The Omaha morning bee., 1924-08-02
10 ELLEN.
By ALEXANDER BLACK.
Copyright. 1924.

under which he began his visit had
somewhat relaxed, he let himself talk
land a relieved look took the place
of the apprehensive expression that
had been so marked at first. Seem
ingly he could be cautious, but he
was not one of those cautious special
lists who can be wary without a
strain. It might be vague with him
as to how Marty was to play the
game of being the wheel-chair hus-
band. His quick admiration for 10
Ellen, with her unreadable readiness,
and the nervous radiance that was
thrown into sharper relief by the
shadow on Marty, might keep him in
an awed subjection. But the imme-
date naturalness of things. the way
of going straight ahead, even If you
saw it was a game, took off a weight.
Arnold could join in. He could do
that and be glad that he wasn't called
upon to play a harder part-and
might leave unsaid all the stuff he
had been foolishly rehearsing on his
way to the house. If the point was
that a honeymoon was a honeymoon
and that thunderbolts couldn't spoil
1t, the simplest sort of foreground
duty was to help cheerfully in prop
ping up the Illusion.
Arnold thought the apartment was
extraordinarily snappy. He praised
the furniture. He wore a grin while
he paid an extravagant tribute to the
table silver.
20 you shut upr' shouted Marty
you can't taffy the thing you gave
yourself"
But I didn't know how good it
=
Il really didn't
Before lighting his cigaret Arnold
held out the case to 10 Ellen.
NO." said Marty, "she isn't one
of those smoking girls
Just like q real husband, Arnold
thought.
| The men sat smoking together
while 10 Ellen cleared the table.
When Arnold had gone. Marty said,
| He thinks you're wonderful"
Mice of him." said 10 Ellen.
"And you are wonderful aren't
lyou?" pursued Marty.
well, If two such critics"
"And you do like him, don't you?"
VERY much"
Marty was entirely satisfied with
the evening.
Martyrs mother began to be In
sistent on the subject of the future.
Everybody had a theory about the
future. Martyrs mother wanted the
question cleared up.
Jo Ellen used to think that when
Mrs. Simms said future her eyes were
debating the position in which Jo
Ellen must be nailed to 1t. What
ever the decision might be, there
was an implication that the calami.
ltous wife would cucumber the pic
ture.
Marty was obstinate about leaving
the future where it was. He tried in
various ways to suggest to his mother
that they should wait. He did not
say too pointedly, Leave us alone
for while" but 10 Ellen could hear
this In things he said. When other
suggestions seemed to fail, he brought
forward the argument that he might
pull out of the scrape. 1t was all
very well to assume that the doctors
were guarded because they didn't
want to be discouraging. Wasn't the
real truth that they weren't sure?
For this Mrs. Simms had an an
swer. There was the matter Of
money. They couldn't go on with
out money. and keeping up separ.
ate place was extravaganza. She did
not say "burden," but it was clear
that she meant burden. If Marty
We're at his own home the load of
the rent would be dropped at once.
Wouldn't that be more sensible
But, mother" interposed Marty,
1--WE have a plan-Jo Ellen's vaca-
ton ends pretty soon-we were both
going to keep on working. and until
I've given myself q fair chance"
Good heavensp' cried Mrs. Simms.
you're not thinking, are you, that
10 Ellen's salary could run you? In
fants-youre a pair of infants"
Maybe the salary wouldn't be
enough-we might have to get little
help"
"A little help? I should say you
would" Mrs. Simms turned to 10
Ellen. How much are you getting
'fForty.p
And you're actually planning"
I'D like to try It," said 10 Ellen
ITO see how near we could come to-
getting by i.
"How much is your rent?"
"Sixty-five. y
"well. with everything costing
Wnal II COSTING now, you q De ABOUT
that much behind every month.
That's the plain truth"
Il think we could do better urged
10 Ellen.
"You don't know how he eats" de
clared Mrs. Simms
YES she does Marty retorted
Hasn't She
And how would it look. Mrs
Slmms pursued unfiinchInglv, to
have you sitting here in nat kept
lby your wife, Who'd attend 10
things2"
We've talked It all over" Jo
Ellen began.
That's 1t. You've talked II. But