The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-06-26
RIVAL WIVES 5 ,,; ill.,:

she had seen Morgan not longer ago
than the day before.
Nan gasped her amazement, then
realized that the tall body Of her
husband formed an effectual screen
between herself and the woman who
had been his wife. Iris had not
seen her-yet go.
Leave the room, Estelle!' Iris
commanded imperiously. Then her
voice changed, became arch, laugh
ter-rippled Dear Jack! Are you
too stunned to speak? It's Iris, dar-
ling, come home again! And there's
my little loveri You haven't for
gotten Mother. have you. sweet
heart? Naughty mother, but she
didn't mean to be gone so long
Oh! Why-it's Nan Carroll, isn't
it?"
4 RRESTED in the act of
N stretching out one lovely hand
to her former husband and the 9TH
er to her son, Iris Morgan stared
blankly at the girl whose presence
there was apparently the last thing
she had dreamed Of. Blue-green
eyes grew wider and wider, then
suddenly narrowed until the thick
bronze Iashes almost touched. Drop
ping her hands, which had not yet
touched either husband or son, Iris
tall, slim body Strengthened, stiff
ened.
"I-see!" she said slowly, icily.
mo wonder Estelle tried to keep
me out of my own house. Appar-
emily it's high time I came home!
So this is what the sanity Sir Gala
had has come to-"
Mans head jerked up. Her brown
eyes blazed. Involuntarily she took
a step forward, but Morgan halted
her and commanded her to silence
with one imperative gesture. His
the task to explain. =. Curtis was
shrinking against the back Of his
chair, an utterly bewildered and
frightened pawn in a drama whose
significance he could not even
family grasp.
Leave the room, Curtis!" Nor
gan commanded sharply.
The child covered as if he had
been struck. Don't wanna go!" he
whined. It wanna see my mother.
Can't I stay, Nan? Can't 70"
"Of course he shall stay with his
mother" Iris almost screamed.
poor little lover! God knows what
they've done to you, but mothers
home now" She was about to
drop to her knees beside the boys
chair when again Morgan's voice
rang out.
Leave the room. Curtis! Go on
to school,
without a word Nan stepped for
ward. I'll go upstairs with you,
Curtis" she said with curious
steadiness.
Stay here, Mani" her husband
commanded sternly, but the girl did
not betray by word Or glance that
she had heard. The child seized
her hand, scrambled out Of his
chair, and, looking up at her with
fearful, bewildered black eyes, &C
companied her docilely out Of the
room.
They did not speak until they
were on the stairs Suddenly the
boy flung both arms about the girls
small body, and raised frightened,
imploring eyes to her pale, set face.
"Whassa matter, Nan? Aren't
you and father glad to see my own
mother? Aren't you, Nan? Fathers
mad at me and I didn't DO any
thing" he sobbed.
lies not angry with you, Cur
tbs" Nan said in a cold, steady
voice. Hes jUst-surprised to see
your mother. Come! We must
hurry or you'll be late for school"
you don't look sparkly any
more" Curtis mourned, tears slip
ping down his cheeks. "All thos@
'lectric lights have gone out inside
you, Nan Are you mad, Nan? Are
you?"
Afterward Nan could never re-
member what she said or did dur
ing those few CHASTITY minutes after
Iris arrival. She retained only a
dim picture of herself moving as if
in a nightmare. giving strange, in
coherent answers to a terror
stricken child who had no idea why
he should be terrified. She remem-
bered one question and the answer:
"Wiu my other mother let me
keep Cop, Nan? Will she? She
don't like dogs. She says they eat
too much and scratch up the furni-
ture. Will have to sell Cop? Will
r, Nan?"
mo. You shall keep Cop, Cur
It's she remembered answering,
with grim determination.
At last the boy was gone, almost
happy again because Of that prom
Use, but with a lingering backward
glance toward the closed dining
room door. Did he love Iris, too?
Nan asked herself, and did not
even realize that she had added
that betraying too