The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-12-25
The Woman
He Married
MRS. sTOWELL. FINDS NAN
WEEPING.
BY JANE PHELPS
CHAPTER "a.


CHAPTER "a.
I had not forgotten what Dick had
said about Nick Crawford and his wife
that under the same provocation he
would do the same. 1t made me nerv-
Gus. and gave me a cola chill every
time I thought of it. But it made
me no more careful about running
bills; it only made me more careful
to keep the knowledge of them from
Dick.
Until this happened-my first un-
derstanding that men ever did such a
thing-there had been times when 1
had almost confessed the truth to
Dick; been almost ready to show him
the bills had tucked away, and prom
Use that 1 never would run any more
if he would pay them.
1 had problem on my hands. 1t
was beginning to worry me. Some
times thought it would take a skilled
accountant to tell-me where 1 stood
with the little bills all over the neigh
borhood, the charges on Clara's ac-
counts. ct cetera. l realize how in
significant my troubles must seem to
people with money, but to me they
were appalling-when I allowed my
self to think of them.
Dick was so Kind, so fond Of me,
really should have had no fear of him,
no hesitation to confess 1 had been
foolish. But after our talk about Nick
Crawford and his wife, nothing would
have made me tell Dick about the bills
1 had been running. >
He had spoken lightly. but I had
sensed a vein of seriousness under his
carelessness. Then there was, 1 had
found out, a certain vein of hardness
in Dick at times. 1 had seen it when
he talked of people in the office, ct
cetera. / wonder if any woman would
have confessed her faults under the
circumstances? 1 surely was not
brave enough.
1 determined to save wherever i
could-without denying myself certain
things. only had Mrs. Dolly when
Dick and I wanted to go out together,
or to shop with Clara. 1 did all the
cleaning and washing myself, until one
day Dick came home early and caught
me at it.
what are you doing this for,
anxious about you lately. You don't
look well, and I have hurried home
today to ask you to go to the doctors s.
The walk down there will do you
good"
II don't need any doctor, silly. And
you stop fretting about me-" ! was
terribly tired, and discouraged. What
little 1 saved by doing the heavy work
was but a drop in the bucket. II am
all right"
But Nan, you don't look strong"
'eWell. 1 am. And Dick, please go
over and look at that apartment In
the same house with Clara and Jim.
1 think it is those stairs that are firing
me-
whats the use, Nan?" in dis
couraged tone. 81 can't :"
at won't hurt you to go and look
at it to please me, will itT, l asked
fretfully. "C1ara thinks the agent
might make a reduction to us-she
has spoken to him about it,
''Well, I'll trot over there. I'd like
to see Jim a few minutes and he VIII
be home b. the time I get there. But
as far as the apartment goes-its nm
possible to pay more than we do
here"
After Dick left I crumpled UP in a
big chair and commenced to cry.
Someone raped. 1 wiped my eyes
and opened the door. There stood
Mrs. Stowel1.
saThe street door was open so came
right up," she said. 81 had an errand
in the neighborhood, and thought |
would run in for moment. But
1 am afraid I have come at an mop
perfume time. You are feeling baby
about something. NO PAD news
hope?" /,
"No-only my own foolishness," I
replied. Then at the sympathetic look
she gave me, at her kind remarks. my
overstrained nerves gave way, ana De
fore I realized what 1 was doing, now
almost indicate it was, had sobbed
out the whole miserable business-the
unpaid bills, my fear now that DICK
had said he would do as Nick CraW-
ford had done, my trying to save ana
over working, my desire to move be-
cause of the stairs which mortified me
all the little things as well as the
big ones that had been beating at me,
rasping my nerves until they had al
most given way.
Then-as she asked me- toid her
the whole pitifu1 amount l owed as
nearly as had been able to figure II.
1 knew before I saw the look In ner
ewes that the amount would seem pitt
fully small to her But I was totally
unprepared for what followed. I had
no idea of asking for help. had just
bIurted out my troubles because OF my
nervous condition. So l was almost
astonished when she said:
.'You must let me help you. I love
pretty things, too, and you are so
pretty, look so charming when you are
properly dressed, it is shame for you
not to have everything you want
Dick came whistling up the stairs
lust then. She placed her finger on
her lip, and whispered:
s.rll motor over in the morning.
CTo be continued.)