The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-01-08
ByKath1een Norris.
SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING CHAPTERS


suspected their realization OF the ait.
uation and their resentment. To
Vera. TO Elinor, even 10 Alice Val
entine, rh. haid never word. She
had discussed Clarence nrccken'
ridge easily enough seven years be.
fore. but she could not criticisc War.
rem Gregory 10 anyone.
on the fourth evening. when they
we're 10 dine with friends. Warren
reached home IN time TO dress, and
duly accompanied HIS wife to the
affair. Ito complained OF head.
ache after dinner. and they went
homo at about 1880. Rachael felt
his constraint In tho car. and for
very shame could not make II hard
for him when he suggested that he
should so downtown again. to look
In at the club.
Hut Ia this right. Is II fair7" she
asked herself sombrely while she
was slowly disrobinR Gould I treat
him so7 or course could mott Why.
l have never even looked at a man
since our very wedding day--ncvcr
wanted 10, And I will DO reason.
able now. I win be reasonable. but
he tries me hard--hs makes II hardl'
She put her face In her hands and
began 20 cry. Warren was deludsd
and under a temporary spell. hut
stiil her dear and good and hand.
some husband. her dearest compan.
ion and confidant. And she missed
him.
oh, TO have him back again in
the OLD way. 10 infinitely dear and
Interested. so quick with laughter.
80 vigorous with comment. 40 un.
sparing where he blamed To have
him come ana kiss the white parting
or her hair once more M she sat
waiting for him at the breakfast
table. turn 10 her In the car with
hln quick Happy" once more. hold
hcr tight once more against his
warm heart
How unlike him II was. how con.
temptlhie IL was. this playing with
the glorious thing that had been
their iovei For tho firs, time In her
lie Rachael could have played the
virago. could have ragged and
stamped. could have made him alb.
soluteiy afraid 10 misuse her no. lie
did not deserve such consideration,
he should not be treated 10 gently.
While she sat alone. IN the long
evenings. she tried TO follow him In
her thoughts. lie was somewhere
IN the big. warm. dark theatre.
watching tho little pool Of brlgh;noHa
In which MaEsie moved. listening 10
tho crisp. raw freshness Of MaTslc'a
voice. Night after night he must
sit there. drinking in her beauty and
charm. torturing himself with the
thought OF her inacccsnibli!ty.
IL seemed strange 60 Rachael that
this world-old tragedy should come
Into her life with all the stinging
novelty of a calamity. People ana
pr-~s talked about a murder. about
An earthquake. about a fire. Yet
what was death or ruin or flames b.
side the horror Of knowing love 20
h~ ou,grown. of living beside this
empty mask and shell of man
whose mind and soul were In bond.
age elsswher.s Rachael came 20
know lovc ms a power. and herself
a victim q that power abused.
Slowly resentment began to find
room In her heart. II was all 40
childish. 40 futile. 40 Unnecessary
4 prominent surgeon. tho husband
OF devoted wife. the father of
two splendid sons. thus fllnglng
pride and sanity to tho wind. thus
being caught In the lightly flung net
Of an ordinary. pretty little actress.
the daughter Of a domestic servant
and a soldier In the rankN' And
what was to be the outcome
Rachael unused sombrcly. Was War.
rcn 10 tire simply Of his folly. Mas.
sic TO carelesaiy fili his place In the
ranks OF her admirers. Rachael TO
gracefully forgive and forget?
IL was an unpalaiabie role. yet she
saw no other open TO her. what
was 10 10 gained by coldnea-, hy
anger. by controversy Was a man
capable OF warrcn's curious infat.
uation to be merely scolded and pun
ished like a boy She was helpless
and she knew 1t. Unui he actually
tranagressed against their love. she
could make no move. Even whom
he did. or IL h. did. her only rc
course was the hated ono OF a pub
lie scandal. accusations, recrimIna-
tons
She began 10 understand his ma.
turc as she had not understood Il In
NIL these years. Bits ~ his moth.
er's brief comment upon him came
back to her: incomprehenslblc when
she first heard them. they were cur.
iousiy illuminating now. lie had
been a naturally good boy. awkward
silent. conscientious: turning toward
Integrity an normally as many of
his companions turned toward vice.
Despite his natural shyneas. his Dur
fdenco OF manner. he had -
strong himself and had scorned
weakness in anyone: upright he
needed little guiding The praise
Of servants and Of his mothers
friends had been quite frankly HIS.
even ILLS severe mother and father
had been able 20 find little fault In
the boy. But they had early learned
that when n minor correction was
demanded by their firsthorn's char.
neter. IL was almost Impossible TO
effect 1t. His standard of behavior
was high. fortunately, for II was also
unalterablc. There was no hope of
their grating upon his conscience
any new roots. James knew right
from wrong with infallible instinct.
he was not often wrong. but when
he was, no outside criticism affect.
cd him As baby, he would defend
his rare misdeeds: as a boy. he was
never thrashed. because there was
always some good reason for what
he did He had been misinformed.
he certainly understood the other
fellows to say this; he certainly new.