San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-08-18
The Making Of
a Husband
AnD Lisle' S N e ID
Phase of Jim and
Anne'S Marital
Adventure
nv ANN UUeIE
Chapter Al.
BY ANN Isle

Copyright. 1925. King Features Syn, Inc
Hello, Anne!" said Jim casually
and without turning from the CRATE,
fire which he was laying as 1 came
out to breakfast at The Birches
Sleep well?"
well enough" I said coolly, taken
completely aback by Jim's unselfcon.
sclous tone after what had passed
between us the night before. And
you?"
Never BETTER" he answered.
This was the insult supreme. We
had parted on the worst of terms.
We were miles further apart than if
the air had been cleared by a furious
stormy quarrel. And here was Jim
absorbed in making the fire, uncon-
sclous of the need of righting him
self with me after the way he had
snubbed me and called me down"
last highland to add insult to in
jury telling me he had never slept
better.
is May here?" I asked. feeling the
need of some remark with which TO
build myself bridge over the mo-
ment when | must sit down at the
breakfast table and act as if the meal
were a pleasant occasion.
The tables set, isn't it?" asked
Jim, without lifting his head from
that absorbing fireplace.
Couldn't you have done that"
asked, getting a little pcppery and
picking up the paper to hide the tears
mat were yelling up into my eyes.
Il could have-but / didn't. This
Jght-tlngercd person you are so de-
voted to has to do something to earn
her wages" grumbled Jim.
My mind turned n somersault.
Why! He's sort of jealous in a
queer, absurd way" / realized. He
thinks I'm too forgiving where May
is concerned-that / spend too much
energy tolerating her and might not
be as fair to him-or something"
\ AT once / began to feel better. /
mad q slight sense of triumph. Our
M Misunderstanding revealed itself as
that had happened because
JimN did love me-nOt because he
didn't. My blood seemed TO flow
warmly and pleasantly again instead
of coRgealing into laden threads in
my veins.
That Mrs. Waynflete, who bought
CarlOtta Sturges's house, has landed
herself on the front pages again." !
said, reading aloud half under my
breath with an entire feeling Of com
fort and well-bcing. "She's suing for
alienation of her husbands affections.
Oh, my! It's Ruth Gregory she's
suing. Ruth Gregory
As my voice trailed off Jim said
irritably:
That's fine news to start the day.
Can't you find a little more cheerful
and elevating reading? How did the
fight come Out?"
What fight?" I asked.
Il suppose you didn't even know
there was one" Jim said, sarcastcal-
~. But he was interrupted by May
Nalleau's voice, saying in its usual
stolid, colorful fashion:
Good morning. For this morning
] have thought to make the flop jack.
Is it all right l shall make the flop
jack?"
"Griddle cakes will be fine" said.
as May put down our grapefruit and
started back toward the kitchen.
yes, ma'am, flop jack" repeated
May stolidly as she returned TO her
realm.
You might try correcting her sense
of spelling or pronunciation or what
ever it is that is wrong" Jim said
critically as May went back to the
kitchen. mo use promoting her to
'griddle cakes until she has flap
jacks right. No use correcting her
manners until she has a few NOR
ais"
"She has her own code" I said
gently. THAT is the thing it's so hard
TO make n man see. May knows how
pretty and wistful and charming her
little Arlcttc is. She probably has
vague idea that it's better for her TO
steal a little than for Arlctte to-'be
unhappy much as they said in that
play ! saw when / was n child"
1T is better to love a little than
10 be unhappy much" Jim said
thOughtfully, more as If he were phil
than quoting.
Then he folded the paper, propped
il up before him and sat reading
with absorbed interest. | found my
self running gamut of feelings. Jim
seemed totally unaware that there
was anything wrong between us. He
was acting as if this cold Indifference,
this stodgy taking-for-g granted were
part of our usual routine.
Jim ate griddle cakes with an en-
joyment couldn't duplicate. | sat
and picked at my food, swallowing n
dry and flannclly bite now and then.
When May came in for the fourts
time and Jim helped himself to his
third installment of cakes and syrup,
be said suddenly and briskly:
"Wait n minute, May! I've some
thing to ask you"
"Yessir," the girl said without q
flicker Of animation in her tone.
Have you seen anything of a black |
box with gold letters and a cake OF !
soap, bottle Of toilet water and glass |
jar Of talcum insidc?"
How should l see such?" asked |
May, with a faint note Of hoarsencss |
in her voice. The platter of griddle |
cakes slipped from her hand to crash |
on the floor and with n sick feeling Of |
pity l waited for what Jim would say |
oeXt.
ITo M Cnnf;.naJ