Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-11-15
The Wife.
W.Vt.V no
Ruth Returns Brian Meets icr ~
thp station.
BY JANE PHELPS

Chapter LX%IV
Huth was to be away sun ~.
more days Brian had spent
evening save the inst "h''
with Molllc King seven IN ALL
had been very COntcntcd, an mus
sometimes when he reacheh """''
lat" he would feel just "A bit con
science stricken. Then he ""uId
humble.
She's having good time stay
ing at expensive hotels, why should
| stick around this Jtuffy flat alone
That the flat was anything nut
stuffy, he knew also that botA the
Hohrrts' and thn Curtis would b"
delighted to see him, or to have nm
com" In and play cards.
The idea Of learning to do his own
typiug under Mulllcs tutelaRe, hp-
p"al"d to him. So, for the next
three evenings, he appeared at the
little studio with several parcels un-
der his arm.
"Tn bring In the grub and wen
cook II together" he had said when
MollIe asked what he had. We II
have more time than II We 20 out
50 In the intimacy Of kitchennet'"
and two burner gas stove, MollI"
cooked. while Brian fixed the salad
and old Rachel wondered wh"r"
"NarSc' Brian don eat his dinners
when Missy Ruth WAS away
MOllie was, ns she had said.
good tvpist She insisted that I'ri"n
lrnrn the latest method, although
with his usual Incidence he said that
"auy old wav would do, 80 long ~
he could write his letters"
"Indecd II WON'T what kind of
teacher would bH 10 let you have
your .own way like that
50. their heads close tog"h"r'
they spent the evenings over IN" ma
chine. That is, thev worked untll
ten O'Clock. Then Brian would in.
sist upon stopping, and they would
talk or go to som" neighD"rlng cdI'
for bite ~ supper, and gossip win
the villagers for an hour or two.
"I wont he down tomorrow
night" Brian said on the night b"-
fore Ruth was expected.
'T'shall miss YOU" Mollie answer
ed Knowing Ruth was coming, she
said no JnOre.
'IIl come the next nIght-for my
Lesson"
Il understand" Mollie said TO her
self after tho door had closed. ne
can come for his lesson. then must
get hack or she'll find fault" Had
she known that Ruth scarcely ever
objected to anything Brian did, Mol
lie would have been surprised. Sh"
snIpposcd he lived in an atmosphcrr
OF almost constant nagging Ana
that was the reason he sought her
com panionship.
That night as ne prepared for
bed. Brian said.
no one can find fault II I am
with MOllie because II II necessary,
and "I hope Rachel won't tell Ruin
7 was ont every night. guess bet
tor tell her myself I'll tell her am
learning typewriting. and II was too
far Ia come way mp here when sh"
was away. She has no business To
leave men alone, anyway" ending
bv throwing the onus OF his detcc-
tiun upon Ruth, AZ usual.
And she, in the cheerlcss hotel
room. was counting the hours, al
most the minutes when she would
he with Prian. She had determined
10 ask Mr. Mandel not to require her
Ito stav away 80 long again This
Ytlme II had been unavoidable. But
she was so lonely for brian, and So
afraid he would he unhappy.
'I do hope Rachel has cooked
nice things Tor him" she had said 10
herself every dav she had heen
away She had written daily a short
| account Of her work, and how lone
| " she was without him. lie had
nlao written often. but his notes told
her nothing He had not mentioned
| Mullic King. neither had hc told OF
how his evenings were spent Ruth
consequently took II for granted that
part OF them nt least had been spent
at home.
Her work had gone very Satisfac-
! torllv II had heen an expensive ion
| and she couldn't fail 10 be pleased at
The result. She had wired Rrtan
that she would reach New York A.
| fivc-thirtv lie had told Rachel
they would be NJ home to dinner,
thr'r had ordered some flowers A.,
she likes thom," he had mdt-
tered knowing he was salving his
own conscience rather than catering
to her love for tho flowers.
Hc had gone to meet her. The
train was a little late, but Ruth, al
most the first one OFF, had snied him
NJ once. and with glad little cry
had run 10 him.
"Oh. Rrlan" she had said. suugE-
ling TO his side, how good 1t Is TO
he home again ! To he with YOU"
"lrs time YOU came back, he said
ns he kissed her again. II had al
most forgotten I had a wife"
Ruth looked sharply at him
Could he be speaking the truth
But no, I've was gazing at her with
pride Could she have seen herself
she would not have wondered She
had taken especial pains with he