The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-03-01
Helen Hunters
Husband
HELEN GOES A-sHoPPING.
by JANE PHELPS
Chapter So.

Chapter 3S.
1t was the second day after Howard
Dunn's visit. Jack came home tired,
and a bit out of sorts. It had rained
all day and. in spite of tramping
about in the wet he had not been able
| to get any new business. Under his
arm he had package of books
work for the evening.
When he opened the hall door with
his latchkey. he almost fell over the
pile of boxes and bundles piled on the
floor.
what i'm" he commenced, then
as Helen appeared he said: Whats
all this? Looks like Santa Claus had
been here"
Get your things off. and we1l have
| dinner before We open those They
came only five minutes ago. Do hur-
ry! 1 am so anxious to try some of
| them on"
A wave OF premonition rushed over
Jack Helen always used that tone
when she wanted money, or had done
| something of which she knew he
would disapprove. But he did as she
! babe him, and hurried(to freshen up
for dinner. At the table he again
| asked what she had in all those boxes,
but she only laughed and said:
Il shan't tell you a thing about
them until after dinner!" with that
| he had to be content
Now, come ony we'll open the
| poxes. she exclaimed as they rose
from the table Bring them into the
bedroom. please" she had picked up
a particularly bulky parcel and pre-
coded him.
Isn't that a dream?r A dainty
evening gown lay spread on the bed.
Just wait until you see it on me; il
Just fitted, didn't have to have a hook
| changed. and such bargain." she
was tearing off her dress with nerv-
lous fingers, so anxious was she to don
| the new one.
You are very pretty in it, Jack
said when she turned for his inspsc-
ton, but
Don't begin to talk butts to me,
just wait until yo6 see how we'll your
wife can look if she has money to
But. Helen. where did you get the
money to buy all these things?" She
was undoing other bundles now. a
hat, gloves, slippers and stockings,
dainty lingerie and another dress, a
handsome expensive-looking after
noon dress. Some sea-going uncle
was really bewiIdered.
mo such luck! My husband wrote
big policy, and tried to decisive me
about 1T Fortunately, I know what
spent part of my share of that one
don't try it again, Jack. III forgive
you this time, but next time 1 WON'T"
Shed forgive him! Jack was fairly
with 1nQ1EnaBlOn-
IT don't understand YOU, Helen I
put that commission in the bank as
explained to you so we could have a
little II anything happened. / did not
spend a penny of it. How did you get
the money to pay for all this stuff
Don't you dare call il stuff
charged few of the things on my
account at Lacy's, but the nice things
Nell Layton let me charge to her until
the bills come in the first of the
|
check for them While she talked,
Helen was busiIy arraying herself in
the afternoon dress, a dark blue crepe,
heavily trimmed with fringe.
Jack was aghast. Was this what
his attempt to save something had
brought him? How he wished he had
told Helen about his commission. Per-
haps had he talked it over with her
she wouldn't have been hurt, wouldn't
have thought he had deceived her, and
so given her license to do this extrava-
giant thing. Little as he knew about
prices, Jack was sure she had prac-
tically spent all. or nearly all he had
banked.
When he did not reply, she repeated
the conversation she and Nell Layton
had had about charge accounts, and
finished:
"I shall open accounts of my own
soon. Perhaps you'll not try to de-
ceive me again. A wife has right
to know about her husbands affairs;
and she has right to know how much
money he makes. and have her share
of it. intend to have my rights. Jack
Hunter, and you may as well know 1t
first as Iasti''
She had spoken all along in that
exaspera tingly good-natured way she
SO often assumed when she knew what
she had done. or intended doing was
dispIeasing to Jack. He almost choked,
and became scarlet before words
came Then in no. gentle tones, no
carefully chosen expressions, but in
what Helen called cave man lam
guage',~he told her what he thought
1Tomorrow-Helen shows Jack her
r111rcna SeS.l