The Washington times., 1923-10-20

about it?" Leila asked sharply, as
Philip ended.
Her husband drew off his shoes
leisurely.
Wants Lucy to divorce him, 1
suppose" he said In q dispassion-
ate voice.
Leila sat up in bed.
She'll never do it! She'd be a
FOOL Why should she divorce
him? Just because he begins to
fancy someone else, he's got no
right to try and get rid of her!
Why, it's preposterous! Marriage
isn't a thing you can get out of
just because you are tired. /.
She's perfectly right. Her game is
to stand pat, and bring him 10
terms. I'd fight him in every
court in the land before I'd agree
to any divorce?'
Philip opened the window, sniff.
fed the foggy night air, switched
off the light and got into bed. In
decision with regard to wilbur's
appeal came abruptly to an end;
in that moment he made up his
mind.
He settled his big body comfort
ably, burrowing his head in the
pillow, grunting with tired salts
faction.
"What'd y'say. Phil?"
He made no response.
''Huh?" he said suddenly, rous
ing up. "Oh,-this beds grand.
Y can't beat old fash'n furniture"
Leila made a vexed sound With
the tip Of her tongue. She wanted
to talk, to repeat just what she
had said to Lucy. to reiterate the
advice she had given her. AS she
detailed the conversation, expEess-l
ing herself vigorously. she became
conscious Of suspicious silence
beside her.
Don't you think I'm right.
Phil?"
Philip simulated q slight snore.
He smiled sleepily in the dark at
his wife's faint exclamation of
annoyance.
Firm in Her Stand.
But he discovered there was
small chance of persuading Lucy
to change her mind. Backed by
her mother and Leila, she was
firm in her stand. Although
Philip talked and argued with
her. he could not bring himself to
urge divorce vigorously. He had
small sympathy with Flossie Prem
tiss. did not admire her coquettish
rnannerisms, nor her empty nerv-
Gus laugh. Perhaps she was un-
happy, perhaps her husband was a
beast, perhaps in her serious mo.
ments she was loving, appre-
ciative, appealing. Philip was
willing to concede all this to
Wilbur, but F1ossie did not interest
him. His partners happiness
mattered a great deal more, and
he found himself regretting
that Wilbur could not find
the right kind of contentment in
his wife. Philip believed that
matters would work out some
how, II Wilbur stuck to Lucy.
He might be unhappy, he might
grow into what he described-"a
bitter, disappointed old NAM
but even so, 1t was the better
course. Philip had known the
pang Of disappointed love, he had
endured the anguish, the miser-
able longing. Yet he did not re-
gard himself, nor did, he be-
lieved, others regard him as "a
bitter, disappointed old man."
He had weathered the gale some
how, and had achieved a fair
amount Of happiness. He
pointed this out to wilbur-but
Wilbur was deaf to all reasoning.
II tell you, Phil-she's un-
happy; her husband treats her
like dirt; she's leading a hell of
life. With you and your English
girl, it was a question of your
not being able to agree. Flossie
looks to me to help her. and it's
a whole lot different to be obliged
to stand by and see a man abuse
the woman you love and not be
able to raise a finger to help her
could take his fat throat
between my hands. and squeeze
the sinking breath out of him."
Go Be Continued MOnday.)