San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-11-13
THE MAKING OF A HUSBAND
A SERIAL BY Ann Lisle
Chapter 116.

Copyright. 1895. by King Fe
you've got to see, her." / insisted.
You've got to tell her whatever it is
that needs to be said between you"
"It's too much to ask Of me when
I'm in this condition" walled Nicholas
Perry. "It's not fair. l won't do it.
1 can't"
"You might send her back to Pat
where she belongs" l suggested. per
haps it would be easier for her to for
give and forget where he is concerned
if she saw you-and herself clearly.
I'm going to send her to you. VIII
you-free her from her obsession about
you? Will you give her back her
freedom?"
With breathless feeling that i was
playing, not "Mrs. Fix-It,' but Fate
itself, / waited for the answer.
I'll tell Jeanie-as much as l can,
Nicholas Perry said at last. I'll
give her back her freedom, as you call
it. feel like cad, though"
"You were never more OF gen
tleman," l replied with conviction.
Then / went to call Jcanie-to SEND
her TO an interview which l might
have SHARED her and Nicholas Perry
by Strengthening out the comedy of err
rors which each regarded as, poten
tial tragedy. But / did not feel thai
| had right to assume their obllSa'
tions in this way. They had been
skating on thin ice. The Niklns
Stub fancied Jeanie q cliDging vine
in desperate need of his support.
jeanne had been flattered by what she
thought was his guilty passion" ior
her-another mans wife. And tn'
truth was that Mr.. Perry pitied Jeanie
and liked her-but did not covet her
at all, while Jeanne had probably been
as much interested in paying Pat back
in his own coin as in the magnificent
masculine person with whom she SEEM
ed to be philandering.
Each had revealed the truth to me
But would either believe the truth If II
were revealed TO the other by me?
1 felt that l couldn't straighten out
the tangle by assuming one bit of thu
unpleasant responsibility Of gettin;
the truth uncovered. 500. go.
So sent Jeanne in to face the mu'
sic-and to help make it.
Then / tiptoed into Jim's room
He was awake by this time, and be
yond sort, of rheumatic soreness
which made him think his nice warn
bed the most enchanting place in thu
world. he wasn't any the worse for his
experience. But he was all curiosit.
to hear the events which led up to his
condition rccounted.
SO / told him about the tree branci
which had fallen across our path ant
had pinned him down, of the dog hat
taken for a wolf, and of the conse
quent fears which forbade my follow
ing that dog on the rescue mission fol
which it sought me.
Whose animal was it," asked' jim
entwining his fingers with mine.
Nicholas Pcrry's," 1 replied.
"How do you know"
Thus encouraged. / turned from thu
chronicle of events directly concernc,
with Jim to those relating to Jeani'
and Nicholas Perry. As / talked
found my mind wandering. / wa
trying to guess how Jeanie and Mr.
Perry were making out with their diff
! ficult interview. 1 was trying to de
termine whether to confine my chron
icle to one of events, or to 20 into mo
tives, feelings and the probable out
come of this Christening experience
But Jim sidetracked me by exclaim
ing suddenly:
Its a darn shame Jeanie had Il
be enamored of Perry of all men. He''
an artist-a Benvenuto Cellini sor
of person. He'd rather paint a gor
geous picture than win a woman
love. And he'd always neglect tn
woman he loved to follow his star anC
create q work of art"
His hands are frozen" blurte
out.
Jim looked down at the finger
that were entwined with mine. II
lifted his own uninjured hand an
stared at it quizzically.
$50 Perry didn't come off whole,
he said at last. But you got m
home safe and sound. That's what
real love will do"
Jim shut his eyes. His fac
twitched convulsively. / wondere'
why he was so deeply moved-move
beyond words or a caress. But | di
not trust myself to ask, and after
moment Jim opened his eyes, smile
at me and said gently:
you're real, Ann. You're wifi
and mother combined. l like havin
you baby me. But sometimes l wis
| could make you utterly depender
on me-make you silly and irrationi
and absurd and helpless-instead G
so darn efficient
Jim finished explosively. ! reco,
nized that he was giving himself owe
to an elaborate masculine resentmer
Of the fact that L was capable (