Evening star., 1928-12-23
ONE MANS
WIFE
BY
BARBARA
WEBB

Copyright. 1928. By Public Ledger

husband he love her?" Yvonne
hung on his answer.
Don't fancy he does-fond Of her,
respects her, all that-but loye-well
wouldn't say he did"
And do you think he may come to
love her in time?"
. Bob shrugged his shoulders, then
looked sharply at his questioner. Don't
know, I'm sure-would depend on a lot
of things, would say"
He moved away. What a fool he
was to be talking about his friend this
way. This woman now, this Mrs. Rob-
ertson, she was a widow, probably
looking out for a second husband. He
looked back at her Something queer
about her, she looked SO hard when
you first saw her, but her voice was
lovely and her eyes were somehow soft
and appealing nnocent-looking, too
Queer combination that.
He sent another glance toward the
soft, innocent eyes She was looking
abstractedly down at her cup. Some
turn of her head, something In he1
penSive expression, reused a memory
in his mind.
"Tve seen her somewhere before, ]
swear I have" thought Bob.
But as he watched he saw her turn
a polished smile up to some one OF
the other man guests. The memory
vanished. "She's like all the rest OF
them" he thought II must have had
too little to drink to fancy any re-
semblance to any one else" He went
in search of another cocktail.
Yvonne sat quietly in her chair,
watching the crowd. This, then was
the society from which Richard longed
to escape. Which he did not want
her to ever enter Yvonne felt she
could understand it and yet surely there
must be other people, people who did
not spend all their time amusing them
selves, who would be friendly and COM
panionable.
She hated Anne. Anne was talk
ing about Richard again. Yvonne
could not catch all that was being
said, but she gathered that Anne was
busily giving the impression that Rich
ard had rushed away and married
Yvonne out of pique. That he was only
waiting for Anne to .beckon to leave
Yvonne. That Anne was just about
ready to signal Richard to her side
Much of it was false. Yvonne knew
But it hurt her intolerably just the
same to hear this talk.
AS last the party said its adieux
Mrs. Ogden came to Yvonne and sal
down sighing wearily.
my dear. I had no idea they would
talk about Richard that way. Anne Is
a fool. Even If every word she says 1:
true-which it isn't I know-still Anne
is fool for talking the way she does
Every one knows that she's crazy wilt
to get married-it doesn't matter much
to whom. She'd even take Bob West
if she could get him"
why shouldn't she marry Mr.
West?" Yvonne asked.
"Oh. he's terribly poor-barely has
enough to keep going-Anne never
could stand poverty. I know that ano
so does she. Bob likes her and II he
had any money they might make
go of it,
MY head aches" Yvonne said. q
think I'll go up to lie down. I've got
to get this makeup OF and get back
to the theater"
"You poor child" said Mrs. Ogden
ouerade hasn't turned out more anus
ingly the first day. Never mind, we're
going to lunch with Mrs. Veering
Tommy's sister, you know. tomorrow
That will cheer you up. Tommy may
be there himself
Yvonne looked about the cluttered
room. I'm rather si"k of my mas
uuerade," she said would you mind
If your Mrs. Robertson just disap-
peared. called back to Poland or some
where? honestly do not want to &c
on with this-this-farce."
Mrs. Ogden protested, but Yvonne
was firm She was going back home
that night. she would resume her for
n1er mouselike life with its brief excur-
sions into the glare Of Broadway.
At the theater she fould another con-
,s!enment of flowers from the unknown
admirer," who was, she now felt sure
Tommy Markham A note lay on top
of the flowers, addressed to Made