The Indianapolis times., 1926-08-09

CHAPTER LVII
AS the slow weeks dragged by,
Mary Rose wondered more and more
why Jim Morrells pretty wife was
so jealous of him.
For he behaved himself perfectly.
He never got fresh" with Mary
Rose.
He treated her much as he might
have treated a nice young man who
was working for him-never trying
to touch her hand when he took his
letters from her, never patting her
shoulders or calling her Cutie"
AS time went on she began almost
to like him, and If 1t hadn't been for
that odd. sneering smile in his eyes,
she would have trusted him.
But Mrs. Morrell got on her
nerves. She would come popping in
at the office at odd times. And If
Mary Rose happened to be taking
Morrells dictation in his private Of
flee, she would suddenly open the
door as If she expected to find them
making love to each other.
Isn't 1t terrible?" he asked Mary
Rose one rainy afternoon in mid
December, when his wife had just
left after one of her surprise visits.
FShe expects me to be kissing you
every time she pops In like this
She's been marie to me for nine
teen years and she's never caught
me at anything yet, but she hasn't
given up hope!' The odd twinkle in
his eye became more pronounced.
He swung around in his swivel
chair, stuck his thumbs in his arm
pits and addressed her solemnly:
"One of these days you'll be marry
ing, too, and I'm going to give you
a word Of advice-trust your hus-
band! All of you women seem to
think that all of us men are leading
double lives. AS a matter Of fact,
we're as decent as you are. Every
bit. We never want but one
'voman+and she's usually the
woman we marry"
Mary Rose thought this over. OF
all the dozens and dozens of busi-
ness men she knew. Hilary Dexter
was the only one who had left the
straight and narrow road for the
primrose path lured there by
Flossie.
II guess that's true" she answered
gravely. But, look here, Mr.. Nor
rell, your wife's JEALOUS of you be-
cause she loves you. She probably
sits at home as long as she can
stand it, wondering if you're making
love to some girl down here at the
office, and then she just has to
come down and Sc if you arey'
The smile that Mary Rose hated al.
most faded out Of Morre1ls face, and
he put his head a little to one side
as he looked at her.
Think that's it?" he asked,
moving his elbows slowly along the
edge of the desk-an irritating habit
of his. IT always thought she was
trying to get something on me. Do
you think a woman who really loved
her husband would spy on him all
the time the way she does? Now,
do your"
Mary Rose tossed her head. "Of
course, l do" she answered. And
if ! were you, I'd end her misery. I'd
hire man for my secretary"
CAN right, you find me a smart
young fellow, and. III fire you and
take him In your place. How will
you like that?" he asked, and the
twinkle came back in his eyes.
'I1l like that fine!' cried Mary
Rose, joking. Nothing cheers a girl
up like losing her job"
But she honestly wouldn't have
cared particularly If Jim Morrell had
discharged her. There was no JOY
in this new job as there had been
in every stroke of work that she
had done for John Manners. She
did her work now, like a well oiled
machine. But here heart was not in
1t.
Her only exciting moment every
day came at $50, when she went
into the washroom to dress TO go
home She was very careful about
her appearance these days-tucking
her hair neatly around her ears and
pinning q bunch of violets or an i'm
itation gardenia to the fur collar of
Ter coat.
For she had to pass the Dexter
Office on the way to a car line and
there was always the chance that
che might see John Manners some
night on her way up the street!
II might just happen to bump into
him." she told helrself every evening
when she walked out of the building
land want to look nice"
Then one night she did see him
driving past in his shining black
roadster with Doris HING beside
him. A pang of jealousy that was
like stiletto in it's sharpness shot
through her as, she glimpsed them
and then glanced quickly away.
my word! I'm as bad as Mrs.
Morrell" she told herself angrily.
Jealous as a cat!'
She was slowly making UP her
mind not to work for Morren after
the first of the year.
Its not that l don't like the
place. she told her mother and
Flossie one Saturday afternoon when
the three of them sat together in
the gay little chintz-hung living room
Of Flosse's fiat. They were doing
her weekly mending for her while
she lay stretched out on the chaise