San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1926-01-23

The Making Of
a Husband
Ann LisLe's N EN-
Phrase of Jim and
Anme's Marital
Adventure
BY ANN Isle
BY ANN Isle
Chapter 1T


"Are any of us honest?" Jim asked
thoughtfully. "Can we be? Do We
know what We want-and why?"
You said you wanted money-a
syndicate to make money out of Ar
lette," / said half scornfully.
THAT is only part Of the truth, 4"
Jim answered.
"You acknowledge that!" I eI-
claimed.
"why not? 1t must be obvious, .
Jim said shortly.
"Then you are interested in Arlette
-as . beautiful young creature?, I
asked, inviting the pain ! felt the re-
ply would be sure to cause.
ayes. But paternally, ! think"
sAre men ever 'paternap to lovely
feminine youth?r I Knocked.
"Are they?" Jim repeated. II con-
fess scarcely KNOW"
"Oh! What am I to think" cried.
VI an really beside myself and all
you do is laugh at me-"
al am not laughing" Jim protest
ed. "But ] am in a mood for the
whitest and clearest truth. Perrys con-
fession made me realize that we are
often like him. They say they love
when they only-want. And when
they are almost certain that they are
disinterested, perhaps that Is not 20
either. Or man might think he only
wanted-when he really loved"
ado you mean to apply this to your
selt-and Arlette?" ! asked. 50 des-
perate that ] threw commense sense
and caution to the winds.
"Again-how am I to know? She
seemed nothing but lovely child to
me. But you raise so many doubts"
4And the joke Of It Is that I'm to
be her guardian when her grandfather
dies" cried so abruptly that hardly
knew how 7 had made the mental
transition that brought me to this
declaration.
"what' shouted Jim. "Have you
taken leave Of your senses? How are
you TO be her-gardian? What does
girl OF that station do with s-guard.
ian?r
"Her ststion-what do you know OF
that?" ] asked. "Shc Is DR.. Jabez
Willis granddaughter"
Have you gone plum crazy? Jim
demanded. "You are making a lot Of
loony remarks, Anne. BE careful"
So had to tell him the whole story
Of Or. Willis boyhood madness and
of how his daughter Rosine would
have nothing to do with him-and
had compelled May--who knew the
whole truth-to bring little Arlctte up
in ignorance of the bar sinister that
made her the granddaughter Of the old
doctor.
told Jim OF my growing friendship
with the doctor, and Of how he had
begged me to be Arlette's guardian and
OF my inability TO refuse the brave and
generous and lovely old man.
I'm going to put stop to this"
Jim declared. "You can't have such a
thing wished on you. 1t will make
Laughing stock Of us BOTH
Oddly enough, Jim did not consider
the fact that we would have a genuine
claim on Arlette il ! were her guard
to profit by her success IL we were
connected with her in this way. He
insisted that I get into my hat and
coat at once and drive over to DIR.
Willis with him. And all the way
over to the doctors house Jim was no
busy telling me ] couldn't be Arletto's
guardian that he did not got around 10
being angry at me for having kept my
news from him so long.
I'll put stop to this nonsense"
he said CURLY. you seem to forget
that May Valleau is alive-and that
she Is going to marry very capable
person--onc IeLe Schmidt. Let him
be her guardian"
"But all the money will be left to
Arlette."
"And Zeke will contest the will for
May. A fine mess you'll be in. I've
got to make tho old doctor see reason"
But ] couldn't make Jim see reason.
We were both so nervous and dis
traught that when We arrived at our
destination we didn't notice anything
odd about the suffered house Of DIR.
Willis and were. absolutely taken un-
nwnres when BERTHE Lingard opened
the door and stood staring at US with
The old wandering blankness on his
csce.
Thank Heaven you've come" be
mouthed.
AS be opened the door shade
wider. something chill and damp and
cold seemed 70 come rushing out from
the house and envelope US.
1--WE came TO see the Doctor"
Jim began, but a wild burst OF maud
lin laughter from BERTHE broke across
his words insanely and then suddenly
BERTHE began 10 sob and stood there
nnashamed with the tears running
down his face as he said:
"He was the best man that ever
lived"
"That ever lived" Jim broke in,
and a wall from BERTHE interrupted
Hes gone" cried BERTHE Lingard.
"Dr. Willis is dead. I--I-I've sent
for the sheriff. IL think I've killed
him. ! told him last night that I
love Arlette. He was afraid. Some
thing hurt him. SOmeone--broke his
heart. Who was itT'
And found / was saying to myself
bitterly:
"Ariette again! Does she poison
all she TOUGHEST"