The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-07-23
THE REVOLT OF
VERA SANDERSON
THOUGHTIEss WORDS BRING
UNHAPPINESS.
BY JANE PHELPS
CHAPTER 7S.

O&hAES1NEloSs
CHAPTER rs.
Its too bad you did not marry
Alice. She would have been so much
more companion to you"
I scarcely breathed as waited for
Keith's answer. His refutation of
Margaret's remark. I did not know
Keith had come in, and so unwittingly
overheard what his sister said. 1t was
dusk, but the lights had not yet been
switched on. So stood on the stairs,
my hand on my heart to still it's beat
ing, and waited.
You forget, Margaret, that 1t is
probably your fault that I did not"
Keith had been home two days. Al
ready he was discussing me with Mar
garet.
Shall I light up now, madame ?"
MArtha's voice sent me scurrying back
upstairs.
But I had heard Keith's answer. He
had not said he preferred me, that he
had married me because he loved me
he had only said it was Margarets
fault that he hadn't married the
widow.
Did he wish he had? Were Mar
garet's sneers and insinuations justi-
fled? Did he really want to take Alice
De Isle home, to spend his time with
her? Was he sorry he had married
me?
These questions fell with lightning
rapidity thru my mind as stood pant
ing in my room. I had raced back
upstairs when heard Martha ask If
she should light up. Why did she
have to appear just then? There
might have been other questions, other
answers.
I must compose myself thought,
Keith would soon be up, and would
wonder and perhaps ask what allied
me. My teeth were chattering as If
with cold. I rushed into the bathroom
that occurred to me to do, then pre-
tended to be rearranging my hair
when at last I heard his voice.
Vera, where are you? ?"
I'm here
mot ready for dinner?"
"In a minUse."
came out and held up my face for
his kiss. I must act natural or he
would know I had heard something.
Then as usual I went into the little
nursery to see June with him. But
all the time kept saying to myself:
Don't lit him know--you mustn't"
Then, you forget, Margaret, that it is
probably your fault that I did not"
Perhaps even as he stood looking at
our beautiful baby he was sorry he
had married me, sorry that Margaret
had interfered so that he could not
make Alice De Isle his wife.
I should not have understood his
allusion so we'll had Mrs. Brown not
told me that he was in love with
Alice, and that Margaret had in some
way kept him from marrying her.
Was never to have any happiness.
wondered. Then as I looked at my
little girl grew less turbulently I'M
happy. I had June no matter what
happened. No one could take her
away from me. Breaking in upon my
thoughts, Keith said:
Come, we mustn't keep Margaret
waiting. I believe Alice dimes with
us tonight"
I felt as If I should scream out at
him that I couldn't go down and sit
at the table with the woman who
would have been so much more of a
companion to him. But we don't do
such things no matter how we feel,
so I meekly followed him downstairs
into the dining room where, in a mo-
ment. I greeted Mrs. De Lisle as I
usually did, then took my place at the
table.
was very silent all thru dinner,
but the others were so gay they never
noticed. Mrs. De Lisle kept referring
to the time when she knew Keith. be-
fore she married, telling little incl
dents that had happened, which he
supplemented by others And then
Margaret spoke of their having been
| lovers! and while they both laughed
selves, I could see, or thought could,
that it was only pretense, that they
| felt tenderly toward each other be-
cause of the early episode.
| Dinner finished, Margaret said:
You two are in reminiscent mood
tonight. Suppose we hunt up that
book of old songs you used to sing
and you try Them
do! 1t would be great sport.
| Our voices used to blend very we'll as
recall our singing in those days"
Keith had spoken with good deal of
enthusiasm for him.
Margaret found the book, and they
commenced to sing. There was much
laughing, many times they stopped to
relate some incident that happened
4 in connection with some particular
song. stood It until could not look
at them-their heads so close together
without feeling sick or faint, then
with a 1nuttered apology, a plea that
my head aehed. I crept off upstairs.
I knew by the continued singing,
interrupted by bursts OF laughter,
that I was not missed. so solitary
and alone, sat in the dark by the
window and pitied myself until, worn
out, I crept into bed.
you are all I have to love and to
love me-" I whispered to baby June
as held her close
-