The Dolores star., 1924-02-22
CHAPTER v-Continued.

u
She didn't feel at all sure she liked
the taste of JOA She found his real
istic moments unpleasantly acrld; his
egotism. naive; and his prudery-for
she'd been aware that she'd sometimes
shocked him-ridlcuious. She admit
ted the attractiveness OF his looks, his
surprisingly good speech, his vigor and
freshness, and the queer miscellany
that formed his background: the
Jungle, and the musical-comedy stage;
that he bought pictures, and had never
been to Europe, and knew Sorolla.
This was how her palate reported 1t
. about as boys palate reports his first
taste of strong drink. She didn't
reckon on anything in her. behind her
palate and capable OF overrullng its
report. being concerned In the matter.
But, even on that first morning, she'd
been forced to ignore as irrelevant
some rather queer sensations and i'm
pulses she'd had.
1t annoyed her to learn that Joe was
a married man with grown daugh-
ter; she lost her temper with John,
got Ave or six wives" she raped out
"One IN every port, like sailor. I
suppose one of them is trying to put
him in jail and he's come to you
And I'd bet you've said you'd help him
out !"
She would barely listen to Johns
detailed explanation that Greer's mat
rimonlal difficulties were, compara-
lively speaking, respectable. and It did
not In the least placate her when she
heard. Respectable ~ she fumed.
That's the beastly second-rate vul-
garity of it. Why do you think they
have to marry those people7"
When she heard about Beatrice, and
Joe's wish to enter her In smart
school, preferably Thornycroft. where
Dorothy was, she fairly boiled over.
What affair was II of his. or his daugh-
ter's, where Dodo went to school?
How did he even know Of the school
unless John had been babbling about
lit But Of course John had been
Given the man all the details, no
doubt; Miss Hoods address, himself as
a reference, everythingl
whats the harm II did7" he
asked. He couldn't get her into that
school in q hundred years-not in ten,
anyhow. And next years all that mat
ters to u.s." II wasn't this argument,
however, that had the effect Of pulling
his wife up short; 1t was his look of
curiosity at her. What was there for
her to be so disturbed about?
she. herself. couldn't understand
why shed been so bitter about 1t nor
why she went on thinking and feeling
that way. She tried to make out that
she was angry with herself for being
angry. but the intricacies Of this alb
straction were little beyond her. Pre-
posterously, what warmed her into a
fdendlier feeling for the man was the
outrageous surnAse that the girl
nightn't be his daughter, after all, but
some little fun he was trying to palm
of upon them, under a cloak no one
would think to look beneath. She
found this notion rather entertaining,
though she didn't take It seriously
Well, she didn't take him seriously,
either!
She didn't pass 1t on to John, for
she had clear premonition that he
wouldn't think it funny. She didn't
suppose Margaret Craven would think
1t funny, either. but this didn't prevent
her mentioning it to Margaret, expert
mentally.
Margaret took 1t in the most sur
prising way; fairly flew at her over it.
That's like you, Violet" she said
when, after a tight silence, she spoke
at all. Her voice was brittle with
anger, and her eyes were dry with 1t.
How long have you been telling that
sweet little storyT"
The mere impact of the charge took
Violets breath. "I haven't been telling
1t at ALL" she protested. II only just
thought of it. 1t struck me as anus
ing. and / said it."
ut will be frightfully amusing for
her, won't it?" There was no quality
of reflection in Margaret's voice, not
even the thinnest veneer to give it
surface. ITO find story like that 60
ing round! A young girl, alone as
she is; even her father a stranger to
her"
ut isn't going around" Violet re-
iterated. Then, with short laugh,
as she recovered her balance: "Oh, If
1t is. it's not my doing. But it's
natural enough thing for anybody to
think of. who knows what he's like.