Americus times-recorder., 1919-06-08
The
Promoters
Wife
By JANE PHELPS.
Copyright, George Mathew Adams)
A REPORTER CALLS UPON
BARBARA.
By JANE PHELPS.
Copyright. George Mathew Adams)
CHAPTER CXIV.
HE bell rang. I shivered as I h,


HE bell rang. l shivered as l had
at every sound since | had been
alone. This time with reason.
"a man down stairs saye he must
see you ma'am." Cook came up and
told me. Il tried to tell him you
wasn't well-like you told me to-
but he acted like he didn't believe
me, and said he would wait, and then
set down on one of them elegant
plush chairs like he was going to
stay all day"
Tell him 1 will see him. Take
him into the library"
very WELL ma'am.. Not quite
knew it was a reporter. 1t was
hard for me to dissemble, always
had been. But l must not let him
get anything out of me- | recalled
Mr.. Frederick's warning to be "as
stupid as possible 1 would be stu
pid.
When 1 saw the youngish man
with a rusty overcoat and heavy
glasses l understood Cooks mot
quite your sort" Yet he had nice
face, and he looked kind.
"You wished to see me? l am
Mrs. Forbes,'' l said as he rose.
Yes, the Morning Argus would
like to know how you feel about your
sbands-trouble,' he had hesi-
tated just a moment before the word,
"and where he is at present"
81 don't know anything about any
thing" I replied wondering if that
were stupid enough answer.
But surely you know where your
husband is?''
Surely / don't. He never tells me
things He just went away" 1 felt
didn't know exactly where he was
just then, so was not telling very
gross untruth. By the expression on
my interviewer's face 1 knew I was
being stupid all right 1 was almost
hysterical as / saw it.
do you know this man Scott?'
''Mr. Forbes never brings men
home with him. He knows l don't
like them"
"Will you tell me why?" A gleam
of satisfaction in his face. He evil
IDENTIFY thought he was now going to
learn something.
why l just don't like to have
them here, that's all. l can't talk
business. l don't know anything
about it. l like people to come to see
me that 1 can talk to. People like
oh, well my society friends He
looked disappointed but persisted.
Shall you go on living here?'
why not?" | opened my eyes wide
at him.
"Oh l thought perhaps because of
all this trouble you might have to
give up this" his gesture embraced
the entire house.
4 don't know anything" I repeated
allowing note of impatience to creep
into my voice, and changing from one
foot to the other, We were both stand
ing although he had asked me if l
would not prefer to sit.
will you tell me Mrs Forbes. if
your husband contemplates going on
with his business? Is he coming
back?" a cunning look in his eyes.
"You know just as much as do. 1
am not very we'll today. | have head
ache. If | have told you all you want
to know will you please excuse me. "
Certainly madame. And 1 will also
give you the compliment of saying you
are very clever For a bright clever
looking woman you are about as stu
pid a one as 1 have ever come across.
Stupid because you want to be or
have been told to be.
After he left l laughed and cried
Historically. 1t had been so funny
like bit out of a play yet it had
also been hard to act the part.
wondered if he would have somethingg
in his paper about the "flnancler' s
stupid wife, and if he would print
my replies to his questions.
The next morning l sent cook out
to buy an Argus" l recoiled with
horror when l saw in bold type on the
first page:
"An interview with Mrs. Forbes. Her
story will interest our readers. Etc,
To Be Continued.