The Washington herald., 1921-12-30
The Mortgaged d Wife
A Story of Heart-throbs, Ambition,
Unrequited Love, and Adventure
By MILDRED BARBOUR

JEANNE DARE, knopn In the little
Iotcd toHn rhence she came as plain
JANE DARE, has set herself up in
Nev York as q t1eolthy ,comax in the
hope of spdrirg q rich husband. In thi,
effort she Is making use OF
RICHARD CANDY, 1eH kno,on man
about toson.
MRS. ADELE PARKINSON, ,oid.
ofo and former flame Of his. At dinner
she meets
VIC Bdrstotce, heir to the reputed
BGrstors millions, icho sho,cs signs oJ
t',fdtsatioH toith her.
Continued from Yesterday.
Jeanne's plans for the morrow
suffered something Of a setback,
when she awoke the morning after
Canby's dinner party-The afternoon
rather. for the sun had long since
passed the zenith when she stirred
from the refreshing, dreamless sleep
of youth and superb health. and yawn-
ing, stretched her white arms. clad
in the fiimsiest and briefest and
laciest of sleeves. high above her
head.
A tiny rift of sunlight penetrated
the dark curtains drawn at the win
dows. From the street fifteen stories
below, came the incessant rumble of
traffic. the shrill whistle of the park
guards, and the occasional dsep.
hoarse voice of a passing steamer
on the Hudson
Jeanne yawned again and stretched
out a lazy hand toward the telephone.
She would have breakfast in bed, she
decided. followed by a tub and a
careful perusal of the morning papers.
There would be just time left for
ordering flowers for her sitting room
and tea to be served at 5. Then
she would make a careful toilet for
her important visitor Quite the most
careful toilet she had ever made, she
thought to herself with a smile. She
wondered il ne liked black. or
whether the orchid velvet would be
better.
The telephone tinkled under her
hand.
Jeanne detached the receiver.
''Yes?" the upward infection. like
a caught breath.
That you Jeanne?" 1t was Can
by's voice.
Didn't spoil your beauty sleep, did
L? Some party last night. eh. even
il 1 do say it? Made the devil of a
hit with young Barstowe. didn't your
Jeanne musmured "oh no!'
In n Class by Herself.
Think I'm blind?" grunted Candy
He waited a moment. Jeanne knew
he wanted to ask IL Barstowe had
made any engagement with her, but
hadn't quite the courage.
She was aware, and rejoiced In
the fact. that Candy was a trifie in
awe of her. She was not like the
other women who made up his &C
quaintance. Shrewd as he was, he
had never succeeded in placing her.
And ruthless as he was with most
women. he had never dared familiar
ity with her.
She was new species to Candy,
who divided all women into two
, classifcations: Society women and
Gold diggers. Jeanne was neither
He knew that she had barely an ac-
quaintance in New York as yet. and
therefore had acquired no position,
Irrespective of what her social rank
ing might be in the other cities OF
which she spoke vaguely and indefi-
nitely. Nor was she like any species
OF gold digger he had ever run across.
She seemer to have plenty of money
at least she never spoke of her bills
or took him with her on shopping
trips and forgot her purse or had
only an uncashed cheque," or spoke
eloquentIy and significantly Of won
derful bargains in jewelry or furs
Ia
had the price" The very fact that
she had never asked for market tips,
as did all his other women acquain-
tances. and had even professed ignor-
ancs of his business calling, puzzled
MIN.
Jeanne. shrevd in her estimate, Of
men and situations, realized that
this mystery constituted her greatest
weapon over Candy. Her grave-eyed
silence before his constant probings
was constant source of irritation
and fascination.
So on this occasion she only said
pleasantly:
"Three's a crowd"
''Oh I'm sure you're mistaken, Mr.
Barstowe Is the sort OF man who
pays every pretty woman attention
I'm bringing Adele Parkinson
around to tea this afternoon" Can
by brlishea aside remark. "She liked
you immensely. Adele's a good sort.
Not too overburdened with brain. but
amusing rather. She might make a
good friend for you. She's wise as
you make 'em to the social game
and has one excellent quality: She
never gets Jealous" he chuckled
T guess there's too much egotism
in Adele to leave comfortable room
for the little green god. She doesn't
believe there's woman alive who
can take a man away from her. II
some girl does il, Adele regards her
as something that just blew down
from Olympus. and straightway be-
comes her admiring friend. Shed
rather be the friend than the enemy
of such an Irresistible charmer.
Pretty slick, Adele"
He went on talking while Jeanne
stared sulkily at the window where
the sunlit rift showed through the
curtains. She wasn't even listening
She was angry and disappointed that
Candy had chosen this of all days
to bring Adele Parkinson to call
Now. there wouldn't be a chance in
the world to see Victor Barstowe
alone,
OF course Canby's tea call was
designed to forestall that very con-
tingency, He either knew. or suspec-
ted. that Barstowe had asked to come.
Jeanne-was confident of that.
When he f1nally rang off, she lay
: stin staring at the curtains. Al
the zest had gone out of the after.
noon as she had planned II.
- Suddenly she sat up in bed, elec-
trified by a thought