Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-09-19
A Handsome Husband
Bv Alice Duer Miller
A About-And
Situation o PosSibG

did let him she simply could not
help IT. Now. looking up at the end
of a long hreathless play, she saw
the reason why he wasn't cross He
simply hadn't for long time been
paving any attention to the game
for the reason that Miss Joy had
come out Of her compartment while
the porter went in to make IL Up
for the night Eve had been subcOn-
sciously aware for some minutes of
strong Yet subtle perfume which
| had come drifting down the car.
! Turning her head over her shoulder,
she could catch q glimpse of a slim
little figure and curly golden head.
Eve gathered IN the cards for an
other game. You're not playing as
we'll as usual" she said.
'Or else you're improving.' he
answered generously. This was almost
deceitful Eve thought. especially as.
! when a few minutes later Miss Joy
went back into her dra wing room and
shut the door sharply. Tom took his
revenge.
She went to bed that night aware
0f anxiety as a chronic sufferer is
aware Of the approach Of pain. The
/ trip had been decided on at the last
moment and even Toms influence
had not been able to get them
compartment The best he could do
was two sections on opposite sides
of the car. As she lay awake i'm her
narrow berth she saw plainly that
she was In for one Of those agOniz-
ing struggles which make everything
else in the world seem unimportant.
In fact. just before dawn Eve faced
the fact that al the happiness CT her
married life was over. that Tom
would probably aha ndon her and go
off with Miss Joy. She saw
herself y pitifnl creature arriving
home alone. standing unmet in the
vast waiting room of the station
unmet--and vet eXpla ming to every
body that Tom had been diets ined by
business.
TIE next morning she saw how
ridiculous her state Of mind had
been. and felt tina nkful that she had
had no opportunity Of communicating
II to Tom
That day and the next pa ssed pleas
antly and without incident as far as
the beautiful occupant Of the draw
ing room was concerned. Tom had
discovered thar the gentleman who
had stopped tn watch the game Of
Russian hank was a great specuator
from Los Angeles. and he went out
with all the craft and energy of
dog chasing rabbits to capture the
account for the firm. Miss Joy was
too grand 10 eat i'm the dining car
her meals were served i'm her dra wing
room. Eve began to recover her holi-
day spirit
They had decided to dine early that
evening. and about half past Tom
went away to get ready for dinner
Eve sat reading. Eager for his re-
turn AS she always remained she he
came aware that he had been away a
long time. Looking up from her
book. she saw through the open door
that the compartment at the end of
the car was empty. She rose auto
matiCally to her feet to look for her
hnsba nd
She went the whole length of the
train and reached the observation car
deserted At that hour. The door to
the back platform was open. and
through II. like frame. Eve saw
picture Of her husha nd and Miss Joy.
Miss Joy was aiming both hands on
the hack Of chair. and as she talked
she moVed-her shoulders. her small
pretty feet. her lips. her head. every
thine hut her blue eyes. which were
pinned to Toms. Tom. towering
above her. was smiling-he had
queer characteristic smile. the cor
ners of his mouth curving upward
until his mouth became almost a semi
circle. Eve could even hear what they
were saying.
she was crazy about you" Mis-.
JOY was saving. "She used to come
round 10 my dressing room, and il
you hadn't been In your regular seat
OH boy. we all had to suffer-
"A pity about her" answered Tom.
What do you suppose | came to that
show every night for?''
- ITO see her, presume" said Miss
JOY modeStlN.
Eve had no wish to hear the answer
to this ins!ncere presumption. and so
she spoke. and her tone was that of a
silver bell sharply struck. TON.
she said.
He came at once. He showed no
vulgar sense Of guilt He followed
her. as without speaking she Went
quickly up the aisle. He said. rather
casually. I'm sorry I kept YOU walt
ing for dinner
She was surprised to hear herself
answering with a trembling voice,
And is that All you're sorry for"
He looked at her in establishment.
you mean YOU minded my speaking
to Joey. joy
~
40 much your doing il as your having
wanted so much to d" it--having
planned Il and Thoughts about it--not
having been able /" play a simple
game of cards when she WAS about
your caring So terribly"
But | don't care about her at all
Joey Joy. Good heavens"
Well. could anything he. more
trivial than that" said Eve. "A
woman you don't care for--whom you
even a little despise-and Vet the
thought OF her ahsorhs You so much
that you forget me and everything
else. Could anything be cheaper?
can't bear YOU to be like that. Tom
Ne looked down at Eve gravely.
ut seems pretty harmless 10 me-" he
said. Il think YOU would find any
man would welcome the presence of
Joey-just as a spectacle--on long,
tiresome journey like this
"Ah. there 1t is" answered Eve.
You are bored and to me- TO Journey
where YOU are could be t;rescnle
That's the Inference between us. Ne.
please don; mink In jealous l. ism: ,
because it's a woman. should tesl
just the same about anything you do
which was utterly beneath vci 20 On
| know how YOU feel about Miss JOY
that there is nothing 20 re said for
her except that she's wicked"
Il beg your pardon" said Tom
quickly. That isn't at all the way
feel-there's a lot to he said for her
she's beautiful and brave and dances
ike q dream. 10 saw nothing of the
fact that she's excellent company.
But. OF course, II YOU say you don't
want me to speak of her, wort"
=! don't want YOU TO speak to her"
~ CO. n nd
opened the door for her. She already
regretted what she had done. She
knew Tom had not expected to he
taken up. He would keep his word.
hut in keeping 1t he would permit her
to see that he was bored. Tom bored