The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-04-16
The Woman
He Married
BY JANE PHELPS
GOSSIP is RIFE.
CHAPTER 100.

S1A11Eh 1zO.
Should tell Dick of this gossip. I
decided I would speak of it not as
hurting me, but as injuring Juanita.
So said:
''Dick we are both too intimate
with Juanita to want harm to come
to her thru u.s."
What do you mean?''
People are talking about her, say
ing that you visit her too often. Too
much gossip for her reputation not to
suffer, now that you are no longer
working together! I thought I'd bet
ter tell you for her sake. Of course
we both know it is all right, but peo-
pie will talk, you know, if they i'm
agine there is anything out of the
way
Damn the gossips. A friendship
between a man and a woman seems
impossible to the old cats. I expect
some woman has been talking 10
you
He had seemed to be very indig-
nant, but 1 noticed with some salts
faction that he went little less often
to see Juanita. and that he came home
earlier when he went in the evening.
l fiattered myself had handled him
rather cleverly when I pretended it
was for Juanita's sake had told him.
Yet it made neither the innuendoes,
or the plying. looks easier to bear,
and altho I said nothing more to him
the gossip still persisted. Once I over
women who did not know me. 1t was
IN shop where I was buying ma
terials for draperies
"Juanita is up to her old tricks I
near" one remarked.
You mean with that writer" the
other asked.
Yes. If he is as attractive to know
as he is to look at, she will perhaps
get him in the end, am rather sorry
for his wife. I never have met her,
but have heard she is a good Sort
"A good sort hasn't a ghost of show
against Juanita. She is the most fas-
clnatlng creature-to men-I ever
knew. Even women get under her
spell at times. Well, it is none of our
business but if she took it into her
head to vamp my husband I'd take
him out of her reach pronto,'' and
laughing gayly they passed out of the
shop.
/ 1t was the same story with all
Juanita's destinations were irresti-
BILE.
Often wanted to give up, to cry
out my heart to Dick, beg him to love
me, to be true to me. But always
knowing him as 1 did stifled the
longing. Neither did 1 allow myself
the relief SO many women do when
in the same trouble. 1 never fWept
never allowed Dick to see me anything
but cheerful. He hated tears. Most
men, think, do-~My quiet cheerful
ness would make it harder for him
than any weeping could possibly have
| done. Harder to tell me, harder tc
hurt me. But it required constant eff
fort to do this, and at times it seemed
well nigh impossible to go on.
Dick had also developed an insati'
able thirst for making money. He
f-1l of ra,-fr ha to rot
instead of the success he hoped tC
attain as a writer. 1t was evident that
the mere earning of his living was not
the problem. But to make lot OF
it and make it quickly-that was his
idea. Was it toNbe used to pacify me
Once he surprised me.
ct know perfectly well what yoJ
think about me- he said in a hard
cold voice that, of itself, would have
hurt me dreadfully. And if it is any
satisfaction to you I'll admit I have
been rather neglectful of you a
| time. But"-he stopped as if h
wanted to say more, and couldn't.
made no immediate reply.
wished passionately he had either saiC
more, or not so much. L dropped my
| handkerchief, then stopped to pick i
up and SO give him time to recover.
| Finally, I said:
"You have been a bit neglectful O.
me, Dick. Suppose we go out to
gether oftener. 1t will give the gos
sips something to talk about" I real
lied he must have heard something t.
cause his hesitating apology-or sor
| of an apology.
That a good idea. Wen star
tonight. I'll telephone and ash
Juanita If she would like to make
third. Then it will give them some
| thing to discuss"
| 1 felt like screaming at him not t.
ask Juanita to go with us, but to taxi
me alone. 1t had been weeks sine,
we had been out together, and nov
he would ask Juanitai But I sait
nothing, and while these thoughts raj
thru my head he had called her, ant
she, had declared herself delighted.