Evening star., 1926-06-06

There's no possible reason why YOU
should come into my house
Your house"
Well. what's been paid on ii IS
what I've paid or my family's paid"
rs this joke?" asked Bill.
His wife looked at him. Isn't IL
time maGe a joke" she asked. For
two years I've listened to you being
funny about everything / hold dear
about my desire for a home, for "A
settled way of living. about my babies
because there were TWO of them. I'm
tired of seeing you treat life like
farce. I'm tired of having you tell
me I've no sense of humor. I don't
want any sense of humor. DO YOU
understand? / don't want any hus-
band that comes home grinnins
when he ought to be at work. III
send your clothes 10 YOUR father
house, but YOU can't come in here
lie stood on the steps bewildered
You mean you're leaving me-"
NO; you're leaving me-" answered
Gale, and shut the door in her .hus-
bands face. 1t was in Bills mind
to force an entrance, but. after all.
there were neighbors who might even
from half a block away observe. He
hesitated. waited for the door to open
again, then hard the twins wall
above and Gales swift footsteps going
upstairs. He went back TO town.
blindly angry, outraged at what Gale
had said.
IN the city time hung heavy on his
- hands. lie went to his fathers
house for supper. No one was there
and much of the debris of the party
still remained. Bill looked around the
untidy house and was suddenly sick
for peace and order and Gale. She
couldn't mean il. After all, she had
some grievance. lie telephoned her
to apologize. over the telephone Gale
was still using that hard. disillusioned
tone that seemed TO have formed like
a crust around her usual voice. Yes.
she did mean 1t. Just what she had
said. She was through with him, with
everything that he meant. When he
reminded her of the children she said
that it was for the children's sake
that she was doing it.
Bill sat brooding in his fathers
rickety chair when his father came
in.
We'll. here again? Where's Gale"
Gales home. Look here, father.
can you lend me some money till /
get on my feet?'
His father laughed with great
gusto.
What's the joke?''
Il was just going to ask YOU to lend
me some." said Mr.. Pedler.
Bill gave him a dark look and did
not laugh.
Got to be going" he grumbled.
well. don't worry. Don't get
glum. Don't lose your sense of hu-
NOR" advised his father in lieu of the
loan.
Bill spent the night in the emp
tiest hotel room he had ever been in.
1t was empty Of all the things he
wanted, all the things he had taken
| for granted-love and care and his
wife and his children. A horrible night
mate TO the one Gale had had the
night before. lie thought of Gale
out in the suburb-aione. What II
something should happen TO her be-
fore he could show her what he could
| do? What If she did something def =
mite before he saw her again? What
| If she got sick? What if one of the
| twins was sick now-dying? No one
knew where ne was.
| A MONTH later, Gale sat on the
steps of the little house and
| faced her future. Shed have to tell
her mother. she supposed. She
| wanted to live on in this little house
and buy it and bring up the children.
| Bill had taken her ultimatum. She
| hadn't heard from him at all. She
| had sent his clothes to his fathers
| house. and Norma and Penelope had
| both called up to ask what the trou-
BILE was. Gale had been curt "Ask
Bill" she had said.
She was finding that she missed
Bill horribly. missed his good temper.
his way of minimizing worry. his
teasing. all the things she had been
accustomed to for two years. It took
determination and courage and all
the persistence that had kept her
father at one job for twenty years.
to keep from calling him back. But
she reminded herself of the periods
out of work. of the mythical Hazel,
She saw Bill growing more like his
father. and her children like Norma
and Penelope. if she should die. No,
she wouldn't have him back.
just as she arrived at the decision
for the fiftieth time. he came, swing
ing up the walk in his characteristics
long-legged way. He made no at
, tempt to touch her, but sat on the
step below and looked up at her with
a queer shame and pride and humil-
ity in his eyes.
why did YOU Gomez" asked Gale.
"To stay"
Gale shook her head.
II haven't changed my mind"
"All right" said Bill. II have.
What's all this about nonsupport
you were going to divorce me for"'
He dropped one little wisp of paper
into her lap and followed 1t by an
other. .-
"Th4 first one is my salary-most
of 1t. IT'S coming every month like
that. T<e signed contract for two
years with Slosson. And the rest 10
a little payment on debt to you. I
borrowed It to pay you back for what
you've been doing. It's all right.
got it from your fathers bank. He
signed the note. You can hold It as
hostage until / pay off the other If
YOU like, but I've lots of security.
My job at Slosson's-special feature
jobs I'm going to be paid extra for
n university extension class three
nights week"
"But Bill, darling" walled Gale.
you'll never stick"
Won't I2.s,said Bill, moving up a
step and takin41her hungrily into his
arms won't I? And If don't lust