / said
loud:
81 owe Mrs. Sexton q lot" and l
id. 1t was because Of my talk with
er that | was able to keep calm and
ignified in my heart to heart conversa-
ion with George.
Really had tried very hard to be
uiet and undisturbed because of Julia
oilins' unwarranted ntrusion.-That
ras what called it. And as Mrs. Sex
on had said should, was reaping
" reward. This episode more perhaps !
nan anything else which had happened
lade me absolutely determined to leave
othing undone that would make me
hat George wanted me to be.
We laughed and chatted over the din
cr. Then when we finished he told me
L about the accident. How for little !
lille he had feared he would not be