Evening star., 1928-12-24

W
brief masquerade. Only by
looking at the blond wig, stored
now in one of her bureau draw
ers, could she feel any reality in the
memory of that party at Mrs. Ogden's.
She suffered a reaction of WEAKNESS
and distasta for life, nor could she ind
any escape from the dilemma OF Rich
ards return, now to be expected within
week or so.
She left the care of the house en-
tirely to Lottie, spent her mornings,
reading in bed, exercising, thinking OF
her new costumes, avoiding as far as
possible any consideration of what
Richards return would mean to her.
At times it seemed to her she was only
alive in the brief moments she spent
on the stage, carried away from herself
by the music and by her dancing.
She had caught brief glimpse OF
Bob West standing in the wings the
night following Mrs. Veering's call. He
had apparently been watching for her
appearance. Yvonne managed to slip
by him without his seeing her. she
had a vague fear he would recognize
her
If he finds out that I have deceived
him and knows that can take care
of myself, he will be more apt to cast
me out" she reasoned. Shrcwdly she
realized that one of the things that
would restrain Richard from any dras-
tic action in their lives would be his
belief that she was dependent on him.
| "Richard will never leave me as long as
he thinks l cannot take care of my
self" Yvonne's deep-rooted CONVICTION
that this was true made her adamant
against any suggestion that she reveal
her success.
She had not hear from Richard for
three weeks She began to be afraid he
would arrive unannounced and discover
what she was doing. She feared dis
covery more now than formerly.
Then came the morning when the
mail held letter from Richard
Yvonne was abSurdly thrilled. She took
the letter to her room. Before openir :
it she laid it against her cheek and
great wave of longing for her husband
swept over her.
IF only he is coming home" she
thought.
Then she opened the letter.
Dear Yvonne" it began, II expect
to be home some time next week, prob
ably on Thursday The rest and change
have done me great deal OF good. ]
am anxious to be at work again.
II wish you would air the laboratory
for me, being careful not to leave the
windows open If it is raining. I hope
soon to be hard at work finishing the
last specimens brought from South
America.
"I cannot be sure of the exact time
of my arrival, but it will probably be in
time for dinner Thursday evening.
"Affectionately yours,
Yvonne read the letter twice. Not a
word about being glad to see her. Not
an inquiry about her well being. A
flood of anger took possession of her.
She clenched her h..ndS and for wild
minute considered leaving the house,
letting him arrive to find her gone.
This feeling passed and left her
ashamed. She read the letter again
and burst into storm of weeping. She
cried broken-heartedly for an hour.
"I cannot go. I must be here when
he comes home. love him."
She took some comfort from the very
fact of his return. No matter how in
| the prospect of his work, he was COM
ing home. She could see. him, serve
him, wait for his casual kiss of greet
ing, live again with the hourly knoWl-
edge he was in the same house with
her With this she must be content
She bathed her face, rearranged her
hair, and went down to the den to
practice.
While she was working out some in
tricate steps Mrs. Ogden arrived. She
stood watching Yvonne for few min
utes
"You lovely thing!" she cried when
the record ran down and Yvonne
paused How do you do it? Id rather
watch you practicing than most dancers
perform"
Yvonne drew gay kimono over her
scant drapery and joined her friend in
the living room.
Richard is coming back--next
week." she said after little pause.
Really? Oh, Yvonne, what are you
going to do about it?"
II don't know" Yvonne answered
tonelessly. Go on the same old way,
I suppose"
But you mustn't-you can't-it's
crime for you even to consider such
thing"
what else is there to do?" the girl
asked.
Come out and tell him the truth
You could no more help doing. what
you did than flower can help bloom
ing. Surely you can make him see
that"
Richard sees me only one way--the
way / was when we were married. If
he saw me as am now, would be a
different pc to him." Yvonne re-
sponded.
"Very we'll But he would love the
person you are now"
IF I could only be sure o. that"
TRY it-take a chance on it---no man
in his senses could resist you-"
Oh n,.IH 81 Lot @F otL Ao0
tiful women. He married me. AS long
as he thinks am ignorant and simple
and quite dependent on him he will
keep me here and take care of me. If
he finds out that I am success in my
own right-then he will feel no respon-
Sibility for me, and perhaps leave me
to shift for myself without him."
Let him. 1t will do you good. Rich
ard isn't the only man in the world"
He is the only man for me. Let's
not talk about 1t any more now, Edith.
haven't completely made up my mind.
I'll have to think about it and decide
when the time comes"
The next day, soon after getting up,
Yvonne went to the laboratory She
had not entered it since the bitter day
she found Anne's photograph there.
Now as she went in, noting the dusty,
closed smell of the room, so long de-
prived of air, she looked at her hus-
bands desk, tried to picture him si..ing
at it, busy with the work that absorbed
him. She could not corjure up vision
of him, try as she would. She blamed
herself for it.
II have thought so much of myself of
late that I have forgotten my husband"
she thought reproachfully.
She opened the windows, busted the
nd hnXoc ND ot
the desk. She knew the picture of
Anne lay face downward in the drawer
where she had dropped it. Hesitantly
she nulled the drawer omen and then