The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-09-06

was lne ohly man besides West aItS
Mr.. Hobbs who ever had called wheI
, she was alone. They were the ont
/ single men she knew.
/ Tho next Gay wonderful box OF long.
stemmed roses came for Madge with I
card on which was written;
! For the little lady who said sh,
liked me-"
Madge tore the card In tiny bits ant
then arranged the flowers. She smiled
| to herself as she thought OF how Wal.
, ter had treated the flowers Jack Tur.
ner sent the year before.
See the lovely flowers Mr.. West sent
me-" she said when Walter came in e
dinner
"A nice attention" Walter hardly
glanced at them.
Wasn't ~ II is unfortunate YOU
never are at home when he cAEs."
III | knew he was coming might be,
/ can't sit at home waiting for Tom,
Dick and Harry"
"No-but IL you would occasionally
stay at home with me, you would be
here when Tom. Dick and Harry came
Madge replied TO her own surprise, and
his what was II gave her the cour-
age, she wondered. Then. honest with
herself she knew II was the thought,
the idea, that man, one OF Walter
own friends, had found her entertain
ing had not felt his time wasted when
he spent"it with her.
walter had given her a keen look
but had made no remarks on her re-
ply.
II will be more Independent, I'll show
him can hold my own with him as
well as with others" Madgc thought.
n little culver OF pride in herself. She
always felt that way when she dared
assert hersolf-end II was now more
| frequent. He likes me better when
I'm not namby- pamby, even II he
1 al - IL a. II
her thoughts battered on dangerously.
| Madge had not been Mandy PANTY
girl. But her fear of offending Walter,
her dread OF his neglect, had almost
made her a spineless woman. But she
had Weakened 10 the fact, and now would
do all she could to get back her old In
! dependence OF spirit and OF action.
Walter had changed In one respect.
and for the better. So abe thought. He
| no longer interfered as to whom she
should see. when she should entertain
her young frlends-so long as she In no
way interfered with his plans or asked
him TO be with them. He occasionally
remained at homo or went out with
her when some affair OF the younger
crowd was on. but only when he had
nothing he cared to do elsewhere.
Madge resented this. although his
changed attitude left her free to have
many good times, many pleasant eve
nihks .WiNh otheiWiSo W"uu ho'o pSo"
denied her,
Gle doesn't love me enough 10 even
care what | do" she said to herself,
glad OF her freedom, yet piqued at his
carelessness, "oh, well, others like mel
Maybe when he sees that he will sit
up and take notice also" But she
hadn't much hope OF his 'slttlng up"
over anything she might do.
CHAPTER INVl1I.
Had Madge not worn the shnckles OF
conventional training she would have
gone to Aimee Loree and demanded
that she let her husband alone. She
had read a story In which the neglected
whom her husband spent his time, and
demanded that she give him UP. The
"Other Women" had refused and In
suited the wife. They were both young
women, the husband of the story, an
older man-like walter.
Aimee Loree would be even more
cruel to me because she 10 older"
Madge unused as she thought OF the
story and Its miserable ending.
Madge never had forgotten or for.
given the insolent way Mrs. Loree had
acted the day she found her In Walters
underneath the silk, even though she
had as yet not seen them. At times
Madge had the feeling that Aimee Lorce
was drawing Walter into net from
which neither she nor any one else
could extricato him. Her immature
mind leaped TO ridiculous conclusions. |
even her own late experience urging |
her to unfair dedIcl ms.
He probably talks to her Just ms
Mr.. West did TO me. And she let's him, !
she wouldn't refuse to listen the way
I did. | know she wouldn't. Maybe /
won't the next time"
Such soliloquies were becoming COM
mon occurrences now with Madge. Her |
I'm night him with his own weapons.
and with my youth" usually finished |
her cogitntions. She was developing a
spirit OF recklessness that was not un-
aided by the attentions Of Jack Turner
and Ingram West. Jacks boylshly |
frank and respectful. ingram Vests |
with all tho SAVIOR falre, all the aplomb |
and assurance OF n man OF the world, a |
man OF many affairs with women.
Occasionally Madge said some llttle
thing before Kitty Campbell that
showed her unhapplness. But even TO
Kitty she had stopped talking OF wal
ters neglect even limiting at IT, II did
no good and only made Kitty dislike
Walter.
At times when Madge had been left
alone more than usual. when Walter
had been cross ana unsympathetic. SHE
would take her little boy In her arms
and declare he was oil she had TO live
for, that IL II wasn't for him she would
die, She was developing n bitterness,
\ self-pity that increased ms time passed
and which redoubled her hatred for
Aimee Loree. her indignation against
Walters neglect.
Yet she stil loved him, perhaps even
more passlonately than when she nrst
married him. But now she put an In
libitlon upon herself. She seldom told
1m she loved him, seldom threw her
self into his arms ms she used to do.
eI.A fAtlF |
Madge ut twenty-five had learned to
Practice little OF that sef-represelon
10 had talked OF 30 frequently when
hey were first married, had gained n
title OF that polse he had considered so
necessary In his wife.
Madge also had kept her resolve not
o cry. At times II seemed almost I'M
possible 10 restrain the tears that his
Ibsenoe or his cutting indifference
would bring TO her eyes. but In some
way she kept them back. In other
Ways, too, she put an Inhibition upon
lerself. She seldom asked where he
vas going or II he would be late. II
he sat IN until he came In, she would /
peak pleasantly. then quietly go to her
oom or nj timos even finish some story !
hat happened 20 Interest her.
II she NJ times caught Walter looking
{ her rather quizzically. II she inter
,reted his glance aright--as wonder
1tHl Ut nor OHhHbtu at'''h"" w" ""'N
10 sign. Once he said:
you are improving greatly, MadRe.
was very pleased with you at Hobbs
inner last night"
Thank you. I suppose I should feel }
ALTERED that nj last / can win your APP .
rovnI-if only occasionally" '
Sarcasm doesn't suit you. ! dislike !
very much"
You mean you dislike II In me. 49,
on do 70 many other things which YOU ,
pprove Of IN your women friends. why '
, IT, Walter, that n man hates to have ,
Ia wife do all the things tho women |
Dr. whom he neElects her do. ana which
rem 10 be fascinating when they do
hcrn7"
She nsked the question in such seem !