Omaha daily bee., 1919-02-14
VIRTUOUS WIVES s:' ';.; s'.':: 4:

: Copyright, 1918, by Little. Brown 3 Co..
Spouse to his letter, Amy had writ
ten defying his authority, announc-
ing her intention of dancing the
minuet with Tody Dawson. He did
not believe that she would 60 so far
as this, but if she did, he would
meet the situation as it must be met.
Everything all right, Mr. Forces
terri" asked Perkins, the conductor,
an old friend, who never failed to
stop in for chat.
Thanks, yes. Running on time?"
TO the minute. When are you
coming out again."
Just up for over night, Perkins;
back with you the day after"
up for that costume ball, eh?"
yes" he said, surprised. How
do you know about that"
my missis showed me something
about it in the paper" said Perkins.
"She keeps an eye on the doings
of the Four Hundred.
81 see. Well, drop in after dinner
and smoke a cigar with me-"
Thank you, Mr.. Forester"
He tipped his hat and went his
mechanical way, a thin, chop-whisk-
cred, feeble-voiced man of 40, with a
sweeping nose and the Yankees
prominent Adams apple. Forester
rang for the porter s..
Sam, get all the papers and any
new magazines, and clear out this
truck" ~#
"Yassir, yassir, I sure will" said
the porter, grinning from ear to ear
with the certainty of fancy tips. He
went out, hugging the discarded
newspapers, which filled his arms
and hid his shining, black face.
IF she does what she wrote,
said Andrew Forester to himself,
staring out at the squatter settle
ments which heralded the approach
of the city; IF she does that, il
means only one thing" He laughed
an ugly laugh. Andrew B. Forest
er, what's the use of fooling your
self? It's all over long ago, aud you
know it. You might as well read
just things now-faee things as they
are" Their arrangement was not
of accident; it had crept gradually in
during the long months of his abb
sence, fatuously devoted to his dream
of putting her on an equal footing
with the great ones of America.
Suppose you've only yourself to |
blame-but then. that doesn't help |
matters. Good God, can't woman
have even gratitude-if nothing
else?"
It is a popular belief that an
American husband is the most i'll
in the world. In great meas
ure this is true, but it is also true
that he is the most susceptible to
brusque rebellion. So long as his
faith continues, his self-sacrifce is
fabulous; but once convinced of III
gratitude, and the revulsion in his
nature has the force of dynamite.
Andrew Forester, in the direct
obstinacy of his outlook on life,
knew neither subtilities nor COM
promise. Black was black and white
was white, and he comprehended
no diluting shades. Out OF the ardent
impulse Of his nature, he had con-
secrated his life to seek for her the
precious gifts of pleasure. That was
! fact. She had suddenly revealed
herself as unable to comprehend his
point of view, his business interests,
Or his dignity. Then she had an
nounced her intention of fatty dis
him. These were more
facts. There could be no extenuation
and no explanation. If the old atti-
sude could be restored, it could only |
be by an unqualified recognition of
MS grievance. That there could be
the slightest hesitation on her part
IN acknowledging this once the ques-
ton clearly put, had astounded him.
There could be but one answer. She /
did not love him.
All this was clear and logical as