New Britain herald., 1926-06-28

1 Come in here by the fire" she
 said 10 Sylvia, who was still stand
 ing where Peter had left her, and
 have a cup of this. It'll do you
 good"
 She had three cups herself while
 she listened to Sylvia's story. 1 Every now and then she would
 nod her head jerkily and her mouth would twist bitterly, as if she were drinking alum instead of tea.
 Haven't l always told you that Randall Phelps would never be true to you, or to any other woman ?" she asked when Sylvia had finished You mark my words, he'll go on having these affairs with women all his life! If you go back to him, 'you're a fool! But you will. I sup pose, Youn put your pride in your pocket and run back 10 him the minute he lifts his finger. I'll bet cooky."
 She got up stiffly and marched into the kitchen. with her tea tray.
 "All right. you do as you please!" she snapped when she came back, I'm not going to say another word 10 you. You'd better come up to bed now and sleep on your troubles, as they say There's good advice in the pillow.''
 She led the way upstairs through the darkened house. and Sylvia fol- lowed her silently. In the darkness at the head of the stairs she spoke again.
 Peter Wilk's still in love with you. the poor fool" she said. When l was young. men put woman out of their minds as soon as she was married. Still. I suppose, forbidden fruit is sweetest after all"
 Then she said goodnight, gave Sylvia a peck on her cheek and went into her own room, locking her door behind her.
 While Sylvia was undressing she heard her door open again, and Aunt Agony put her head into the room
 'T curse the day that you saw Ranny Phelps" she said impressive ly and youH live to curse it, too."
 Sylvia sat on the edge of her bed for long time after the house was quiet. She was thinking. thinking, thinking.
 She wondered where Fanny was. Had he gone home with Babs. or had he come back to the houseo
 Then she asked herself if she i hadn't been foolish 10 get up and run away just because Fanny had kisged Babs
 Perhaps she was making moun- i tain out Of molehill. Pehaps he l didn't care a snap of his finger 1 'hout Babs Delano, aftec all. Ranny | had kissed many a woman who did ! l't mean thing 10 him. in his life lime. Sylvia knew that.
 And anyway, I had no right to l leave the way I did" she made up her mind at last. I've married Ran ny. and my job is to stick to him 1 trough thick and thin"
 That was what she had promised 1 o do when she married him. wasn't f? For better, for worse, till death 10 us part, she had said.
 She jumped up. pulled off her lishtgown and began to dress with eyorish haste.
 It was 12 when she slipped baIf- way down the stairs and looked at Grandfather Starr's old clock on the andlnE. Very quietly she tiptoed l. town the last flight Of the steps and clephoned for a taxicab.
 She stood on the porch, in the windy February darkness, waiting i, or it 10 come. She did not want !, Aunt Agony 10 wake up, and she ran -oWn to the curb when it drove up, nd jumped in, begging the driver to | make as little noise as possible.
 The little white house was in Il darkness except for the two front 'indows above the door-the win ows of their room, Ranny's and ers; He was home, then.
 Breathlessly she ran up the walk nd unlocked the door. Ranny's vercoat and his soft gray hat were anging on the hall rack The smell f his moking tobacco was in the ir His newspapers were scattered n the floor of the living room. The 'hole house spoke Of him. h
 She ran upstairs. He had fallen ( sleep reading, and a cigar dangled rom his limp fingers. It had scorch- q q hole in tho bed spread before [
 went out. Its wonder he oesn't burn the house down." she bought.
 The soft glow Of the lamp beside T is bed brought out the chiseled ( brightness of his features, and 2 Tinted on the side of his blonde I cad.
 How love him" Sylvia thought. ' I couldn't leave him, for I love him i DO much" l.
 He gave sleepy sigh and moved $ S if he were waking up. S
 Fanny" Sylvia said softly, and e opened his eyes and looked at f CT. h
 You came back?" he said, after V
 minute.
 Sne nodded happily. Her heart il as suddenly as light as d feather, & ecause she had found him here, f here he belonged. I
 "Of course I came back" she said nd dropped down on her knees be- i dc the bed. q got to thinking d lings over, and I made up my mind l nat it was silly Of me 10 run away r 'om home just because you kissed S abs" h The memory of that scene in the ying room when she had found h i'm with Babs in his arms, stabbed s CT like a knife, for a second. But I le went on bravcly: W "T know that you don't really care n ,r Babs," she said gravely, "I know f. ou have a little case on her the fl ay you had cases on Fay and Fuss | arch, and pretty girls like them."
 Why, if was absurd to think that a amy cOuld fall in love with a lum- n