The Washington times., 1923-08-01
By Charles G. Norris.

HILIP was right in believ-
ing old Phelan would make
no objection to endorsing
his note, and within a fort
night the money was deposited
to Lansing's credit in a San
Francisco bank. Philip regard
ed his friends proposed flyer
into high finance with consider
able amusement. He had not
much faith in its success, but
he was willing to take his share
of the gamble, although Wilbur
insisted it was not one. But
Philip speedily forgot the matter;
q quarrel with Marjorie, more
serious than any they had had,
drove it from his mind.
For some time it had been ap-
parent that his life with his wife
had grown into a mockery Of
marriage. One day when he
went down alone to his dismal
dinner in the close, over-heated,
stuffy little dining-room Of the
hotel, 1t occurred to him he was
paying for the support Of a wo.
man who gave him practically
nothing in return. The week
before he had received in his mail
bill for two hats bought at
some previous time, and q per-
emptory demand from a shoe
store for the settlement Of an &C.
count, long overdue. In the lat
ter appeared such items as slip
pers. patent-leather pumps, rhins.
stone buckles. His hotel bill con-
tanned unexpected charges from
the newsstand, and the most re-
cent included an item amounting
to nearly six dollars for telephone
calls. There was no money with
which to pay these extras, and he
had been hoping to get himself
Q new suit by Easter. The baby
needed undershirts and some kind
Of a sweater or coat. as the
melancholy nurse they employed
had mentioned IN her melancholy
voice. Even she, Philip thought
bitterly, was aware the baby's
mother would not be interested
In her complaint, and therefore
had come to him.
Single Beds.
Marjorie and he occupied single
beds now. The nurse arrived
at seven every morning and took
charge of Paul. who by that time
usually had begun to fret and
whimper. She dressed and took
him downstairs to breakfast.
while Philip got up and followed
them to the dining-room haitian
hour later. Marjorie never dis
turbed herself. She slept through
all the mild commotion. her head
deep in the soft pillow, a hand
tucked beneath her cheek. Philip
would leave the hotel without ex-
changing a word with her. When
he returned from the office at
$50 or 6 o'clock. Marjorie usually
was out. More than half the
time, she did rot come home to
dinner; four nights out of the
week he ate alone. The melancholy
nurse remained with the baby until
8 o'clock and then took herself
away. II Marjorie had not re-
turned by that hour, Philip, II
he had an engagement downtown
or wanted to 20 to the Orpheum
to fill an empty evening, faced
the alternative Of staying at
home, or leaving the baby alone.
When Marjorie came in Philip
was generally asleep, driven early
to bed by sheer boredom. 1t was
usually IL or IL o'clock when
she arrived. II he was awake,
or reading, she vouch-safed no
explanation of where she had
been or what she had been doing.
Apparently with an easy con-
science, she greeted him cheer
fully, bent solicitously over the
baby's crib, tucked the small body
in comfortably, hung up her hat
and things in the closet, and
happily humming, proceeded to
get ready for he'd. Her chatter
had no significance beyond the
indication of her mood. She
seemed serenely oblivious of hav.
ing neglected either husband or
child, and would have affected,
Philip was aware, a mild aston.