New Britain herald., 1926-06-19
HER MAN .: .::: :.;;: ;;;::: ;;;;:
 


people wouldn't offer her money.
 when she sang for them. They
 wouldn't pity her as they did now, because she had 10 earn her living, And not only her own living, but the
 baby's living, too. Ranny hadn't con-
 tributed a penny toward the up- keep Of the house since August.
 The door opened toward twelve
 o'clock, and he came in,
 She vas waiting for him, wrap
 ped in her kimono Of oldblue silk,
 and lying in q long chair under the
 living room lamp. A book lay on her knees. but she hadn't read a
 word in it. Her big eyes under their
 satin lids and clouded lashes gieam-
 cd at him. The red mouth. with its
 passionate underlip, moved, and she Ispoke- almost laztly.
 "Who vas the girl in the red hat?" she drawled.
 Ranny's voice matched her with Its slow carelessness. "Oh. just q girl I picked up, walking home on her VI. y from work, so she said, he answered. My new car has won- derfuI pickup. you know"
 His gray blue eyes were hard. and
 he shrugged his shoulders, az he walked into the bedroom and closed the door Of it behind him,
 Sylvia longed to follow him. She
 wanted 10 shake him, as a mother oLo r,4Er'ycI because he had picked up a girl on the street! And Ut the same time. she wanted 10 go to him, and beg him not 10 desecrate their love as he was do!ng-not 10 drag IL in the gutters. If he couldn't be true 10 lher. wouldn't he at least behave himself becaus. Of the baby?
 The door Of the bedroom opened, and he came marching out into the living room. He looked more hand some than usual in a suit Of dark blue pajanla- 'hr' Sylvia had bought him when he had the measles.
 How fine and tall and up-stand- ing he vas, He looked like 2 per son who spoEy the truth with the 1 regularity ot q George Washington. iNo one would ever pick him for the itype Of man who drives his car up i beside q strange girl and says Who's who are you? Let's all go { my Hay." And yet that vas the very thing he had just been doing, by his own confession.
 Fanny. how could VOL pick ID a strange L..l in the street," Sylvia asked him, shaking her glossy head. How could you do such a thing"
 IT. raised hls eyebrows and vent on looking for a book In the cases that lined the wall. "Why shouldn't l?" he asked lightly. "you were do- ing something I didn't want you to do, weren't you? I told you didn't want you 10 sing in public, and you Idid it, anyhow, You went out and |l left me here alone. Is it any of your business how I amused myself while you were gone? When the cats aTay.' you know"
 His voice initiated Aunt Agony's. { as he quoted the proverb. And In spite of herself. Sylvia laughed. | But there was no laughter fin RanHy. "The only reason you went over 10 Wilks' 10 sing vas 10 show off before Peter" he said darkly you had 1t all planned to suit your self-even the ride home with him." Sylvia's eyes widened with amaze ment. Well. my goodness! There wasn't anything wrong in his bring ing me home, was there? There wasn't anybody else to do it" she said. You wouldn't want me to walk home, at half past nine"
 Fanny shook his head, and broke in with a short laugh. You couldn't have asked me to call for you and drive you home, I suppose?" ho asked.
 She didn't answer him. She told herself, though, that she would rath- CT have crawled home on her hands and knees than to have asked Ran ny to drive her here! He had never asked her 10 go for 8 drive In his new car, and she would never ask him 10 take her for a drive in it! Never, never, never!
 You'd like me to think you're Little Miss Innocence, wouldn't you?" Fanny vas saying now, as he watched her with narrowed eyes. You'd like me 10 think that there's nothing between you and Peteri But let me ask you something? ! What were you doing in Peter Wilk's house, alone with him, one night last summer? Answer me that."
 She could only stare at him, speeehless, while two spots of color came in her white face, and her body shook with excitement. ''Why-I never was in Peters house alone with him, was T?" she asked, her mind going rapidly back over her past life. Let nc think" Her eyes darkened with remem- brance Of many things. But she could not recall timo when she had been alone with Peter in his house.
 She shook her head. "No.' she eaid. No" But just then she re- memb"red! She remembered the night last August when she and Peter had stopped in at the Tower street house 10 get a bottle Of brandy and q heating pad for Ranny when he had the measles.
 She laughed, with sudden relief.
 "Oh, yes, Of course, remember now, Peter brought me here from the inn, that day you were taken sick. And on the way we stopped in at his house to get you some old brandy he had" she explained care fully "But we weren't in the house more than a minute. How in the world did you ever hear about it. anyway"
 Without answering her. he nodded 1 his head wisely. "Neyer you mind how l heard about it, Only you'd N