New Britain herald., 1926-08-12

CaSSfe'S face was mottIed ana swollen with crying, and the hand kerchief that she tossed down on the dresser was a wet little ball.
 What were you doing, listening in?" she asked Merry between the sobs that still shook her.
 Are you going back home, real ly?" Merry answered her with a question of her own. For Cassie had begun to fling her brushes and night clothes back into her bag.
 She sniffed and wiped her eyes and the end of her pink nose with fresh handkerchief.
 q guess so," she said wearily What else is there to do?" Her chin quivered. q cant get along without Morley. I hate him, but I'm crazy about him, too"
 She shook out the crumpled folds of the orchid nightgown and folded it into her overnight bag.
 q n-never knew how much did care for hi muntil he began tc chase after Eff ePll." she added sitting back on her heels and look ing up at her sister. He can't be so awfully wild about her, or he wouldn't be here to take me home with him, would he?"
 Her hard green eyes were actu- ally wistful as she asked Merry the question. And Merry said she was sure Morley did not care a snap of his fingers about Mrs. Pell. "Men can make love to a woman and it doesn't mean thing ir their lives" she added, out of hei young wisdom.
 How many men had made love to her in their time, without mean. ing anything!
 She thought them over as she kissed Cassie goodbye-Less Purcel Cabby Marsh and Derrick Jones l and a dozen others whose very names she had half forgotten.
 From the window of the bed room she could see Bill Erskine still sitting in Morley's car. H' had lit another cigar and was blow. ing the smoke out of the window | beside him.
 And Bill Erskine," she said tc herself. "I wonder what I mean tt him. I wonder if I even mean anything to him but a good-look' ing girl for betting party"
 She turned away from the win dow and opened the door of hel clothes closet to choose dress fol tonight.
 The very sight of her clothes hanging there, cheered her up.
 By the time she had decided or an almond green crepe, and blacl | hat, she was feeling herself again She began to hum as she laid then 1 out, and sprayed some perfume oi them from an atomizer.
 Gloom fever fingered long il Merry's heart. She was, by nature sun worshipper. Instinctively sh' loked for brightness behind ever! black cloud.
 Bill Erskine was with Morley, she told Mons and Lillie, when sh went back to the dining room fo another cup of coffee. What d you think of that? I didn't evel know he was in town. I'm goini out to dinner with him tonight So I guess everything's all righ with him and me again" Lille and Mons looked at he without speaking. MT. Hefflinge got up and walked pompously ou of the room.
 Did you see this piece abou Les Purcell?" Lillie asked, whe the door had closed behind him.
 She showed the daily newspape across the table to Merry. On tn front page was a single-colum story about Les and Nonie Purcel
 The headlines seemed to sprin out of the print at her-"WIF HINTS AT OTHER WOMAN" The opening sentence struc terror to Merry's very soul. MT Nonie Purcell, who tried to comm suicide by taking poison last Nc vember. yesterday filed suit fe diyorce-"
 "Oh. my soul" she groane' and fell back in her chair. "D you suppose I'm the other woman
 You don't think I could bed you?" Her eyes went from h' mothers face to Lilies, and the . were like the eyes of frightene hunted animal.
 T can soon find out l can fir r out from Less own lawyer" Lill 3 suggested hopefully. And the : you won't have to mix up in at all."
 And you'd better stay home t