Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-12-02
CHAPTER XXXV
SuSDiCiOn

WHEN ne came home that evening
W Dane was all consideration for
me. He asked how I was, he petted
me, and It wasn't until later in the
evening that he spoke to me again about
Julie.
81 want you 10 use your influence
over Julie with this man, Carroll
BlaCktun Hc brought out the words
suddenly. bur | had had time during
dinner to collect myself and my nerves
were stcadier.
II thought you didn't have any opin-
ion Of my influence over julie ven
turcd, smiling n little.
His features softcned
"Dpnr ] was irritable last night. I'm
sorry l made YOU unhappy
was silent at this. for ! knew that
it did not mean ct all that Dane had
conceded anything to me. He was still
proceeding on the idea that I had sur
rendered my will to his.
"How lid you meet him?" ne asked
suddenly, reverting to his former re-
mark.
In the most casual way" I said
quickly, and lost sight Of him IN a
very short time"
You saw him more than once them"
Yes, he knew some people that
went about with when / first came to
New York, and I saw him occasionally :"
He was silent a moment and my
heart beat so loud that I was sure he
must hear it knocking against my side.
How I loathNd myself for lying like this.
how low and small and contemplate ]
felt. But wOmanlikN. having ven
tured So far, | was tempted to go on.
| was entanEing myself in a tissue of
in}sohood. | was adding insult to In
iury, and at any moment | might be
discovered. Then why was l trying so
desperately? Why, why? Mainly be-
cause there was always the one chance
Of not being discovered and | was grasp
ing desperately at that small, forlorn
chance.
When Dane spoke again it was with
4 gravity that was almost Snug. At
thRt moment he WIS not my lover. hn
was the typical respectable husband.
with a solid standing in the business
world. and an untarnished reputation.
For the first time ho was realizing that
perhaps the wife OF his heart had not
always been what he had lnnde her.
That she had led another life before
he had come into it. He had not
thought 70 ask me much about my past.
nnd witn unCanny intuition | felt now
that he was sorry for it.
"ThnSa people you knew. ho said
finally, ana very deliberately. "What
kind wcr" they"
felt a mad. hysterical desire 70
laugh. and | crushed it back. If only
/ could be calm and laugh at his insist
enco, make light "f II, but my nerves
w"T" stretched tight. rs if the tension
that bound them might snap at any
minute.
| was trembling and it was an effort
to keep from showing il.
"Why DO you ask me such questions?
Why do you make N" think that you
suspect Il. Of som" WrongE' | burst
ont. uad intended to be cnlm and e.
sDouH I!ghtIy. but uHconS"iously my
voice rrer. II sounded even to my owr
oars, strained and artificial
Dan" stared at mo and / read in his
eyes rhp fact that he was displ"asnd
S"m"thmg "lso lurkcd there. too Was
it suspicion: If so, it was my own
fault had brought the thing about by
own attituGr | showed only too plain
J.. that wns afraid of being questioned.
thG' resented It. What would Dame
think? What vas he thinking now
And If he i"oked AT me so hOsti"ly now
when h" Hncw 50 little, how would he
look If h" knew the truth: