Evening star., 1927-11-16

portion Of .Ierry's salary. You
have overdrawn your account 1910.
She was appalled,.
"IIow could | have done it?" she
rasped and ran to the desk. Where
was the check book? She found IL al
tor a tumbinS search and anXlousiv
scanned the stubs. She had MADE a
mistake There had not been enough
In the bank to pay the last check she
had 5rawn-S13.75t The hat had been
SIS.
II didn't need that hat" she
Thought whatever shall | do? Jerry
will be SO displea sed. Yet ! shall nave
To ask him for the money 10 make
up the deficiency. And. of course. then
he will have to know about the nat.
She covered her face with her hands
and tried to think herself clear OF
the panic that possessed her.
She had been marrieda a year ana up
t. this point she had manager ,iie
financial affairs Of the partnership
without getting into trouble. 1t was
+r,,o that Terrv.s salary did not go a.
far as she liked: there was always
some nlace where one or the other
had to skimn. Usually it VAS Jerry;
l,o had such an easy way Of giving up.
And she hadn't been trained to pc
,,nseltish When she wanted things
she wanted them and If there was
III If money. why. she used It. But
it had never before occurred TO hef
4hat there was anything wrong WIN
her management. She had always iaid
The blame on the fact that jerry did
not earn enough.
rba+ was it-he didn't earn enough.
IF he did, such small matters as SD
hats would not count. 1t was charm
Inc h1t. she had never dreamed when
she drew the check that it was going
4o involve so much npleasantneSs'
Iater she would tellJerry. but not I'M
til she was ready to confess ana ne 10
hear.
: she nut the check book back and
went IN with her dinner getting. Jef7
rv would be home soon now. For the
first time she dreaded him.
But | shall have to tell him ne
cause / shall have to get the money
from him" she said Il know he VIII
he angry He can't help 1t. ANA lHeh
/ shall he miserable.
She heard his step. heard the outer
door open and shut with that impa-
tient slam which always announced
his coming, He paused to leave MS
hat on the tree in the little entry
then burst in upon her smiling ra
liant. But the smile instantly faded
into a questioning look.
What's the matter" Jerry demand
ed.
Nothing"
Jerry took Norma into his arms.
lifted her chin and looked INTO her
eyes.
.What have you been doing to give
,o,, snch a look as that?" he asked
playfully.
TnorS
"Ill show YOU" Norma said.
He looked at the bank slip, whis-
We'll. / haven't got cent to pay
this with" he said
"You haven't
NO. | took out only s20-you had
all the rest. and | had to pay out All
| didn't use for car fare to get me
new hat and pair of shoes.
Norma hung her head.
I'm so sorry. she choked. II /
could take that wretched hat back
would. oh. Jerry, The trouble is you
You don't earn enough.
.Ierry's eyebrows lifted.
NO" he said. 1.-The trouble is YOU
we spend too much
That didn't seem possible ana
yet
II guess ! can get Tom Brent to
lend me a 20 for a day or TWO tlli
j get my pay envelope Jerry SAID
thinking hard.
Norma wiped away her tears. Some
thing was burning. and after all they
must eat She was glad that ne
hadn't been angry. Still there was
somethin- in his face that hurt her
more than anger. She could hardly
see the potatoes as she mashed them
she could not eat dinner. She sat
there slipping water and mussing with
her bread, downcast, self-accusatorF,
Jerry ate quite as usual, but he was
apparently thinking.
When he arose from the table he
said with a smile:
"I1l get that 20 from Tom and
atop at the bank tomorrow morning
and make things right"
I'm so sorry" Norma shifted.
"Well, it can't be helped now. But
well try not TO let it happen again.
Jerry sat down by the table and