The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-02-03
The Woman
He Married
FURTHER SUCCESS.
BY JANE PHELPS

CHAPTER So.
That night Junior had a bad attack
| of the Group. For the first time I had
misgivings. Suppose we should 1ese
that legacy and be in debt--as we still
were-and either Junior or Dick be
really ill? But I soon dismissed the
thought. Dick knew the game. knew
what he was about. He wouldn't
almost thought he couldn't lose.
I. c. c. made us $500 in little over
a week. L was intoxicated with our
success, yet I now know Dick was
nearly as affected as was 1. The
daily papers no longer held any in
terest for me save the financial pages
which I devoured with avidity. l ate,
talked, dreamed success, money and
of course, clothes. I had no intention
of saving-I wanted money for what
it would buy. for the show I could
make with it. not for the money itself.
So we built and rebuilt the house
we imagined would be better than any
architect could plan. while we waited
for another safe bit of information
that we could use to swell Nan Hardy's
account. The fever for specializing,
for getting money easily, had now
gotten into my blood, and already !
saw US in the near future possessed of
no more than L soon could DO. /
thought gieefully. I would entertain,
dress, go, have motor cars, etc.
Dick had become as interested as
could wish in all my plans, but about
the house in the country he was
scarcely wait until the dinner things
were cleared away before he COM
menced work. To me his drawings as
well as his ideas seemed wonderful. I
think that the planning of the house,
was a sort of safety valve for his nef>
vousness-a nervousness he never had
before shown. but which I never
dreamed of laying to his attempt to
satisfy my greed for money.
Now, when we played cards he was
always the one to suggest raising the
limit, instead of objecting when others
proposed it, as he used to do when we
played for the sport of the game and
only risked infinitesimal sums. He
seemed to have suddenly developed
into a gambler--so I told him laugh
ingly.
at was always in my blood, Nan.
I have had to hold tight always in
games of chance or I would have bet
more than I could afford"
Dick had not changed all at once.
It had been so gradual had scarcely
noticed it.
Aren't you getting pretty extrava-
CANT, Nan?" he asked me one day. I
had made several purchases, and to
my chagrin they had been delivered
after he reached home.
az don't think SO, We have the
money to pay if We wish. If We use
it TO increase our income, why the
tradeSmen will have to wait" might
have added they were used to waiting
for me.
Don't get in too deep, that's ALL"
II hn n a
1 was pretty heavily in debt, but If my
conscience ever pricked me the
thought of the money we had made,
the ease with which. we could make
more, disposed me to make light of
it's warnings.
Clara and Jim Watson came up to
spend the evening. We had not seen
Jim in some time. he had been away
on business. After greetings had
been exchanged he asked:
''How's the house coming on,
Dick?" Our friends were inclined to
rag Dick about his plans for home.
Bully, on paper!' Dick replied. eff
we had a lot I'd start building very
soon.''
"rd hate to have you and Nan leave
here" Clara said, as we went into the
kitchen to make a rarebit.
"Why don't you build too-buy the
lot next to us?" Dick inquired, just as
tho we had already bought our site.
'Tll help you plan the house, Jim,
so you could save the expense of an
architect" He had the supreme ego
tism of the amateur house builder.
Cant" Jim returned. "Only wish
could. But it takes every cent I
can make to live here
'If you could manage the lot, per-
haps I could put you wise how to
make little on the side. But NUNS
the word
was terribly surprised to hear
Dick say a thing like that. He had
warned me so many times to say moth
ing to any one, even to Clara and
Jim. of our little speculations.
81 should surely appreciate it, but
if it took capital I couldn't take the
advantage. Clara squeezes the pay
envelope dry"
That's right, blame the woman."
Clara rejoined, but with a laugh.
Tomorrow terrible experience.)