The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-04-06
The Woman
He Married
BY JANE PHELPS
MRS. BAKER WARNS NAN.
CHAPTER III.

|
Was love like mine an insanity
All 1 asked was little affecton II,
return for a, life of service. But had
7 sinned SO in those fiyst days that /
was RECEIVING only deserved punish
ment? =,
resnonse to my question, Dick told me
| that Juanita had decided not to go on
| the Yachting trip and so could play al
my bridge party.
! l''Of course she wouldn't go uniess
you did, l remarked IN care,e -
voice. mo one else understands her
as Won do. and just now she naturally
| feels you are partners. in disappomt-
ment."
what do you mean-no one under
stands her as do?"
'sWhy, 1 heard her say so one day.
and really you have been together =,
lot while you have been collaporauns'
well, what of it?"
"Oh, nothing! Only was trying to
explain why it was perfectly natural
for Juanita to refuse to go yachting
unless you were going" I kept all
trace of jealousy or sarcasm out OF
my voice. l knew Dick was puzzled
at my attitude. and SO was watchful
of my facial expression. This was not
easy Nothing, it seemed to me, was
leasy now that 1 feared Dicks dis
loyalty.
Yet L could not bring myself to
humiliate either myself or him. In
some way, without letting him know
1 suspected him, or that i knew l had
lost his love-I must win him back.
I, like most women, had read in
newspapers, in books, had seen in
plays, how the, wife tried to win back
the careless husband by making him
jealous. In books and plays it never
fails, yet / couldn't bring myself to
carry on a Irritation with any man. 1t
seemed to me as if it made common
the woman who did; made her worse
than the disloyal husband whom she
was trying to hold.
Then there was always-Junior.
I knew that 1 was Dicks woman,
he my man. But it is one thing to, be
convinced of this yourself and quite
another to convince q man that it is so
especially man who is fascinated
by another. And added to this was
the love of home. The word had be-
come daily sweeter and dearer to me
"a home with Dick and Junior-our
home, the one we had planned so
joyously together and in which 1 had
experienced little save sorrow, but
which l loved with an intensity hard,
perhaps, for the ordinary wife to
understand.
IN my heart ! could not feel that
Dick had done anything wick ed, any
thing worse than L had seen-the
love-words and the kisses. 1 took this
small and dreary comfort with me to
my room at night while Dick sat in
his study until nearly morning, writing,
or thinking of Juanita-which?
The days dragged by, Juanite COM
ing less and less often but Dick going
more often to her 1 had not changed
of Dick to her. I wondered in a way
at Dick, his going so often to her. I'M
til one day I found scrubbed note
from her on the floor of the study
where he had dropped it.
Il am lonely, and shall think you
have ceased to care if you do not
come often. j am not quite we'll, SO
you must come to me-
She was playing on Dicks sympa-
thies.
Mrs. Baker had become>ver friend
ly with me, and said one day:
Don't trust Juanita too far, Mrs
Williams. She may make you UNI
happy" Then Forgive me if I seem
neddlesome, but like you and would
hate to see her spoil your life as she
has spoiled that of at least two other
women. She is fascinating-and rath-
err INSCRIPTIONS"
81 am not afraid" I answered. 81
often go to see her too. That Dick
and do not go together is due to my
work and-his.'
st know. but be careful"
had treated the matter lightly, but
Mrs. Bakers warning left me very
miserable. People were talking. 1
was the neglected wife-in their esti-
nation. took a day to think it over
than 1 said to Dick:
DO I look like a neglected wife.
Dick? The kind you read about"
a IA Xxi ~
about"
"I heard that I was, that is all -
"Who said it?" that tellta1e flush
mantling his cheeks.
"a little bird but told him to fly
away and mind his business ard he
fiew," / replied laughingly. then left
him.
1t was several days before Dick
went to see Juanita.
But what little 1 gained in one way
7 often seemed to lose in another
Dick was moody, shut himself in the
study. and 1 did fe=l neglected. shut
out from him, his work, his Thoughts
'If Mahomet won come to the
mountain. the~mountGin rr4ust come to
Mahomet," Juanita said when sne
came in.
''Mahonet has been busy, moody
and anxious to be alone" I tod her
carelessly. Nov THAI you have come
he will be all right. won't you. Dick ."
asked. Then withcpt waiting for ar
answer: You and he understand
each other so perfectly"
Dicks seowl almost made me laugh
depressed as 1 was.
Tomorrow boys keen intui-
ticn.g