The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-01-12

! this system that could allow any
young Eirl 70 feel any married man
| any father. her natural prey. She
had come to love Warren Just as IN
few years she might come 20 love
someone else. That was all per,
missihle. regrettnblo perhaps for
Warrcn'a wife. an unmistakable
calamity for warren's boys. but,
from MaENios standpoint. compre
henAiblo ana acceptable. II Warren
were free. Maggie was well within
her rights. IL he were not. Rachael
was the last woman IN the world 10
f, dispute II.
After n while Rachael began 20
move mechanically about the room.
She vat down at her desk and wrote
few checks; the boyr' little first
dancing iessonH must be paid for, tho
man who mended the clock. the
woman who had put all her linen In
order. She wrote briskly. reaching
quickly for envelopes and stamps,
and. when she had finished. closed
the deak with her usual neainesn.
She tclcphoned the kitchen. had she
told Louise that Dr, Gregory might
come home at midnight lie might
be az home for breakfast. Then she
glanced about tho quiet room, and
went softly out, thru the inner door
10 her own bedroom adjoining she
walked ON littl. usual errandH be
tween bureau and wardrobe. steadily
proceeding with the changing OF her
gown. Once she stopped short, In the
center OF the room. and stood mus
ingiy for a few silent minutes. then
IN. said. aloud and lightly:
Poor MaEsie--its all ~ absurd"
II for few seconds her thoughts
wandered. they always came swiftly
back. MaKslc and Warren had fallen
IN love with each other--wanted 10
marry each other, Rachael tried "a
marshal her whlrling thoughts. there
must be simple reason somewhere In
this chaotic matter. She had tho des.
perato sensation Of mad woman
trying to prove herself sans. were
they all crazy. To have got them
selves into this hidsous fin7 VIVA,
WAS definite. what facts had they
upon which to build their nurmiseH'
Warren was her husband. that was
one fact: Warren loved her. that was
another. They had lived together for
nearly eight years. planned together.
/ they knew each other now. heart and
soul. And there were two sons,
These being facts for Rachael. what
facts had MaEsicf Rachacls hear,
rose on Wild rush Of conhdenor.
Massie had no basis for her prcien
sion. Mskrir was young. and abe
had nadiy and biindly fallen IN love
Their. was her single claim: she
loved. Rachael could not doubt ~
after that hour In the sit,lng room.
but what pitiablc follyi To love and
10 admit love for another woman's
husband
Thinking. thinking. thinking. TIA
chaei lay awake nil night She com
posed herself n hundred times for
sleep. and hundred times sleep
evadcd her. MaEsle-warrrn--Ra
chaei' Their names swept round and
round In her tired brain. sho was
talking 20 MagHic. 80 cloauently and
kind. ahe was talking 20 Warren.
Warren was shocked NJ the mere
though, Of her suspicious. had sesn
nothing. had suspected nothing,
couldn't believe that Rachael could
be 80 foolish, warr.n's arms were
abou, her. he was going 10 take her
and the boys away This was bad
atmosphere for wives. this diseased
and abnormal city. Warren said. She
was buying steamer coats for Derry
and Jim
Magsie' Again the girls tense. ex'
cited face rose before Rachnel's fe-
vercd memory. You mustn't think
either ono Of TIA saw this comfhrT'
Rachael rose on her elbow. shook
her pillows. flashed a night iiKh, on
her watch. Quarter 10 three. II wa.
rather dismal hour. shc thought,
not near enough either midnight or
morning. Tossing so long. she would
be sl.epless all night now.
Well. what was marriage. anyway
was there never time OF serenity.
OF SURETY was any pretty. IRE
sponsible young woman free to set
her heart upon another woman's hus-
band. the father OF another woman's
children Rachael suddenly thought
Of Clarence. How different the whole
thing had seemed them Clarence's
pride. Clarences child. had they been
40 hurt as her pride and her children
were To be hurt now?
She must not allow herself 10 be so
easily frightened. She had been
thinking too many months OF tho
one thing. she could not see II fairly.
why. Magsie had been infinitely
more dangerous In the early days OF
her success. there was nothing TO
fear from the simple. npprehensive
MaRsle OF this afternoon! The only
sensible thing was 10 stop thinking
OF n. and 20 go 10 sleep, But Ita.
chael felt sick and frightened, expe'
rieneed sensations of faintness, sen
sations like hunger. Her eyes seemed
painfully open. she could not shut
them. Her breath came fitfully. She
sighed, turned on her side. She
would count one hundred. breathing
deep and with closed eyes. sixteen,
seventeen" Rachael sat suddenly
erect, and looked nj her watch again.
Twenty-Five minutes past three.
Morning broke with wind and rain;
tho now leaves In the square were
tossing wildly; slcet struck noisily
against the windows. Rachael. wax
Ing exhausted. after not more than
an hours sleep. 'went thru the proc