The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-03-29
The Woman
He Married
NERVES IN THE AscENDENT.
BY JANE PHELPS

NERVES IN THE ASCENDENT.
CHAPTER 104.
The look in Dicks eyes had sent
me to my room for fear would say
or do something to show my pain at
what they held For love, alteration,
had swept them before he had low
cred his lids-and 1 had seen.
clasped and unclasped nervous
hands as I walked back and forth.
Was there any use in trying to hold
him or win back when he felt like
that?
Then came the thought-they were
alone. Was she in his arms? And I
rushed downstairs like one demented.
I was giving that other woman her
how often I had heard the expression,
never giving it a thought. But when
that other woman threatened my own
home. how dangerous she was!
I didn't knock.
What is it, Nan?" Dick asked,
swinging around on his swivel chair,
while Juanita looked at me in amaze
tent from the opposite side of the ta-s
Bile where she sat, her chin in her
cupped hands, her eyes brilliant under
the orange scarf which she had not
ing" Thought.
Did you CALL" I queried, enlbar--
raised, i'll at ease. I never before had
failed to rap on the study door before
entering.
why, no. Did you think you heard
someone?"
Yes, but never mind" and as pre-
cipitately as before, I again left them
alone.
ASH mounted the stairs I heard a
soft, hooking laugh. Juanita knew
why had returned and was laughing
at me.
I felt as if my anger were stran-
Cling me, and held my hand to nay
throat.
IT won't let her have him, 1 WON'T"
was all L could say as once more I
closed the door of my room.
1t seemed to me is I repeated this
over and over that a thousand little
devils all screamed at me-:
How are you going to help your
self?" and that another thousand
yelled:
shes got him now!'
That night L let Dick take Juanita
home alone. / called good night as
, they left. and leaning over the banis-
ters I asked in as suave tone as I
could command:
You will excuse me if I don't
come along, won't you? I am very
tired
Certainly. Nan. You'd better go
right to bed. / shall be back shortly"
Dick answered.
Did I imagine it, or was there sort
of relief in his tone as he replied.
Juanita called in her gay. husky voice:
dick isn't afraid toy come back
alone, Mani The hobgoblins won't get
him."
I'm not afraid of the hobgoblins,"
I called back and again her soft mock
ing laugh reached me.
1t was over an hour before I heard
| Dicks step on the walk. When-he
| came in 1 pretended to be asleep. He
called me softly just once, and when
did not answer he shut himself in the
study. 1t was hours later when he
| finally came upstairs.
| Early the next morning I went into
the study-it was before he had gotten
down. What had he been doing all
| that time? No loose sheets. no notes,
| no disorder, everything just as it al
| ways was left when he and Juanita
had been working together-neat piles
Of manuscript waiting to be corrected.
Fortunately the postman brought
me letter from Junior. When Dick
came down 1 was busily engaged in
reading it.
what does he say?" Dick asked,
! manlike, preferring 1 should tell him
what Junior had written rather than
read it himself.
He says he flunked in algebra, and
has got to give up his recreation hour
until it is made up: that he shared his
he had scarcely anything left for him
| self. and-or. listen to this:
DERRICK says to tell you you cook
better than his mothers chef does, and
| that please to tell me not to cut him
out of the next box. threatened to
give them all the go-by because they
hogged most everything"
| Isn't that just like a boy?' ] asked.
you spoil that youngster,' Dick
| smiled as he replied. Then what else
! has he got to say" 1 resumed read
| ing:
Derrick hasn't stopped talking
about Aunt Nita. He makes me tired.
I told him SO the othef day and he got
real huffy. Aunt Nita's all right, but
I'm fed up on her"
1 stopped and glanced at Dick. He
had flushed redly as he often did when
Juanita's name was mentioned. He
said no more about Juniors letter. but
asked If he might have breakfast at
once SO that he might get to work.
: MY novel is almost ready for the
| publisher, If succeed in finding one"
he said in reply to a question of mine
Il shall send it away the last of the
week"
Then Juanita can't claim his time
I whispered, once more forgetting that
| love always finds way.
(Tomorrow-Nan plans a trip