The Washington herald., 1921-01-18
Borrowed Husbands
By MILDRED Il. BARBOUR.
VlIl-Squaing His Conscience.
Copyright. 1920, By The Wheeler Syndicate, Incl

that a playwright must feel when
he sees the action of the play slip
ping away from his control.
The stage setting was correct; the
characters had been assigned. ap-
propriate roles; the lighting was
just right-but somehow the en-
semble was not pleasing.
1t had been so easy to tell Gerald,
and afterwards Constance Stanley,
that other women's husbands would
do just as well as her own. But
After only the first evening of her
enforced widowhood, Nancy ad-
mitted frankly that she was bored.
Curtis Stanley had been tiresome.
Reeve Lewis was unpleasantly in
sinuative. And Major Desmond
Nancy frowned at thought of the
gallant British officer.
He was not fair game. She had
vowed to limit herself to husbands.
There must be no suggestion of
filtration with an unattached man.
No, Major Desmond was taboo.
She would give him tea the follow
ing afternoon, and that would end
an embarrassing situation: It was
all Comics fault that there was an
embarrassing situation.
Thus Nancy reasoned in the early
hours past midnight on the second
day of Burrard's absence.
Long afterward she was to re-
call her conscientious scruples with
light amusement.
Still under the influence of her
virtuous resolution. she rang Con-
ME and Peggie Lewis up next fore
noon and invited them to drop in
for tea,
I'm afraid I can't make it," =
Clarsd the former, I've a club
meeting directly after lunch and
have to be fitted for two new gowns
at Fanchon's."
'Oh please, Conniev' pleaded
Nancy. Drop in just for a minute.
Major Desmond's coming and"
His mother" asked Connie
shrewdly.
Nancy stammered.
why. no. THAT isl quite
forgot to ask her. How dreadful
of me-"
oh" Comics monosynable was
long drawn and significant. You
want me to play gooseberry. do you?
Well, I'll tell you what I'll do: IL
you'll run up to Fanchon's this af-
ternoon and have those fittings
we have Identical measurements and
it's only the first fitting anyway
and not important-In manage to
cut the club early and drop in 10
chaperon you and the handsome
Desmond. Not having a husband
around, you have no housekeeping
cares, and should have plenty of
time"
Nancy agreed gratefully, and it
wasn't until after she had rung of
that she realized that she had let
herself in for long ride and an
exhaustive session with a modiste.
not to mention the necessity of go
ing without lunch, to accommodate
Connie, who would sweetly conde-
scend to partake of a cup of tea
with her and a handsome army Of
ficer. 1t was like Connie.
Peggy Lewis received Nancy's
call enthusiastically.
II was just about to ring Won I'm
to see il you wouldn't park INV
baby this afternoon. IT'S tho
nurses afternoon of, and l." here
Peggy lowered her voice, L want
to slip off to see my first husband
You know we're the best of friends
in spite of everything and there's
some matter of Liberty bonds we've
got to settle"
Bring him to tea" said Nancy
promptly, "and send the babv
around after lunch. Ny maid can
look after her"
She rang of with the warm
flush that comes from a generous
altruistic act. Being without
hus band, she had plenty of time for
little acts of kindness for other
people