The Washington herald., 1922-02-25
cortinues from Yesterday.

For once she was disconnected.
T-you-what a-pleasant sur
priser" she stammered nervously.
Have you been to see VicT'.
NO" smiled Jeanne. Il was told
that he was engaged and did not
wish to be disturbed
Vera smirked in spite Of her en-
barTassment.
How silly of him to make be-
lieve that my errand was import
ant I only wanted to get him to
contribute to the diet kitchen
fund
Jeanne nodded gravely.
'Oh. yes. I remember. he gave
you a check for that at Mr.. Canby's
dinner party the other night"
Vera looked decidedly discon-
certed
"Oh-er-yes, but he promised me
more. and 1 came today to collect.
I am a business woman. you see."
she added with a smile. Going
home now? May 1 ask for a lift?
came in on the train because the
car is laid up for repairs"
A Change of Mind.
Jeanne made a sudden decision.
The car is down stairs. You may
go out in II if you like. 1 have de-
cided to wait for Vic. and drive
home with him"
Vera seemed taken a-back-even
a little uneasy-but she murmured
a perfunctory thanks. and went out
to where the Barstowe limousine
waited al the curb.
Jeanne went back to her hus-
bands office.
Il have changed my mind" she
told the girl. please tell Mr.. Bar
stowe that Fam here"
The girl was frankly curious, but,
meeting Jeanne's cool eyes, she
lowered her own, and obeyed in
stantly.
When she returned and motioned
Jeanne to follow her, the latter did
so. experiencing a new and mex
pIicable emotion.
Before her eyes was a vision of
Vera Dayton. emerging with Snug
complacence from Vic Barstowe's
office.
Jeanne was amazed at the vio-
lence of the emotion which swept
over her.
Could it be possible that this was
ealousy?
at Jeanne's entrance.
Hello, sweetheart. I'll say this
is nice of you, coming down to
watch the old man slave"
slave" thought Jeanne. with an
unconscious curl of her lips. as she
saw again a vision of Vera Dayton
emerging from her husbands office.
I let Miss Dayton go home in
our car" she said evenly. as she
seated herself, and picked up a
magazine. so you'll have to drive
me out Go on with your work,
and I'll not disturb you
From under her long lashes she
had watched the effect of Vera Day
tons name. but either he was an
Incredibly good actor. or else he
did not care. because he showed no
signs of being disconnected by the
knowledge that she had run across
Vera Dayton in his office.
Poor old Vera" he laughed. "Al-
ways bounding somebody for her
charities. I'll say she has grit to
he able to hold people up the way
she does. She just about cleaned
mo out today"
Jeanne was secretly amazed: ap-
parently Vera had told the truth
about the object Of her visit to
ParstOwe.
Why should She Care.
The flood of anEcr-or whatever
it was-that had swept Jeanne into
her husbands office. began to re-
Cede. but she felt no relief; rather
she was dismayed.
Why. she asked herself sternly
should she care a rap what woman
or how many women for that mat
ter. visited Barstowe's Office. He
WAS nothing to her. she reminded
herself. Once he had represented
the key to the Barstowe vaults. the
dollat sign against which she had
expected to write checks in FIVE fig
Ures. but all that was past now
He represented only the assurance
of a luxurious home until such a
time as her pretense, her fake po-
sitiOn Mould be exposed.
She had been frank with him. She