Evening star., 1926-08-22

oh" Gertrude cried, II must see
YOU
I'm coming right over" Frieda
heartened Gertrude. 1t was a hint
OF laughter.
What's happened. Frieda?" she
asked.
"I4l tell YOU when see YOU"
Frieda promised.
Tell me ROW." Gertrude begged.
Frieda's answer was to hang up the
receiver.
Gertrude lay in he'd listening for
Frieda's car. listening for any sound
that would indicate Archie was awake
in the next room. listening for any
thing that would break the tension
of anxiety.
F'rieda came running up the stairs
and burst into Gertrude's room.
oh, my dear" she cried, do YOU
know where your husband was last
night"
No" Gertrude said. Il only know
he didn't come in till o'clock this
morning"
Frieda burst into laughter.
''Sh-hh." said Gertrude, you'll
wake him up
"IIe was with me. my dear. And he
talked. Oh. how he talked
What did he say" Gertrude cried.
Tell me what he said"
FI'iedaS S answer was to laugh. Ger.
trude could have slapped her.
81 don't see what's funny" she said
testify
I'm sorry. Gertrude. But it is
funny. And it makes everything sim
pie. | know what YOU must do. now.
You see, he can forgive YOU for having
an affair with Philip Maple. There's
no convincing him you didn't. But
he can somehow accept it. The thing
he can't forgive YOU for is lying To-
him about it. He wants to forgive
you. but he can't"
do you suppose he still loves me-"
Gertrude asked
"Of course he does. you little idiot
He's crazy about you-as he always
was and always will be. ] told him he
was fool. told him | knew you
were innocent. And all he would say
was. 1T doesn't stand to reason"
| Gertrude burst into tears; Gertrude
wept until F'rieda became impatient
and shook her.
Come out of it, Gertrude" she said
sharply. Come out of il and use
your head"
II have used my head" Gertrude
cried. I've thought and thought and
thought. And there just isn't any
thing to do with IL fixed idea like that.
He just can't believe that man and
a woman could he together alone from
midnight Till o'clock in the morning
innocently.''
"Oh, I don't know Frieda said. 81
| twitted him about it last night. He
talked to me until "A quarter of A.
Gertrude shook her head.
Il know" she said. But having
l1n aY.iny III
him. He thinks Philip Maple is diff
ferent. lie thinks Philip Maple is
simply irresistible to women"
Then let him think it," Frieda said.
What" Gertrude Gasped. What
on earth do you mean"
II mean take him at his word. He
=, says the thing he can't forgive you is
telling him YOU are innocent. Tell
him you are guilty"
Tell him I'm guilty" Gertrude
cried
"Why not? He believes it anyhow.
Let him feel that YOU trust him
enough to confess to him.
Gertrude tried to consider the idea
seriously.
Don't YOU see. Gertrude? It's one
of the oldest situations I'm the world
| ] have read dozen stories about II.
| The woman is always guilty. The
thivalrous man practically admit
her guilt by refusing TO tell her name.
He would rather he hanged for muir
der than give her away. And then
when she is given away everybody is
sure she is guilty. It's the tradition
ItS the thing men believe-about
other men. You can't fight II. Well.
my answer is. don't fight it. Let them
keep their romantic notions. Let them
go on believing that Il woman can't
be with man at an unconventional
/ hour unless there's guilt in it,
| Gertrude thought. and the more
| she thought the more inclined she was
to accept Frieda's view Of IL. The
only difficulty was she couldn't quite
, imagine bringing herself to the point
of going through with it.
! IT'S what you'd tell me il were In
your predicament. Gertrude"
II know 1t is" Gertrude said sud.
denly.
Go and tell him--go and tell him
quickly"
II will. ">Gertrude said. II will tell
/ him now
I She rose and washed her face and
| powdered her nose. She was inter
rupted in this last process by a knock
on her door. 1t was Archie.
| Come in." she said.
| Archie stood in the doorway.
/ IL" he began.
| Have YOU been listening?" Ger.
4, trude cried
| Archie swallowed twice In his
code it was the last crime to listen
in on a private conversation.
| II have" he said. And -
! With a little rush. Gertrude was in
his arms. He took her in his arms
gladly.
! "Oh. Archie" she cried. II was
! going to tell you was guilty"
/ II know" he said gently. lie kissed
! her. II was a fool
! Tears rolled down Archie's cheeks
for the first time since he was a lit
tie boy. Gertrude sobbed In his arms.
But she sobbed happily. She had got
the old. harmonious. loving relation.
! ship back.
Downright. 1921