South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-02-08
THE JEALOUS QUESTION MOTH
ElR GRAHAM ASKED ITNIOR-

she had flung at me in her anger. |
words which 1 discounted. as I al
ways do those she utters IN irrita-
ton. but which my conscience told
me held more than a kernel OF truth.
I had been ION my high horse
because OF my jealousy Of Edith
Fairfax. in my attitude toward
Dicky. notably in my refusal to try
the new motor car. with the quick
revulsiOn OF feeling which generally
comes 10 me after any ungracious-
ness toward my husband. wished
that 1 could live over the last few
minutes and resolved that the next
time Dicky asked me 20 drive I
would go.
But there was no next time
Dicky did not appear TO hold any
rancor toward me when he came
home, he was casually courteous,
with the little air Of detachment
with which he is often invested
when he's engaged upon some i'm
pOrtant piece of work And he
never mentioned driving me in the
big new car again. Nor did he again
speak Of driving TO Mother Graham
or to Grace Draper. But regularly
each day. as soon as he had finished
work in the studio. he went away Ia
the new car. which Jim kept polish
cd like a mirror, and I miserably
surmised his destination
That I was not mistaken in my
guess I knew from little Mrs. Dur
KEGS air Of indignant commisera-
zion when we met. though she said
but little. I knew il move surely
from a certain air of recklessness
on Edith's part. from the smolder-
ing wrath which I saw I'm Dr. Jim's
eyes. from Leila's timid. troubled
giances at me. An attack of rheu-
matism that prevented Mother Gra-
ham from climbing into a car had
kept US from accepting any invita-
ton 10 dine with them. and we en-
tertained them frequently during
their stay Upon two or three
mornings when Dicky was at work
with Grace Draper in the studio
took Junior and drove over to the
hotel TO call upon the Durkee party
being careful 90 return before
there was any chance of Dicky's ar
rival. Edith made but the brlefest
appearance upon these visits. and
saw, what 1 was sure the rest OBJ
served. that she was carefully avoid
ing me.
DiclSy is Always Away.
I think the keenest humiliation
that came to the during these days
OF unrest was the fact that Grace
Draper was a witness Of Dicky's dc
lection. OF course, she never refer
red to It. but in every fibre I was
aware OF her knowledge. and. worst
OF all. OF her sympathy, real or pre-
tended.
That, incredible as it seemed. her
sympathy was real. impressed It
self upon me more and more as the
days went by. For something. either
her own suffering or her association
with Junior. had changed her great
" since she had come TO US. She
palpably adored the child, and he
returned her devotion with interest.
Jerry TIGER, under Dickys direc-
ton, had contrived two immense
window-boxes under the windows Of
the transformed corncrib. boxes
with hinged lids. which were cram
med to the brlm with his sketches.
and which. when the lids were down.
made wonderfully comfortable seats.
cushioned and curtained as they
were. Perched upon one of these.
Junior would prattle to Grace by
the hour. and the girl seemed never
to tire Of him.
It was all could do sometimes TO
let him stay there. and I knew that
both Mother Graham and Katie dis
approved jealousy Of the association.
and prevented it as much as they
could, but I remembered the divine
assertion concerning a little child's
influence. and my conscience would
not permit me to remove from
Grace Draper what seemed to me
her only chance OF redemption.
OF Dicky I am sure she saw moth
ing except when he was working
with her upon the Pennington illus
trations. He only had needed Miss
Foster for three mornings. This
was something for which / was ex-
tremely thankful. as Dr. Pettit's
blacklg disappearing and resentful
face. when he brought her and call
ed for her as he invariably did,
made me extremely nervous and I'M
comfortable.
Juniors Gift.
So the days went on, peaceful
enough in all outward seeming,
with Grace Draper's face losing It's
n 4
rounding into something Of its for
mer beauty. with Lillian slowing re-
covering in her hospital room,
though II would be weeks before she
would be able 10 be about again,
with Robert Savarin devoting every
waking hour 20 Marion's entertain
ment, but with my own heart a tur-
moil OF tormenting doubts and
fears. was desperately unhappy.
and I cried out 20 myself that I
could not be more miserable
How little I knew what was be-
fore me,
Il was late one afternoon. almost
dinner time, when Mother Graham
and I were sitting sewing upon the
veranda. that Grace Draper came
up 20 US. holding n radiant Junior
by the hand Dicky was away. as
usual and Robert Ssvarin had TAX
en- Marion 10 tho hospital. so that
we had tho place 90 ourselves. The
girls face was paler than usual. and
there was a restless glitter in her
eyes that I had not seen there In
a long time. but the smile she bent
upon the child transformed her
features as IL a light had glowed
behind them.