The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-03-02
Helen Hunters
Husband
HELEN SHOWS JACK HER PUR.
CHASES.
BY JANE PHELPS



Chapter "a.
'I won't pay for them" Jack de-
clared. Mrs. Layton had no right to
let you charge such expensive things.
Do you realize it will take about all I
have put away to pay for this gim-
| crackery. if this is all you bought"
'Oh, yes you will pay for them!
You had no right to cheat me- The
money was mines as much as yours.
Didn't you declare you endowed me
with all your worldly goods? If you
had treated me right, perhaps would
not have bought quite so many things,
but how do I know that you haven't
stacks and stacks put away? I have
been suspicious for some time"
"Oh, you havei Well. I'm no liar
and it is the only time have held out
On you"
ut had better be the last" Then,
isn't that an exquisite shaded" Ir-
responsible as ever. All he had said
could not destroy her delight in her
purchases, or make her one bit re-
morseful
Jack turned away, not so much in
disgust, as in despair. Could he ever
make her see that life had a serious,
a sensible side? Was she always to
be a child, with a child's outlook upon
life? What would his mother, that
mother who so unselfishly went with
out so that his father could save
against old age and its demands. say
could she see this riot of extrava-
gance?
AS if reading his thoughts and wish
ing to point the difference, Helen re-
marked:
Wouldn't mother have loved to see
me in this dress?" she had donned
the afternoon gown. ''She wouldn't
She never kept anything from me-
IF she had kept little for herself
and not worked SO hard. she might be
alive now!' angrily Jack replied.
That's right, blame me for every
thing! One would think to hear you
talk had killed her! Isn't this hat
becoming"
VERY! A nice hat for you to go
out with other people while 1 stay
home and slave to earn money to
pay for it. You didn't need another
hat, and that evening dress! Where
do we go to wear a thing like that?
1--WE don't go anywhere, because you
are too selfish to take me out. I shall
have plenty chances to wear it. In
fact, I am going out with Mr.. Barnes
and a party tomorrow night. You are
invited"
well, I'm not going"
81 told them you probably wouldn't
that you would rather stay at home
with a lot of figures. or a book, than
to go anywhere to have a good time
WITH me-
You did! Just what L might ex-
pect- You didn't add that I had to
work evenings to get money for you
to throw away, did you?"
81 should think you would be
ashamed of yourself, Jack Hunter.
Both Of these dresses were reduced,
and so was the hat. I try to be eco
nomical, but I get no thanks for it.
You pay me by deceiving me-" She
again turned to the mirror, fitting the
hat q little and smiling at the effect.
Jack interrupted her:
Il supporss the dishes will do them
selves while you admire yourself in
the mirror 1 must get to work. youl
have to do them alone tonight. I've
wasted all the time I can afford to If
am to get this job done in time
They can stay dirty until morning.
I want to try on the rest of these
things. Aren't those stockings a per-
feet mateh?" she held q pair Of thin
silk stocking beside the evening gown
of pale mauve- 'I was awfully afraid
couldn't match the dress. 1 am having
some satin slippers dyed the same
color
BY this time Jack was powerless to
reply. One would think he was an
Aston or a Rockefeller, he thought as
he took his work into the living room
and commenced on that interminable
row of figures that tonight danced a
can-can on the page Mauve dresses
with stockings and shoes to match
elaboraA afternoon gowns, hats and ex-
pesive negligee crept between him and
the figures. blurring them Finally he
threw his pen down in disgust, and
taking his hat. rushed out of the
house, deaf to Helen's call as to where
he was going.
(Tomorrow-Jack refuses Barnes
invitatiOn.l