San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-09-21
The Making Of
a Husband
Ann Lisle's N e ~
Phase of Jim and
Anne's Marital
Adventure
BY ANN Isle
Chapter 20.
BY ANN Isle

When Jeanne left me to go to Mich
olas Perrys and sit for her portrait,
it was not yet 8. 1t was after by
the time Jim arrived at the Birches.
Ordinarily / should have been able to
fill the hours of waiting with prepare
tions for dinner. might have beaten
up rich cake or concOcted a fancy
salad dressing or. an elaborate entrce.
But the knowledge that May Valleau
would arrive at 5 in the full expecta-
ron of getting dinner, kept me from
going out to the kitchen and working
off all morbid notions in healthy ac-
t.vity.
Because I had nothing else to do i
sat and thought. Presently the think
ing became "brooding." l got myself
righteously wrought up over Jcanie's
going to Nicholas Perry's studio daily
10 sit for her portrait. l wondered If
she was having her portrait painted in
red and silver tunic and n kasha
cloth skirt. l decided she wasn't. But
she had not exhibited any baggage.
Even il she had her costume out in
her car, surely she wouldn't want TO
carry it back and forth with her all
the time. Shed leave it at Perry's.
All this bothered me a great deal.
But it was only an obligato to the dis
. hanccs in my mind at the thought
tnGt little Arlette Vallcau has cat
that is the twin Of my Kitty FiTkin.
49,. Jim brought the kitten from
town deliberately enwrapped in news
papers to keep out the cold Of the long
journey. Did he bring two? Is he
starting one of his flirtations with the
pretty little Arlette whom i was fool
enough to take to his office the day j
had her in town to select her winter
wardrobe? How else could Arlettt
come by a kitten that was the twin of
mine? My maids sister! That would
be too demeaning. couldn't bear it il
Jim flirted with Arlette.
"Anne Harrison, stop that" l adj
monished myself sternly. You're act
ing like an abject fool. You've been
given a sleeve and you're trying to
match il IN so you can make n whole
gown. Jeanne meant to annoy you
when she spoke of Arlette's kitten.
Cats aren't exclusive patterns Of
breeds. Why shouldn't little Arlette
have kitten? Maybe it's Mrs. Cruik-
shank's kitten, and you know you
wouldn't be bit miffed il Jim brought
Firkin's sister to the old LADY,"
chuckled at the mental picture Of
Jim on his knees offering the wee ball
Of fluff to old lady Cruikshank, and /
embroidered il by visioning her lifting
her cane and knighting Jim for his
chivalry.
At this I laughed so hard that !
had to wipe my eyes, and as brushed
away the tears. felt cleansed, / felt
= had conquered my besetting and long
absent sin Of jealousy. And didn't
spoil things for myself by trying to
decide when it would bob up again to
make me utterly miserable.
Perhaps if / hadn't been so upset
and consequently so distract, would
never have mentioned Jeanie's portrait
10 Jim. But / was handling myself
cautiously, so no angry word anent
the kitten would get itself said. And
as / was proceeding so gingcrly as to
be almost dull. Jim leaned across the
dinner table and said:
Haven't you a thing to tell me.
Anne? / don't believe sitting around
like this is good for you. Nothing
seems to happen out here tn relieve
the monOtony of the days. You need
a bit of stimulation. II poking around
out here is going TO make you dull
and stodgy, I'm going to insist on
your starting back to your office daily.
Really. it must be frightfully monoto-
nous for you here without thing to
make life exciting"
A laugh burst out and cut sharply
across Jim's words. 1t had been bub-
bling up from the moment when Jim
began saying that nothing happened
out here at the Birches to relieve the
mnnontony of the days. And now the
thing that had been threatening took
place. l couldn't strange my laugh. il
interrupted Jim rudely. He looked at
me in establishment that deepened to
displcasure.
"Tm funny, aren't II" he said sar.
castically. II hand you a good laugh
I'm so silly you have TO sit there and
howl at me. Wcll-tell me what I've
said that's so darn absurd"
How could 1 tell Jim that he wasn't
absurd at all and that my laughing
was hysteria Mt the thought of how
much excitement" this supposedly
ouiet sylvan retreat was bringing into
nv life? I didn't want him to, know
Of the latest threat Of the Red Pal
mers, for / felt sure that il he knew
of Tarasof and the broken window
and Mays fears for my safety, jim
would be bound to insist on moving
NV detective instinct, my curiosity and
nv sporting blood are aroused. Silly
or moi. want to see the matter OF the
Red Palmer through. know jim
wouldn't let me. so / can't let jim
know about it.
Therefore. not knowing what TO say
in answer to Jim's angry demand that
j tell him why l was laughing. SAT
silent, trying to control my mirth. But
his face. his manner and his insistenct
on my being so bored ! was getting
silly as well as dull were too much FOL
me. and so flung out desperately:
I'm kept from being dull by won
derinr what Jeanie is going to de
next" .,
"Jeanie! What's she got to do witt
it?' demanded jim.
perhaps / am so dull here that
make something Of nothing" i be
gan, wondering whether silence oil
speech were fairer to Jcanie.
"Let me judge of that" Jim sait
coldly. His tone was judicial and de
handing. "I've worried about Jeanit
a long time. j need light on the sub
iect, Please sneak up, Anne"
"AIl right" / said meekly.
But lad a sudden pallid. stricken
sense. Was about to interfere witt
Jeanic's freedom as an individual
Has sSc right TO lead her own lifi
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