The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-04-23
The Woman
He Married
BY JANE PHELPS
DARKEST. JUST BEFORE DAWN
A q

CHAPTER 1875.
In the morning the postman brought
Dick a thick letter.
His big serial had been accepted,
and check of such dimensions as
made us gasp was his reward.
Don't you see, dear, that you never
needed Juanita Dr. anyone else to
make you a success? In fact, rather
think she put you back about a year.
L remarked casually as We planned
what We would do with the money.
want to help you all along. 1 wanted
awfully to myself. But felt 1 would
only hinder, so never offered"
Just as tho you had not helped
Why, Nan, had it not been for you
never could have written anything.
You financed the family until got on
my feet
It had been long. long time since
DICK had said anything like this to
me. My eyes misted, yet I would not
let him see how childish 1 was.'
Let us go over and tell Juanita of
your success" I suggested. Frequent
ly 1 urged Dick to go over there with
me. 1t gave him less excuse to go
alone. Yet I knew that he did go:
that her hold was still strong enough
to make him long for her, and seek
her society.
been with her for many years, was in
her confidence to an extent not often
seen between maid and mistress. When
we first met Juanita she had told me
that she never had any secrets from
this old woman who had been with
her since her childhood.
"She knows all my goodness and
all my badness" she had said laugh
ingly. 81 can be quite myself with
her."
never had liked the old woman,
altho I could give no real reason for
my dislike. She was inoffensive, al
most servile toward Juanita's guests,
but there was something not quite
frank I thought, something almost sly
about her.
The parlor maid admitted us. She
said she would tell Juanita we were
there. After a bit she came back and
said her mistress was not in. and
asked us to wait as she was sure she
would soon return.
We sat in the living room. the win
dows of which opened upon the porch.
About 1 5 minutes had passed when
we heard voices. Juanita and Mary
had paused on the porch, and the
windows being raised we heard dis
tinctly. 1t was Dicks named uttered
by Juanita that caught our attention
that kept US silent Then:
Now Mary, you know it won't do
any good to urge me-"
But Miss Juanita," Mary's voice
was stubborn, mister Williams amt
fifteen to make you act like you do He
amt nothin' but a poor writer man
with a wife that he'd have to get rid
of before he could marry you and"
Marry me? That's rich! don't
want to marry him, Mary"
s'Then what do you want of him,
Honey?"
81 want to make him get rid of her:
I want to show her L can! She thinks
he cares for her. the ordinary little
thing Why he has been crazy over
me since the first day met him"
"And you likes to show your power
over him same as you have with the
others, don't you? But. Honey. never
mind worritin' about this writer~man
let his wife have him"
I listened to the old woman plead
ing for me with curiously mixed feel
ings I couldn't have spoken to save
my life So it was to show her power
over him that Juanita wanted to take
Dick from me, not because she loved
him.
st tell you, Mary. will not give up.
I'll make hin-make him say he
the first man who has ever resisted
me so long. I'll prove to you that I
can take him from her, the plain, I'M
attractive working woman"
"But you won't marry him, you
never does Mrs. Williams amt never
done nothing to hurt you. Just let
him go, Honey. It amt love you has
for him else I wouldn't be a teasing
you. It's only that gettin' them to love
you. and Their laffin' at them. You
amt bad. Honey-only thata way"
81 won't let her have him. Dicks
hand was on my arm now, the pres
sure and his glance demanded silence.
mot until I have proven I can take
him away from her," Juanita stamped
her foot. ST tell you he's going to be
at my feet where he belongsi"
Dick opened the door and, still
holding my arm. drew me out upon
the porch with him.
"You have Just said, Juanita. that
Nan thought cared for her Well
I do, You see we have heard all you
have said. We should have stopped
you perhaps when we heard ourselves
discussed But-well, we have proved
the old adage that listeners never hear
good of themselves
ct don't care if you did heart"
Juanita was white with passion
Mary is right You are too common
a man for me to bother with. A man
tells his wife about it, is not worth
thinking about" could have
laughed as / recalled that once I had
told her Dick always confided his af-
fairs to me. Then she turned to me:
st wish you Joy of the warmed-over
affection you will get from HIM"
Dick laid his arm over my shoulders
and replied:
IF Nan will forgive and love me.
will make her as happy as 1 can. Will
you. Nan?"
st have already forgiven. and 81
never have ceased to love you, Dick.
Come, let us go home" I wanted to
get away before Juanita could say
anything more.
AS we hurried down the walk I
heard Juanita's knocking laugh. But
it no longer had the power to hurt me
Dicks arm was around my waist.
(The End.)