Evening star., 1919-03-09
CHAPTER XVII.
The Other Woman.

or her suite, trying to moderate Jack,
who had furtively stolen uD FIVE min
utes before in response to her tele-
phone summons. The stage was set
for the last act of her carefully PLAN
ned weston of the eternal Triangle
the time for the curtain to rise was
near at hand--and as she talked to
Jack she kept her ears alert for any
sound that might come through the
open door connecting with her sitting
room This would denote the entrance
of Maisie, and was to be the cue for
the action to begin. on which she had
staked everything. To prevent any
msadventure to her plan through the
automatic habit of ringing bells, Mary
had disconnected the wire.
she had not told Jack of the role
that he was to play, for she had not
dared 10 trust him with the knowledge
that he was playing role-he might
balk: 80 she had the added difficulty
of so managing him that he would
play part without even guessing
that he was play-acting.
81 can't stand this situation any
longer, Mary" Jack fumed. Il want
to come out with 1T all Think of me
having to sneak up here to see my
own wife! And think of the other
fairly showed to the brink of the altar
with another woman. i can't stall
that thing off for more than a day or
so longer. Then I'll simply have to
come out with the truth-our being
married"
Jack" she said sharply. for there
had been dynamite inhis temperish
speech, you must remember what you
Just agreed upon-that even when
were alone you are not to refer to my
m a @ q
You are not to speak of those things
again until | give my consent"
''All right, Mary" he groaned.
For the present We've got to keep
is what we admitted before your faith
er You promise that too?"
"All right promise. But this is
certainly hell" And he looked his
misery; for his habit of life had ac-
customed Jack Morton neither to suf-
ferng nor self-restraint. But say. l
don't see that you're work ing out any
thing with Maisie Jones-at least I've
felt 40 relief"
You will if YOU keep your prom
ises''
She looked at the little gold clock
Jacks Gift--on her dressing table;
the hour was exactly 4. She must now,
with her utmost carefulness. steer the
dialogue without Jacks guessing that
it was being steered.
What were doing is for the best,
Jack--you must trust me as to that
she said. But, of course, things were
lot more comfortable when we We're
al the Mordona
why. our Nat there was heavsH!"
he exclaimed. She had him talking
the right tack now. and he held
the course enthusiastically. Her ears
reached out for other sounds than
his words, and after minute or two
she heard a slight noise in her sit
ting room--and she knew that Nsisie
Jones had entered; and she kneW-in
fact. she was visualizing it--that
Masie had heard Jacks voice. that
Masie had suddenly paused and WAS
hreathlessly listening.
1T was pleasant Jack" she said.
distinctly. her minds eve seeing the
effect on the tense figure IN the next
room
"ill never forget that little fat
sweetheart he enthused. That week
we spent at the Mordona-say, that
was living"
And as Mr.. and Mrs. Grayson----'
II wish we were back there now.
Mary" And he seized her hands.
Perhaps when you get things
Strengthened out--and suspicion quiet
ed down.
You mean about Maisie Jones?"
Yes. Perhaps then we can go back
to our fiat in the Mordopa'
NO. Not back there. The Mordona
won't be safe for us until--you know.
But this old town is fun OF other
nice illlle NdtS--~heTt We u bt quiet
and coy and nobody'll ever find us
out. And Wen do il the minute you
say the word
And ri say the word just as soon
as ii ia safe. You must go, Jack. in
Just minute, for I'm expecting some
one"
Enough had been said; her little
scene was now complete; the listen
ing figure In the next room could put
hut one Interpretation upon " hat she
had heard. Mary let Jack hold her
hands and his ardent gaze she re-
turned with "a seemingly equal ardor
But her faculties were really all in
the next room, Witnessing what was
q eNhappeniug there. She visioned The
Girl az standing transfxed at this
evidence of Jacks faithiesshess; and
then in pain, in a fury of pride, steal
ing silently away--iater to say. " by
any chance she ever again spoke 10
Mary, that she had changed her mind
Nud had decided not 10 come that att
cTuoon
Nhat stricken. creeping figure Was
what Mary visioned; that was the way
she had calculated human uature
would react What she actually saw
the next moment. was Naisie 1oues
standing in the doorway, her han1s
cleuched so that her white gloves had
burst vt dozen seams. her fSUga
trembling. her blue eyes hla&iri fdry.