Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-06-01
HIS SECOND WIFE

Nv ERNEST POOLE
Author of "The Harbor," His Family
copyright, 1910. by Public Ledger Co.

r,..i Knioht and Amys I'M iiyiro
Ethe' the latter ndrvisa hma she
nstMstS,s nsMss YORK ,oith her hisn nsSoh the most
q shrepd CONAN, mnnnheuts manshn,euts and
:, her persondl at af0ghp'nst tha most out Of
appedrdnCts. 81 IL entirely dferent' shs
others. ,II,,I naturally, country oIe"
70 bedhluu.,,o utterly uHsphtstiodteu.
Snd dednss.. death torces, Ethot 10
Their lo"h home Nth Amy. The yowney :
ssdse ssn n'' YORK, the new home; ama .m. m.
70 o.s ~. siobordte ntdnneT ~ ,,o1 coW mn
s ,,s Ethel They dme w ,J osDocup,bs
gets ptonma,vyysI pn",ys AHer the funeral gtheL
" Q tew tse noe for Joe. But teehno her
keeps honS' ,be obtains a position ~
depeneemoe NTH a Mr.. Greeshe,nter.
cloak nous, ~ sTuberdnce at ldndtngd
one dog " =. "seiyes her by the arm. She
con,ro-sii r ,einrns to the once. on J aS1V az
nsvet, lime entirely TO Suse5h.g %ms,ness ms
ne.,s. ~ Joe talks TO her ~ ~ Ws sWSoests
and hey ~ gy,.se and a Dditress. ana
pettrg tbat y Ethel could do TO dtssndde
Nm -, HERE TT CONTINUES
,,r OFTEN talked of his business, he
II ,rsd to explain to her the details OF
..,.,,ve building. real estate values
'ps', ~, like And listening and watch-
a"s 'us a,s IA face, she felt his force and VI
.a,,,. ~ bls dosgedness, the hsht IN MN
a"' o,,,sd Amy's eager faith In Joe
o"o Ian who was simply bound to
,,onev" And at times she said 10
s.r.s,, what a pity" Still II was an
s.,bsr puzsllng. For his talk OF the
-.w,b of the city, his view Of It's mighty
s.y,,og life restless, hcaving. leaping on,
49, s.ss ,er more than ever before. And
s,.r,oysr now that Amy was dead
r,h., soon began to feel another Joe
,,usreing nnri out OF some period long aso;
u,,,h n new and curious eagerness 20 nIu
" Mn, what her sister had never KNOWN
Ian ,aserness she would nave oisGIah.eu ,a
Win the utmost indisnation,' sue an
s.n IN probe into Joe's past. AND IN an
sm - nor questions he threw out hints
swea sa,S a. IDEALS in which the making OF
u ol v,u mad pIayed only a second part.
,nohSs n, meant to be an architect, a
ti'na.r ns ~ another kind. Instead OF put.
.,.r vu.oS, -, "iunk In the Bronx he had
s.srt .1.s ~ n do something big and new,
nou,stbine bold and very French, TO
wske these Internal New WORKERS sit
,,n and open their cold gray eyes AZ
tines he rather thrilled her with nints
AZ his early bachelor life In New YORK
sna Paris his student days.
anHa, H,ont This time, one evening, he
.ronSht his partner home to dinner, but
,hs Experiment proved even more OF a
s.,luye Than Il had IN the past. Nourse
made Ethel feel as before his surly,
,ssio,s dislike OF her presence In Joes
Sons And Ethers hostility redoubled:
sSa rscalled what Amy had told her OF
Sis tIresome worship of work. It's rou-
fine and lis dull detail. No wonder Joes
ideals had died, with such man IN
his office L.r
manner plainly said to him, FOR she was
moi good at hiding dislikes.
hSS 10 that his gloomy eyes rejoined
sWhat damned shame II you we're his
wife" A.,
Win business dropped out OF their talk,
sbs and Joe turned to other things
small happenings OF the household,
amusing Incidents of the day, and little
problems to be solved. They were well
into the summer by now, and Susette
ough, 10 20 TO the seashore. They. be-
a place along the sound. It was de-
cided that Emily should stay here to
look after Joe. and that he should run
up for his week-ends. In the mean
time as his business improved, he began
| 70 bring Ethel little surprises. candy or
spring flowers and to take her out in
khls car at night. They went to the
Theatre several times, And everything
that was said or done upon such occa-
sions gave Ethel food for thinking.
At the seashore, with Susette on the
Mach hour Of hour aha thntipht
about Joe and about herself. This think
ing was long and curious. It was con-
fused, barely conscious at times, all min
gled with the long bright waves that
camo rolling In from the shining sea.
The picture Of her sisters face kept ris-
Ing up before her thereof Amy In her
bedroom good od-humoredly talking and
smiling, and teaching Ethel how to get
on; Of Amy with her husband, throwing
sft swift, v!gilant glances at him. kissing
MIN, nesting In his arms. In her think
Ing Ethel grew hot and cold, with
Jealousy swift self-reproach and a new,
alarming tenderness. She thought OF
Joe, Of his every look, his smile and the
tones OF his gruff voice OF Joe grief
stricken and half crazed, OF Joe awaken
ing, coming back. Again with a warm
rush OF feelings, not unmingled with
alsmay she would go over In her mind
!nelr talks and the queer. almost guilty
expression that had often come in HIS
the room 80
For this thinking, fresh fuel was given
oy Joes weekly visits here. There was
10y much talk OF Amy now; her name
nag subtly dropped away, but Ethel
could feel Il behind the talk. 1T would
s.Ways be there she would cry to her
sen well and why not?" she would
yWgmand Wni Why be such a jealous cat {?
,a, wvuiI you let that hold you back?" It
EthsTs' R Ta' SOL so involved this Amy part, with
ana ",ae!s own earlier visions OF happiness
nnu ,a, love OF her OWN Was this really
iSUve-tnis queer, leaping feeling, up and
,,vS uUSxn not and cold, uncertain, tense,
'"mmaappy, hungry, undecided?
mind" o"'S make up my
n mnen with Joe, she had many mood,
To- u, some she grew resentful toward him
an. Iorcing this upon her. But soon
ner fror, u,u sTow repentant. Her man.
h,er, from cool friendliness would change
IN a few moments. and bo~ a,,o,, ',amSs fs
srS srS" absorbed, attentive, now to Joe
sd snd now 10 herself. grave wistfuI sad
c,,,, tnen suddenly gay-thourh tbev
ny TAXED OF little things, OF Susette
bov,oss ossch' the city, the coming winter
y VuiSen9ld SpiSa.d plans. his work half snoken
has .nMi any one watching them in
Sis hiss w,sa tsIks might have thought she was
irt1asSa,n H1sain came that disturbing ssnss a,
waa s,''Ste s relationship to her Sister who
Sbnsv shes Dead, I'm stepping into amy'o m%o
sbes Is Senlnd. %aa It was back in the no pa.t 2e
Az sUs.,Wsas vas looking on. One dsw o pas pas,
AMI 'e nad bumped her head and w" har
n revooH, MHs comforting her suddenIy In
loyree ID yrevea,ing To, fash came the % tbomrbf n
i wv wan SVu on so hard, my sweet tet " Rut
Grew SMv pack PACK to Joe in the citv ali ISe tbis
wouId ST more Intense and clear M For 'n,s hs
She hWu,u sau not give her much Ionger rop po ne
bis b bunt neIt his strength and tonGsrnd' n,s mind
ID waa Wunssr ,n,r tor her growing Sess, Somet,,a.,
gaining. SS"tenI9g' < tenHEg the power he was was
sbs So grow cold One eWan1ra d ana sne
kissed dI bar headache, Joe bent bs over ~ne6 e6
room@fc,ni ommo@odf,,nisht," he said, and lao, -,
pressed prn'ett III her burning, tremh,iHdt SI Ledt She
pressedd oSth hands tight ther'hg; to her nSo she
a At other times 'sSpS sSe ,oIG fT0m mo her eyes
notb song to marry him ''T5seit, Yes.