The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-07-02
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and the child No matter if they
cried for that sugar-coated poison.
it was her duty to protect them.
Standing in the middle of her
room Nan Morgan cried out to the
God she so surely needed: Dear
God. help me to win-for their
stakes! You know it isn't because I'm
in love with John Curtis Morgan
that I want to hold him against
Iris. Of course. I love him with all
my heart. but if it were for his good,
I would leave him tonight You
know I'm sinfully proud, that if
listened to my pride, I'd make him
choose between us this minute. But.
oh. dear God, he needs me. and the
child needs me. Help me to hum
bic my pride. so that I can fight the
harder. Help me to win
LIVER heart was almost at peace
Il L when she crept into bed. Both
her doors were unlocked. Her hus-
band could come to her, if he
wished. But she did not listen for
his footsteps, for she was sure that
he would not come. Because bitter
ness had melted out of her heart
she was able to put herself in his
place that night. She felt the grief
and pain he must be suffering. Re-
coiled from the thought Of love-
making. even of seeking comfort,
just as he must be recoiling.
Poor John! Poor. torn victim of a.
passion he had thought dead, and
of a love that was still too new and
delicate to weather the storm of
that fierce, reviving passion for a
woman who was unworthy but in
credibly desirable. Poor John! She
could almost hear him groan: God
forgive me. for I love two
That night Nan wept for him,
rather than for herself, and so heal
ing was the temporary forgetful-
ness of self that soon she slept, and
the netx morning felt more light
hearted and strong than she had
ever hoped to feel again.
She needed courage and strength
to carry her through the days that
followed Immediately upon Iris
Morgan's return. Her husband was
a stricken man. though he tried,
with obvious and heartbreaking
conscientiousness, to present nor
nlally cheerful face to his family
and to his downtown world. He
was pathetically grateful for Mans
quiet acceptance Of his moodineSs,
and, she believed, for her unmis-
takably firm Good night" in the
drawing room each evening. Some
times. when she was thus making
it clear that she did not expect him
to play the lover or husband while
his heart was a battle-ground, his
eyes met hers with WiStful ques-
tioning. as if they we're mutely ask
ing: do you really understand and
forgive me, Nan? Do you see how
it is with me? Don't you know
that I love you, too, but that can't
come to you Just YETI"
And her own round, childish but
wise eyes told him: II DO under
stand. Don't you worry your dear
head about me now. But love me
as much as you can"
Two days after Iris return John
Curtis Morgan presented his legal
wife with smart little coupe, eX-
planning aWkWardly:
"a prosperous firm like ours
ought to be able to afford two cars,
don't you think? want you to feel
free to come and go as you please,
without bothering about how I'm
going to get around"
AS she thanked him. Mans heart
contracted sharply. Was the car a,
clumsy attempt at peacemaking?
Surely he did not think he had to
bride her to be patient and cheer
| full Then she dismissed the suspi-
cion as unworthy of both of them.
The car would be a great con-
venience. 1t would permit her to
stay at home later in the mornings,
50 that she could put a greater en-
phaSiS upon her housekeeping and
| home making.
Another weapon against Iris, who
had not cared enough to turn the
house into a home. OF course, she
would miss those companionable
trips downtown together, Nan re-
f1ected ruefully, but these last two
days they had been a strain upon
both of them. Was that, possibly,
the reason he iad contrived to make
them unnecessary?
Tor four days father and son
u made afternoon trips to the hos
pital to see the woman who had de-
serted them and who had now flung
herself upon their mercy. Alter that
first day those trips were not men
toned. Not even Curtis referred to
them, but each evening he had no
appetite for his dinner and Nan
realized helplessly, that Iris was
Stuffing him with unwholeSome
sweets. And she could not forbid him
to accept. She could imagine the
boys quick retort. Il guess my own
mother knows what's good for me!'
No; her hands were tied.
The fourth day after Iris return
was Christmas eve. Nan had bought
an elaborate carpentering outfit for
Curtis, as we'll as all the materials
he would need in constructing a toy
airplane. His father had consulted
her anxiously as to the advisability
of giving the boy bicycle.
| Ito Be Continued