The Topeka state journal., 1922-12-07
Chapters From a
Woman S Life
GRACE HARTER MYSTIFIES
HELEN RALSTROM
By JANE PHELPS
Chapter 2S.


y Grace Harter had "a habit of calling
Walter up at the studio, telling him
she had arranged a dinner or a pic
mic, and chatting with him over the
phone.
IT expect he could murder me for
doing it," The told me, but do it for
his good"
''What you mean?" asked. We
were sitting in my room, chatting.
invariably tried to keep Grace out of
tho way when she called. Mrs. Page
seemed to dislike her SO intensely;
''It might break up a little love
making bet leon him and that hand
some model of his. had to laugh
today, she answered the telephone,
Said Walter had stepped out, asked
who it was. said she would deliver any
mesSaGiff?" .sWeif :"
"I wouldn't leave any name, but
asked her if she would kindly tell
Mr.. Page that the lady he was to
impossible to go; that 1 would let him
know why later. You should have
heard the ay she tried to find out
who was. The change in her voice
It had been like honey. theu~-it
changed to vinegar, pretty sharp vine
gar at that
'What in the wofId did you do that
for? don't see your object"
Then you're stupid! l wanted to
make her jealous. and I succeeded"
Then her tone changed: That girl
is dangerous. Doreen. Don't be a
fool and shut your eyes to it. Fight
her with her own weapons, common
ness! she doesn't understand any
thing better"
81 am rot 81 sure about that" I re-
piled thinking of how she had looked
at the roadhouse when 1 kept my
poise.
81 don't mean to under-rate her,
but she As cunning, not clever"
What was Grace driving at? Was
she still a bit-ip love with Walter and
hated Helen LSceuse of that? Or was
she really my friend. and did she
mean to help me?
I'm not afraid of her. You see I
am old fashioned enough to believe
my husband loves me; to have faith
in him." 1 finally said.
Faith in a husband is all right
with cernRin reservations" she re-
turned "but artists! They are artists
first, husbands afterwards. And Wal
ter is unusually temperamental, even
for an artist, a "orshippsr OF beauty
of the human form divine. And
that girl is wond derfully lovelyi No
one could deny that"
"Oh. ye of little faithr 1 quoted.
determined not to let her see she had
upset me, altho she had, and aroused
anew my jealousy of Helen.
IT have known Walter longer than
you have, my dear Doreen, and am
older. Keep your eyes shut IL you
like, then come and weep on my bos-
>om and hear me say I told you SOL"
she spoke facetiousiy, but I realized
that perhaps she was more in earnest
than appeared. In spite of myself I
resented her reference to her acquain-
tance with Walter; the inference that
she knew him better than 1 did,
his wife, =
Did you telephone the studio to-
dayW Wutcr asked when he came
in.
Nothing, only stepped out for
moment and someone left message
but left no name. Probably someone
who wanted a picture" he evaded.
Didn't Helen tell you who II was?"
wilderment. Grace had surely left
him guessing
I 81 told you once that whoever it
vas called refused to leave any
name" he answered impatiently.
WAS It a man or a Woman?"
"a woman. Helen said"
Perhaps she knew who it was?"
mo, she had 40 reason to keep it
from me If she did"
/ said no more but all thru dinner
Walter was absept-minded. I could
soarcelX repress a smile. Altho
rather resented his keeping secret the
message. But perhaps Helen had not
given it to him as Grace had left it:
or perhaps-she had objected.
When thought of the latter, I also
thought she might have quarreled
with Walter because of it. This was
far from a comforting thought, be-
cause he plainly showed his anxiety
to know more of the person who tele-
phoned.
(Tomorrow-Helen resents Grace
Iiarter.)
III. -rro-ra - r.ll1.a l.. L...r. L.