Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-02-04
CHAPTER XXXv
Mother and DAUGHTER

LNACEPTING for that one night
~ when Britton took Carol home from
the rehearsal Carol had not seen him
alone.
she often wondered what she would
do II he asked TO see her. She knew
what she ought 10 do, she knew that it
would be playing with fire to accept an
invitation from him. but she dallied
with the thought recklessly, even though
she knew it was wrong.
So little did she think about Nick
during these days that it struck her
with shock one afternoon when she
had dropped IN to see her mother to
hear Mrs. Rathbournc speak Of Nick s
appearance.
Carol, isn't Nick well:"
Why, yes; why?'
He doesn't seem well; he's grown
thin: haven't you noticed it?'
NO, I hadn't noticed it: he seems
10 be all right
Perhaps he's working too hard.
oh, hardly think so. mother.
NICK was never overcOnscientiOus con-
cern.ng his work. Carols voice was
hard. She was deliberately sitting her
conscience. which at her mothers words
had stung her with q knowledge Of
her treatment Of Nick. Now that Mrs.
Rathbournc had spoken Of IT, Carol
remembered suddenly that Nick had
been unusually quiet Of late, that hts
face Wore Strained expression, and
that he had not been sleeping. She
had been awakened often in the middle
of the night by the sound of him moving
around In his bedroom. She knew that
he often pulled on the light by his
bed. and read and smoked till dawn :
but, because she felt there was nothing
she could do about it. she had tried to
forget 1t as soon as possible.
Mrs Rathbourne was studying her
daughter face. She found It as In.
scrutable as ever, and yet there had
been something strange about Carol of
late. something that she had never no.
ticed before. There was new brilliance
in her eyes, an artificiality about hcr
manner. 1t troubled Mrs. Rathbournc
more than Carols coldness ever had.
She leaned forward suddenly.
Carol. are you and Nick happy
But Carol was on her guard.
Whatever makes you ask that ques-
rion:' she queri"d lightly. "Of course.
were happy, as much so as the average
couple
II asked because I've never been
sure, and Vet | cant imagine why
you would marry Nick unless you loved
him
Carol shrugged her shoulders impo.
tiently. "Oh. love. love; that's ali
that people talk about. OF course. |
care for Nick that's why married
him.
You don't love him as he loves you 4:
you re breaking his heart" the words
were on the tip Of Mrs. Rathbourne's 8
tongue, but she did not speak them. 1t
would not do any good, for since her
marriage, instead Of growing nearer to
her mother. Carol had grown further
away than ever.
Mrs. Rathbourne longed for CaroPs $
confidence. she longed 10 help the girl,
she would have stood by her in any :
thing, but Carol had never been wont 10
contde in any one, and, as usual, she
treated her mother like the most casual
outsider. She left her that afternoon
filled with irritation at her mother
questions, and when she reached home
she flung off her things impatiently and
began 70 pace the living room floor rest
lessly.
The telephone interrupted her. and
she went to answer it, but the sound
of the voice across the wire set her
heart to beating wildly. This was the
first time that BrittOn had done Sc
personal Il thing as 10 call her up on
the telephone. and she forgot every
thing but the pleasure of talking 10 him