Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-01-29
AND ROMANCE Y

splendor Of his palatial ~equipage as
feathers fit in a crows wing.
The route that Sam followed that
day. chosen by Mr.. Sweeney, had lit
tie to offer in the way Of a scenic
beauty and less in the way Of in
quisitive county officials, there being
homely grandeur for the run Of loo
miles.
But while "inquisitive county off,
Gals" were not so much in evidence
along the right-of-way, there was
one. Father Pat, right on the job,
and very much lin the way II had
been settled upon as insdvisable TO
take anyone, even Father Pat, into
their confidence.
But Father Ryan almost irmedi-
atcly dropped to the conclusion that
Mr.. Sweeney was the promoter OF
something in which his young
friends, including Nsnette and her
father. we're interested. He consid-
cred them individually and decided
that Jill would be the easiest ana
most productive Of information. He
would have a little talk with her that
evening. he told himself.
And .Jill-what Of her. To make
the trip possible she had arranged
with a neighbor woman TO care Tor
her three-year-old twins and the six
months-old girl baby for "a hours.
And this trip to which Jill, with
the nervous anticipation Of one
whose youth and desires, long bot
tied up in martyrdom of eXacting
motherhood. had looked forward dnr-
ing the 81 hours preceding its start,
was proving an awful dud.
Ii had been spoiled at the very
start for Jill-even before the start.
II was, in fact, spoiled on the instant
of the Sweeney arrival. when Mary
Elizabeth-or Mike-stepped from
the big limousine in her beautiful
new spring outfit. That was the last
straw. Il gave the finishing touch,
not alone to Mikes eauisite beauty
but to the hurt that tore ~ "
mans heart. -
For Jill, standing BY Jacks side,
clad in her dowdy, tvice-made-oVer
three-year-old atrocity OF a dress
her black cotton stockings and last
seasons hat-a cheap one at that
heard him gasp as she saw ms gaze
RnKelOUG inc -1AhC
heard him gasp with admirationl
At that instant Jill's thoughts
flashed back over the years and she
Jaw herself a girl OF 20-saw her
self as she looked that night when
lack Stuart came into her life
slim, alive with Joy Of living and
gowned as this other girl was now
gownedl And now this man al
her side, who had taken her, taken
her youth, her freshness, the sweet
ness Of her-brought her through
four years Of wretched, soul-killing
poverty-now he ~dared-dared 70 ad-
mire another woman right before
her eyes-another woman who was
better dressed than she!
Can anyone blame Jill Stuart II, at
that moment, black rage burned Up
in her heart-rage at the Fate that
had brought her 10 this-rage a.
lack Stuart and rage at the girl
who her woman's instinct told her
to mistrust? Can anyone blame her
If she resolved at that moment 70
exact something more from lie
thereafter than just the privilege OF
mothering babies for a man who, I'M
able 10 give his own wife beautiful
clothes vet had the colossal mean
ness to stand by her side and show
his admiration for another woman
beautifully dressed?
Jack Stuart probably never real
lied the enormity Of his offense OF
that morning. 1t is doubtful If IT
occurred TO him either then or aft
erward, that he was guilty Of any
offense, not to mention the unpar-
donable one. But any woman who
has suffered the jolt to her pride
and ego that Jill Stuart suffered
that day can understand, and under