The Washington herald., 1922-03-04
cerssnses from Ys.tsrday.


Jeanne stared DULY at Adele
Parkinson.
She had beeh through so much
that evening that one more shock
scarcely registered in her numbed
consciousness.
Adele waited. looking her sur
prise at Jeanne's> silence. Seeing
this, Jeanne laughed mirthlessiy.
= Don't stand there staring at me!
I haven't gone insane q. but I
haven't got the money. Adele. and
hSven't any way of getting it."
Adele stared at her in amaze
ment.
"You promised"-she began.
.gesturs. p. :
7 know. thought could get
II. But I can't" .: g.
Adele laid her hand on Jeanne's
arm.
do you mean to tell me-" she
said slowly. "that Vic refused to
give you the money!
Jeanne shook her head wearily.
Il didn't even ask him, 1 dldA't
dare. You see he-he doesn't know
that I was ever in such desperate
financial straits that I had to bor-
row from you%
Adele drew back.
''Oh' she said slowly, as though
a new idea were dawning upon her,
then after a moment:
But what of Il? Il Is not neces-
sary TO tell him that the money you
want is to pay an old score. Sim
ply say that you want II to buy a
new Jewel, or some other extrava-
gance."
: Again. Jeanne shook her head.
You don't understand. You don't
know the situation"
A wife's Debts.
Don't I?' Adele,s tone was i'm
patient. well. what IL don't?
Lack. of understanding isn't going
TO supply the money that I need
desperately. Jeanne, you've got to
look at this squarely! I can no
longer AFFORD to be tolerant. i've
been your friend, and I want to
continue to be. but when / loaned
you that money. you told me that
you would need IL for only a few
weeks, while your own was tied up
in some stock deal. 1t has been
months now, and I've come q
financial cropper. so I've got 10
stop being nice and be nasty"
Jeanne looked at her question
ingly.
you meanT'
Adele nodded.
"Just that IL you won't ask
Vic Barstowe for the money. I will
go to him myself. I think he'll not
hesitate about settling his wife's
just debts"
But Adele" Jeanne spoke In des-
peration. It's no his wife's debts
IL Is q debt that I incurred before
] married Vic. He wouldn't under
stand. He'thought I had money of
rny own naturally. and IL he
thought I didn't have, he would
wonder"
She broke of with gesture Of de-
spair.
He would wonder how you lived
on the scale you did" Adele m
ished the sentence for her. And
be might wonder about a lot Of
other- things while he was about
t-why you married him-admit-
Ting that you didn't love him. for
instance. As yet. Of course. the
fact that you might have married
MIN for his money hasn't occurred
70 him, because you seemed to have
plenty Of your own"
Jeanne had buried her face in her
hands.
-Oh. what a despicable creature
( ami" she moaned. "All my life
Is just lies. lies, lies! I used to
enjoy pretense. liked to play
act. I found a thrill in matching
my wits against other peoples.
Vow I hate II all! I wish I had
never seen New York wish I
bad never tried to be"
She broke off. and reached blind
ly for her handkerchief.
Never tried TO be what?" asked
Adele. -s-..
I But even in her despair. Jeanne's
discretion did not quite desert her.
She realized that Adele knew too
much already. She believed in
LAdele's friendship. but she knew
that. driven to the wall by her
financial straits, she might make
use Of some of her knowledge.