San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-08-07

room and sank down in a chair with
his face in his hands.
Never had | faced a situation like
this. Often l have been jealous of
Jim, and in this moment it came 10
me that ] had probably always been
wrong when / let my sense Of posses
sion make me miserable. The fact
that my position was ineXplicable did
not change the truth that it was
nothing TO diScuSs-nothing TO worry
about.
/ could see il all clearly as
little snarl caused by Jeanie's interest
in the artist and by my willingness
to encourage her in anything harm
less that reused her from the apathy
in which she has been buried since
Baby Pat debut TO tell this TO
jim would be TO make bad matters
worse. He was angry and hurt with
Jeanne. couldn't drag her in'
Just now. Jim's so-callcd family
pride" might swing him off on
new but equally dangerous
tack. | felt that all l could do was
trust to Jim's inherent fairness-his
real love and confidence in me.
shall l get support" / asked.
81 couldn't eat" jim answered.
by the time things are ready
you'll be hungry" l said, as to n
child who needs to he cOaXed 10
take his bread and milk.
How can YOU eat? You've just
had tea" was the reply which made
me realize that If we were TO get
out of the dangerous circle in which
jim was making his mental move
ments like squirrel in the wheel OF
cage. I'd better keep silent and
even get out of his way and per-
haps momentarily out Of his con-
sciousness.
So. without another word. l went
to my room and slipped into sim
pie little crepe smock, in which l
could work without difficulty. Then
| hurried to the lardCr and looked
over its contents rs carefully as II
| were about to entertain the am
bassador to the Court Of st. James.
IF Jim has chance TO think
things over and secure little per-
spective aud calm down, he'll be bet
ter" | told myself cncouragingly.
And after he has had n good hot
meal, he'll be too comfy to quarrel.
Then it may be safe to tell him the
whole silly business and laugh with
him at his absurd loneliness
Thus encouraged, made cream OF
tomato soup, put on the lamb chops
to broil and the lyonnaise potatoes TO
fry, in the intervals of getting things
ready to push into the living room
on the tea wagon when was about
ready.
Il won't disturb jim until 1 have
to-" / told myself as l opened a can
of French peas and beat up the Rus
sian dressing for the hearts OF leu
tuCc.
When everything was ready to
carry into the front room, / pushed
the mince pie I'd made in the morn
ing into the piping hot oven, and
then opened the door to the living
room and wheeled in the tea wagon.
Il laid the table this morning
Everything will be ready in a jiffy,
l said.
There was no answer.
Jim, where are yOu?" | called.
The silence remained unbroken.
Jim :" | shouted demandingly, but
with the cold fear that l should meet
with no response.
When my fears were realized, l
ran toward the front door with my
heart pounding in my throat. Sup
pose Jim really had been so made
with jealousy and resentment that he
had whirled out Of the house on the
wings of wrath How absurd and
annoying and absolutely belittling it
would be for him to rush to Nicholas
Perry with a demand for an explain
alton.
What are you gazing out into the
moonlight for?" demanded Jims voice
suddenly.
1t came from back of me. I swung
around to see Jim just stepping into
the room from the little side porch.
His face wore an odd, puzzled look.
Did you see ghost-or a dryad
or sOmething-queer and elfin?" he
asked.
1T must have been that Arlctte!"
fitted through my mind. But aloud
l said:
Il see piping hot lamb chops, broiled
to a turn. And you know how NUT
tony and tallowy they taste when they
get cold"
IAN right, let's eat" Jim answer
ed.
But as he sat down I realized that
his mind was not on lamb chops and
that the difficult situation of half an
hour before was not disposed of, but
merely postponed.
III know what to say when the
time comes" I assured myself.
But would I? A crisis was ap-
preaching, of that l was sure. ] was
equally certain that ] did not know
how to meet it.
Ito Be COntinued)