The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-04-15
The Woman
He Married
BY JANE PHELPS
A FALSE ALARM.

We were at dinner. The telephone
tangled raucously. Dick answered.
and as 1 listened to his short stac-
cato questions and replies my heart
sank.
up the receiver. His face was pale,
his hands trembling.
"Juanita has mad an accident. She
has broken her leg. and injured her
self otherwise. Mary said the doc
tor was there. I must go right over"
why must you? wouldn't it look
better for me to go?"
''She may be Sufferingt Mary said
she"-he hesitated, took his hat and
dashed out of the house,
What had Mary said? Intuition
told me that Juanita had asked her
to telephone Dick. had been wrong
in my surmise-Dick loved Juanita.
He had turned CHASTITY pale at the
first intimation that something I'M
toward had happened to her. He
had gone to her regardless of gossip,
gone without me,
/ took my hat and followed him.
I would save him from himself.
I couldn't have been more than
ten minutes behind him, but old Mary
had her orders not to admit anyone
else.
"The doctor said I mustn't let no
one see her"
But Mr.. Williams is
Eyes, she carried ON SO was afraid
not to let him in"
II will wait and walk home with
him. 1 said seating myself. and then
asked:
How did it happen, Nary"
--She was angry about something,
and didn't look where she stepped.
When she is in a temper she always
gets most blind There was man
Lei
board and she stumbled over it,
rs her-leg really broken?"
''She said it was" grimly.
Perhaps it is only badly wrenched.
What did the doctor say?"
'Nothin' only what I told you. She
gets what she wants always. Even
makes the doctors say what she
likes"
knew that Mary did not believe
her badly hurt, and that, for some
reason she was peeyed with her mis-
tress l felt tempted to question her
1 neither liked or trusted the woman
Two hours later Dick came out of
the invalid's room.
"You here, Mani"
"Of course! You didn't think I
was going to remain at home and
give Juanita's servants a chance to
gossip did you?" Then: How is
she?"
'In considerable pain, but fortu-
, nately her leg is only badly wrenched,
not broken. I can't understand how
| she did it, he finished scowiing.
Then came the thought that she had
done it purposely. I hated myself for
allowing it to enter my mind, but it
persisted.
For days Dick neglected his writing
| in order to sit beside Juanita, read to
her or chat. And I went about my
work heavy hearted sure Dick really
| loved her. and thinking it ,only a mat
| ter of time-perhaps only days, or at
| the most, weeks, when she would take
| him from me.
Because Juanita said She was lone
| ly, couldn't eat when alone-altho she
| had eaten most of her meals alone for
years-Dick often failed to come
home to dinner. And as I sat lonely
and alone I pictured them together,
| waited upon by Mary, whom Juanita
! had Dragged knew all about her, and
| from whom she never thought it nee
| essary to hide anything.
| "Y our story will suffer I am afraid
dick" cnce 1 volunteered.
| "Perhaps-but one can't neglect
| friends-for stories" His hesitation
had been marked. But when a few
| days afterward Juanita hobb1ed out
iupon the porch he again took up his
work, and with such a return of vigor
| that once more, woman-like, I hoped
/
| and think of me more often For I
did all in my power to make him COM
| Portable so that he might work with a
| free mind.
But while he now keY< closely to
his study during his working hours,
| his leisure was given to her.
| People were gossiping.
1t is common saying that the one
| most interested is the last to hear
| gossip about themselves. But my
work threw me with many sorts and
I heard little things, received plying
| looks. Mrs. Bakers warning required
to me. Don't let Juanita spoil your
life as she has that of others she
| had said.
Once again she spoke to me:
why don't you persuade Mr.. Will
| liams to take you on a trip of some
| sortg 1t would do you both good.
Go alone," she had said impulsively.
| | knew what she meant, and the
thought that others saw Dick slip
ping from me added to my misery.
(TOmOrrOw-GoSSiD is rife