The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-02-18
The Story Of Julia Page Kathleen Norris

] odI1 4ou make other women seem 1 such foolsi'
 'tNoq necessarily" said Barbara. | smiling. And don't think I'm hor- | ribly conceited, Julia. talking this way. It's only to you," They walk 1 ed a little way without speaking, and | then Barbara sat down on a low bank. some quarter of a mile above Richie 8 l cabin, and added: DO sit down. Ju. You and I are never alone and want to talk to you. Julie, don't be angry it's about Jin.''
 Juiia's eyes immediately widened her lips met firmly, she grew a lit tie pale.
 "Go ahead" she said steadily. Have you seen him % Barbara answered the question with another.
 ''You knew he was in London?"
 'fNo,' said Julia, ''I didn't now it''
 She had remained standing, and now Barbara urged her again to sit down But Julia would not. pleading that she would rather walk. and in the end Barbara got up, and they began slowly to walk down the road to- gether.
 Tell me-" Julia commanded then
 ''Now, dearest girl" Barbara plead ed, please don't get excited over nothing. Jim's been in London near ly year; in fact. he's settled there. He's associated with one of the big gest consulting surgeons we have, old Sir Pevern McCann. They met in Berlin. I didn't know it until this spring-March 1t was. We'd just come up from the country to meet Francis, home on years leave; it was just before Malcolm arrived Somebody spoke of this Doctor Stud afford, and I said at once that it must be my foster brother. I explained as well as could that since Francis and had been travelling so much, Jim and I had fallen out of touch, and so on."
 'fWho told you about him :" Julia asked.
 character" Barbara said. Some people like her; some don't. I don't much. She's rich, and a widow; she studies art, and she loves to get hold of interesting people,
 Julia winced at the vision of plump, forty-yea "-old siren sending coquettish eside glances at an admir- ing Jim. Anger stirred duly within her.
 Pretty" she asked, in as non- chalant a voice as she could com mand.
 Ivy Chancellor? No-she's really plain" Barbara said, "a sandy, ex- citable little chatterbox, that's what she is! She's Lady Violet Dray's daughter; Lady violet's quito love- ly. How much Jim admires Ivy can't say; she took him about with her everywhere; he was always at the house.
 This was too much. Julia felt the friendly earth sway under her, a dry salty taste was in her mouth, a very hurricane of resentment shook her heart.
 "Oh, Barbara, dc you see how he l can?" she asked, in a stricken voice. |
 'No, I don't"' Barbara answered, l with concerned glance at Julia's | white face. Well, as know him, | can't believe it's the same Jimi"
 ''I wish you had seen him. Julia | said, after an interval of thought. | Barbara said nothing for a few mo- | ments. then she confessed suddenly:
 "I did see him, Julie.''
 You did? Oh, Bab, and you nev- CT told me all this time'
 Well, Mother and Aunt Sanna begged me not to. Ju, and Francis | was most emphatic about it, Bar bara pleaded.
 Aunt Sanna-and Francis! But
 - Julia's keen eyes read Bar oara's face like an open page. ''Then there was more to iti" she declared
  Knowing just thisi'
 ''I wish I had never mentioned Jim, Barbara said heartily. Its none of my business, anyway, only makes me so unhappy I just amt bear iti I simply can't bear it!" And to Julia,s astonishment, Barbara who rarely showed emotion, funb1ed 'or her handkerchief and began to ,ry. q love Jim," pursued Barbara, with that refreshed vehemence that ollows a brief interval of tears. "And -ou're just as dear to me as my own And l can't bear to rave you and that darling baby here llone, and Jim off in England trail ng around after little fool like Ivy drying her eyes, which threatened to overflow again. ''Ies You're-you're wonder ul. of course. Julie. but you can't nake me think you're happy! And i'm is wretched. I've known him ince I was baby. and he can't fool , ne! He can bluff about his work 1 md his club and all that az long as le pleasesi But he can't fool me;
 knew he's utterly miserable"
 And you saw him?" Julia asked
 They were in a little strip of woods ust above Richards cabin now, and ulia seated herself on the 1ow-hang- ng branch of an oak. Her face. as he turned to Barbara, was full of esolute command.
 'fSit down, Bab," she said. indicat- ng a thick fallen log a few feet way. '"TeH me all about it." II
 Francis would Strangle me-" Bar ara murmured, seating herself nev- rthe1ess. And there isn't very much to it. anyway" she added. with bright air of candour. 'I wrote linn a line, and he came to our Iouse in Ludbroke Road and we had little talk. He's fatter. He was fwfully interested in some knee-cap Ii
 "Babb e" Julia reproached her. .-t
 And we talked about everything" Barbara hastened to say.
 ''Me?" Julia asked flatly l-
 "A little,' Barbara admitted. I lad nurse bring the boys in-
 "Oh, Barbara. for Gods sake tell Is nei" Julia said, in an agonlzed