Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1919-05-28
The
Promoters
Wife
By JANE PHELPS.
Copyright, George Mathew Adamsl
MRS. CARTER RETURNS HOME AT
LAST
MS, BACK
By JANE PHELPS.
CHAPTER CIV.

CHAPTER CIV.
Aunt had gone. Neil had been too
busy to go to the station when she
left but Robert and had driven there
with her and had bought her all the
late magazines, and basket of fruit
to help her pass the time pleasantly
on her long lonely jorney | was fond
of her yet 1t was with a sense of re-
lief that l turned away from bidding
her goodbye. She had been with US so
long, Neil had become so impatient
of her questions, we'll meant tho they
were. and l had grown tired of never
being alone.
There are people who never want to
be isolated, to whom staying alone is
a real punishment. But | was not one
of those. 1t was restful to know that
could read or sew without interrup>
ton. l only hated my evenings alone.
I had felt always that Neil should give
me his society after dinner Either at
home or we should go out together
| knew now that she had gone l
should have to spend many of them
alone. Altho | hoped to persuade Neil
to remain with me more often than he
had while she was with US. He had
felt no responsibility then. He knew I
was never alone.
Blanche orion called the day after
aunt left. She expressed her sorrow
at missing her, then said:
81 have wanted to come anG see you
ever since-that night you came to my
house" She had hesitated and flushed.
I too flushed as she referred to my
unlimited appearance. 1T was very
brave thing to demonstrating.
considering what?' l asked
considering you knew yoa would
meet the very people you had refused
to entertain yourself. I'm not so
sQueamish I can't afford to be. But
your frank admission that you wanted
to help Neil-Mr Forbe, made me like
you better than l ever had 'e}ore and
so | am going to trust you"
Trust mel" l returned wondering
Eyes. trust you. Strange isn't it?
I suppose YOU have thought that be-
cause I was unconventional that | was
not ouite-weu, not quite all right
That because | received those people
was one Of them-like them / would
not blame you if you had, don't try to
denv it, | had made a gesture Of
dissent you know that I love luxury,
dress good food and service. was
Miserable without these things. Well
Mr.. orion left me almost beggar.
Thought he had plenty of money. He
never told me much of his affairs. L
sunnosed when he died l could go on
living lust as l had been doing. l
could-for a month or two. Then you
gave me the means to go on living
in the wav to which l was accustomed
and"
81 gave you the means?" l do not
understand.
.eNeiI told me that you objected to
receiving Scott and such men at your
table, You had the society bee IN your
bonnet and feared to hurt yourself
with neople like the Powers if it were
known. He said too, that you were
fastidious, that their manners were
unbearable to you.
"They were. l could scarcely endure
to sit at table with them" | admitted
oWeu Mrs. Forbes, | am fastldlous'
too Do you recall the day you calleu
and 7 received you in negligee because
had to rest that afternoon. had W
rest so that my nerves would De III
shane to play the part l was getting
mid for playing. Do you suppose 1
like to receive such men as 1eafle ana
Common? DO you imagine for mo-
ment that those ordinary women you
met at nv house are the sort OF women
Tho to entertain? If you do you 90
NOT know me. But | cannot i've on ar
and earn money, so l stay at home ana
,or,, woman might do l cannot go out
I'D Darn money, so | stay at home an
earn it.
"vop mean?' A light was dawnlng
on me I was beginning to understand
many things. ~,
81 meant to put it in plain English
that YOUR husband has paid me gen
erously for entertaining the men he
could not entertain in his own home
and whom he could not entertain at
his 1cub because they were men who
considered an evening incomplete
without women's society and who also
wanted to gamble hesitated at first
really did. But when l considered