Evening star., 1922-06-11


would he practically immoral to con-
sassy to a sweet woman would be "a
cardinal sin. They let their voices
linger beautifully on the air and they
listen themselves to the lovely sounds
they make. They always have the
most exQuisitely self sacrificing rea-
sons for every action Of their lives,
but they do just exactly what they
want to do. and everybody else has to
do what a sweet woman wants him
to. That's why I'm sure Mr.. Sui
lender. in spite of all his pomposity,
leads IL dogs life at home"
"Of all the foolish talk" young
Spcrry exclaimed. why. everybody
says they're the most ideally mar
ricd couple. and that they lead the
happiest life together that
Everybody says" she Knocked
him. interrupting. How often have
you known what everybody says
turn out to be the truth about any
thing" And. besides, we don't know
thing about any of these people.
and We don't know anybody else that
told you how happy the Sullenders
are
We'll. it's just general impress
sion | got" he admitted. Il think l
heard some one downtown alluding to
Sullender's domestic relations being
very fortunate and pleasant"
oh. you think so? Is that ali?
You don't really know thing about
it, then"
NO matter. You're wrong this
time. Bella. The Sullenders--''
But Bella shook her pretty young
head. interrupting him again.
You'll see, l do hope there won't
have to be too much intimacy. but
you can't live across the street from
people very long in a neighborhood
like this without getting to know the
real truth about 'em. You wal: and
see what we get to know about the
Sullenders."
Yes, I'll wait" he laughed. But
how long,"
"Oh. 1 don't know-maybe year.
maybe a month"
Lets make it month, Bella he
said, and put his arm about her. IF
we don't find out in month hat the
Sullenders are miserable together,
will you admit you're W 'ong"'
NO. 1 won't, But you'll PROBABLY
have to admit that I'm right lefore
that long. l have a sense for these
things. Will, and 1 never go wrorg
when l trust it. Women know m
tuitively things that men never sus-
pect. ] know I'm right about Mrs.
Sullender."
Her husband permitted the discus
sion to end with this. wisely fearing
that if he sought further to defend
his position Bella might plausibly ac-
cuse him of always insisting upon
the last word" And so, for that
night at least. the matter was
dropped from their conversation.
though not from the thoughts of
Mrs. Sperry. Truth to tell, she was
what is sometimes called an "obsti-
nate little body" and also she appre-
wife's building for future and life
long use the foundations of infalli-
bility: that is to say, she was young
and therefore inexperienced, but she
had foresight. Moreover. she had at
tentively observed the matrimonial
condition of her parents and aunts
and uncles. Many and many time
had she heard a middle-aged husband
speak to his wife of like years some
what in this manner: mo, Fannie;
you're wrong again. You're mistaken
1t ityu
about James Thompson's adding ma
chine in 1897; and you were wrong
about painting the house the year
after that, too. Don't you remember
how you insisted dark green was the
right color, and finally had to admit
yourself that dark green was awful,
and light yellow would have been
lust right, as all along said 1t
would?"
Thus, young Mrs. Sperry. looking
to times far ahead, had determined to
be wrong about nothing whatever
during these early years Of her
matrimony. Moreover, since argu-
ment had arisen concerning the Sui
lenders she had made up her mind to
be right about them and to prove"
herself right, whether she really
was or not" and that is why. on the
morning after her arraignment of
sweet women generally and Of her
gracious neighbor particularly, the
pratty newcomer in Highland Place"
found herself most pleasurabiy ex-
cited by the naive but sinister revela-
tions of a stranger eight years in age
AT little before o'clock Mr.. Will
~ liam Sperry had departed Gn
young husbands carr for his place
Of business, some five miles distant,
in the smoky part of the city, and
not long afterward the thoughtful
Bella, charmingly accoutered as a
gardener, came forth with a trowel
to uproot weeds that threatened a
row of iris she had set out along the
gravel path between the tiny white
veranda and the white picket gate.
Thus engaged, she became aware of
a small presence fumbling at the
latch Of this gate. and she changed
her position from that Of one on all
fours who gropes intenily in the earth
to that of one upright from the
knees, but momentarily relaxed.
do you want to come in?' she in
quired. looking out from the shade of
her broad hat to where the little fig
ure in blue overalls was marked off
into stripes Of sunshine and shadow
by the intervening pickets Of the
gate. "Is there something you want
here. little boyT"
He succeeded In operating the
latch. came IN. and looked attentively