The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-11-28
New Revelations of
a Wife
Why Jack Begged Madge to Reserve
Judgement Until He'd Seen
Katherine
Rv ADELE GARRIsoN

| Katherine.
| Yes, Katherine is in," Lillian said,
gazing at Jack as if he We're some new
| specimen of moth she was about to i'm
! pale and put away in a collection, but
she is lying down, and l don't care to
disturb her just yet
1 saw the color leap into Jacks
cheeks. He turned to me- ignoring Lii
| han.
"She-she isn't tl1?" he asked, and
there was that in his voice which told
me how he adored Katherine, In spite
of his stubborn tnsistence upon setting
at naught her conscience and her will
Lillian didn't give me an opportunity
| to answer.
She isn't dangerously ill., she said,
but she will be, and dead in the bar
gain If you keep up this high -and-mighty
only-one-ego to e-considered- stunt
you've been pulling off the last few
weeks
| saw the flash of steel in his eyes,
knew that Lillian had stirred the slow
anger which rarely manifested itself,
| but that could be terrible when fully
aroused.
! Il do not quite understand you, I'm
| afraid he said icily. Am 1 to under
stand that Miss Sonnet has been hon
oring me by complaining Of my con-
duct?'
| He was towering above us, rather an
| imposing figure in his dignified dis
pleasure. But Lillian has no regard for
any pretensions of dignity.
TRY that line of chatter on some
| body else, boy" Lillian said lightly, but
saw that she was watching him wari-
| ly gauging him that she might not
oVershoot her mark. Here, sit down"
with a dexterous movement he was
! seated in a big chair without intending
! in the least to be there-"and stop
worrying about your own dignity, and
mans prerogative and all the rest of
that rot, while we talk a little sense.
| Jacks face was like a craven image,
but knowing him as I did, I was sure
| that he was molten inside. l knew also
his horror of scenes, knew that he
wouldn't deign to argue with Lillian;
would listen quietly to whatever she
wished to say. But that she could move
| him from any preconceived line of action
l had very little hope.
| Lillian is outspoken.
I'm the first place." Lillian began
with a tinge of irony in her manner.
Miss Sonnet didn't complain of your
conduct, nor volunteer any confidence
concerning you. But fortunately I have
the usual complement of eyes and ears,
also-I hope-a fair faculty of putting
two and two together and making ex-
Rctly four out of them. Why man,
| I've heard you with my own ears impute
| another motive to Katherines love for
| her chosen profession than the one you
ought to honor with bent, reverent
| head! And If / haven't boxed your
ears it hasn't been because my fingers
| haven't tingled to do it."
| Did l see Jacks face twitch as if he
hpan yUif Ia
lan's words? l wasn't sure, but from
| that moment I didn't take my eyes from
his face.
| IF ever there was a saint consecrat-
| ed to a cause" Lillian went on, her
voice warm with affectionate enthus-
iasm, sit is Katherine Sonnet to her
Red Cross work in this war. And even
| though you may have won hundred
crosses for valor, been wounded even
unto death, you have no right to ask
her to relinquish that work. Her life
is just as much dedicated to that work
as yours was to fighting for your coun-
| try"
| A Lurking Smile?
| Across Jacks face fitted an inscrut-
able expression, in which, If 7
| hadn't known him so we'll, 1 would
have sworn 1 detected a bit of lurking
humor, as of some crushing retort
| which he was restraining himself from
making. Then he spoke, coldly, quiet
lily:
| Permit me to acknowledge the truth
| of everything you have said. But I
| must also remind you that l came today
| on urgent business with Miss Sonnet.
| If she is unable to receive me L have
no alternative but to write my mes
sage. 1 am confident, however, that
| unless she is dangerously ill she would
prefer to have me explain my business
in person"
Lillian looked at him searchingly for
a long minute. Then she shrugged her
shoulders carelessly.
81 know when I'm up against the ono
and only original glacier" she said
/ "Of course. l have no alternative but
to tell Katherine. She is in no sense
under my control even advice. But
| if she were my daughter"
She rose and went hurriedly out of
the room, the echo of her wrathy words
floating behind her. 1t was a new sem
sation to me to see Lillian nonplussed
worsted in any encounter. Despite my
kinship with Jack 1 felt distinct re-
sentiment toward him.
A moment later, to my surprise, he
had bent over my chair, a quizzical look
in his eyes, the wrath of smile
twisting his lips.
please reserve judgment, little cous-
in." he murmured, until after I've
seen Katherine"