New Britain herald., 1926-07-13
THE PETER s, s,.: s::::;:: ;:;::; s::s: ::::::
 HER MAN" c Broadway, A Yrk tt


I Eelen's eyes were actually starry 5 with excitement and happiness as , she greeted them. Merry had 5 never seen her so pretty. She : hadn't dreamed that her drab sis ] fer could look as she did at this . minute, in pink gingham house : dress, cIinging to her husband $
 arm in a soft helpless way that was | utterly unlike the self-roliant Helen , they had always known. Don't you think the place is he : ginning to lor'' honey" she asked
 them, looking around the room
 with it's oycr-stuffed fu 'niture its
 briGht-colored pictures. and is
 plain brown rug as if it were the
 most beautiful and wonderful spot lin the whole world.
 Delight ly she led them 10 tho
 dining room, with It's white walls and painted furniture. She opened .the drawers of the sidehoard 10
 show them the neat rows of forks and knives and spoons that lay, 'glittering, within them.
 And look here.' she cried, open
 ing the swinging door that led to
 the kitchen. Here's my fayoritc
 room!"
 The kitchen really was the pride
 of the house. IL was pretty enough,
 and neat enough for ny bride on
 earth. The walls were white and
 the tiled floor was blue. There
 wasn't so much as q sink -strainor
 or mop in sight. All the ugly
 household tools were hidden be.
 hind white cupboard doors.
 For one swift second the thought
 flashed across Merry's mind that she would like a kitchen like this herself. A darling little kitchen. where she wo- Id cook dinner for Tony, and where he would find her when he came home from the offic@ aftr his hard days work.
 She shut her eyes, and could sec herself in just such q kitchen. with frilly little apron over fluffy IHttle dress. and her arms around ITony's neck as she greeted him with kiss.
 Then. abruptly, she came down 10 earth. She remembered what Cassie had said to her, less than an hour ago about Tony, and shadow darkened her gay littl" face that was made for smiles and laughter.
 "I wonder if Cassie could be right" she unused when they wer" back in the living room. "I won der if Tony really does want to marry me-
 She began 10 argue with herself. If he means to marry me, ii seems to me he would have wanted his mother to sec me the minute she came home! If I were a man. I'd be so proud of the girl l wanted for my wife that I couldn't wait to sh<% her off to my family"
 Then she thought ''but perhaps his mother vas tired. Perhaps Tony will want me to meet her to- morrow. And yet. she wasn't too tired to sit up and have dinner with him and this Cousin Louise of ! his"
 UFI1 " dS dlIOliiFl iilpuS llI Np | worry her. How old was Cousin Louise? Perhaps she was young ! and beautiful. and perhaps she was | in love with Tony. Perhaps that | was why he had stayed home to- ! night"
 "Oh. dear!" Merry said to her { self, "why didn't I marry him that . day that he skcd me to instead | of telling j. 4 all about Derrick | and Le1 Purcell, and all the rest . Of the fellows I've run around . with?"
 She reflected that confession might be good for the soul, but t was certainly harl on the nerves. She got up and strolled out Of the house into the soft, whispering night
 A tiny glow from a cigaret gleamed from the depths of Der rick's car. !,
 Come on out here:" his voice came to her across the darkness. and she wenf
 She sat in the farthest corner of | the seat with her little feet braced against the dashboard. Derrick said not word. but sat looking |' it her gloomily. He made her nervous.
 well. isn't it lovely that Helen's !, married at last?" she asked finally. iust for ;he sake of saying some { hing, T
 AS a matter of fact, she was any hing but glad Helen had married and gone away. The house had not ii been nearly so comfortable since ' she had left. (
 Merry missed Helen. of course, put most of all she missed the 1 hings that Helen did for her. She i missed the beautiful neatness Of { Ter bedroom now that there was 10 Helen to dust it every day. She f missed the French toast and the T ,erfect coffee that Helen had made } or breakfast every morning. |
 Derrick. however. showed no sign It # interest in either Helen or her marriage. s
 How about you and me?" he { slled. That's what I want to | ,now. What are you running V round with this long-legged law Ii CT for, when you've been telling b ne for six months that you'd b larry me the day I graduate from olege?" t "Oh saasafrass, I did not!" q ferry denied it hotlv, even though il he knew he was telling the abso- W lte truth "I like YOU. Derry but q
 's the end of it!"
 "Oh, that's the end of it, is it?' h e repeated and before she knew il hat he was about he was on her ' ide of the car, crushing her to i'm as he had many, many times si efore. right in this very car!
 Merry tore herself away from " i'm and rushed away toward the ts