Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-05-29
The Woman Who Changed
By JANE PHELPS
( = = = x &** \
MERTON GRAY ARRIVES
CHAPTERXC


turned from his walk.
81 don t know, am surc.i
'Grayl He says he is ready to fin
ish that picture as soon as you can
give him a couple of sittiugs. | tOld
him you would attend to it at once
Might as well get it over with
| l felt puzzled and confused at the
wave of pleasure that swept over me
Merton Gray was nothing to me, yet
his coming where l was, gave me in
tense pleasure.
al am ready any time you think
best, - l replied quietly.
/ "I'll telephone him in the morning.
Then we can make arrangements.
am going yachting, so you would be
alone. Perhaps you had better sit then.
1t will prevent you being lonely"
Already George was planning to
leave me. The thought, perhaps, ting
ed my answer:
"Yes, that would be better than
moping alone
Anything would be better than nurs-
ing mysibit er thoughts. | had been
glad to leave Narragansett because I
thought l should have George to my
self. In truth, l had absolutely given
no thought to the plan to finish my
picture in Newport. If l considered it
at all, it. was as something to be done
at some time during the summer, rath-
er than so soon after our arrival
The Next Morning
George arranged everything. He
fixed the hour and did the talking. As
usual, all | had 30 do was to obey or
ders. So, about an hour after George
left for his yachting trip / walked
slowly over to Merton s studio, chap
eroned by Celeste.
MADAME is triste, this morning.,
the girl sail, as we walked along.
"No, Celeste, not sad-just think
ing"
Ny thoughts made me blush. l won
dered if George would like me better
if he saw that Merton Gray really car
ed for me. Deep down in my heart,
knew that could very easily make
Merton care for me. How | knew this,
| could net explain. But that he liked
to be with me-enjoyed my company
I knew now; it would not be long
step to winning his affection, was
positive.
| liked him, tco. Would it be unfair
10 play him off against George. Be-
fore reaching the studio l decided, no
the time we had reached his studio, no
that l liked him too well to use him in
any way, even to win,my husband s
love thru jealousy of him. That there
was any danger for me in my friend
ship for Merton, | never imagined |
realized that l enjoyed his society, but
believed it was for the same reason
that | enjoyed being with Kurtz and
Evelyn; he was young, he was not crit
ical, and l could be natural with him.
So | went along, blindly-wanting
to do right--wanting happiness and
love. | have learned, in the years long
past, that love is the common need OF
women; they cannot thrive and be hap
py without love of some kind-that
Of husband or of children Without it,
their natures are but half developed,
and they 90 blundering along thru life
reaching out for something to satisfy
that craving, JUST as was Olun'iei ''is
and cropping then.
A Quiet Morning
Merton was unalieceeuiy 1,y s'%u w @ 0Ue
ry the sitting. But l was self conscious |
and very subdued. The thought which |
had hiled my mlna, on Vhe way ovei,
had made a ppecqhlar impression S upon oh
ne. 1t was as II @ haa planliet tt y; " tTo tSo ,
someone and had been caggnt H. IN @ tne
lct. | was glad ~hen ne llhaly 00m
neneed to work. - z co
me sVuuio vas nv % - NOS
este was able to see ana near l was
glad that 1t was 80. ! tei'' Nolln'. So,le"Ss' ~
hat she was q saresuaru. WV ~
,ore had ! felt TINS way NeVer iiau
10 dlSSeeted my 1eehrngS tVNdiu @hJ