Evening star., 1932-12-10
CHAPTER 48.
UNDER A CLOUD.
HE hour for dinner had struck,

THE hour for dinner had struck
when Santa forced herself back
to the apartment.
| i Hello, gorgeous!"
The man whom she had
dreaded was embracing her.
Where have you been, little wan.
derer?"
Forgot the time" she excused her
self. Guess you're hungry. I'll si'
| down as I am"
Slipping his arm about her. he guided
| her along the passage.
Tidy first" he coaxed her.
Don't I look tidy?"
Then she became aware that he was
unwontedly excited.
/ There was nothing unusual In the
aspect of the bedroom.
''On the dressing table" He coulo
no longer rein himself.
| She picked up little box.
open it," he encouraged.
She gazed at its contents as stunned
as if it had contained the Kohinool
diamond instead of modest brooch
of sapphires.
For me! But why?"
why not?" He Rugged her shoulder
Don't men give presents to the wives
they love?"
Her face crumpled She dug herself
| into him.
whats there to cry about. my dar-
ling?"
''Dcn't deserve 1t Didn't deserve
you. So dear. So kind"
She sobbed as If her heart would
break.
That evening they were lovers. She
could tell him any time now that she
was sure of him. At Ghe moment she
couldn't bring herself to besmirch hel
recovered peace with ugliness.
During the next few days she heard
nothing from her ex-husband. At first
she didn't hope too much from the
respite it might be no more than q
deceptive lull When week had beer
completed, she grew optimistic.
| But even with Dicky removed from
| the picture, she was still uncertain
how she stood with Give. Her con-
science scared up ghosts. If he was
preoccupied, she at once suspected that
| he had heard a rumor. Against the evi
day, she made nervous effort to pile
up goodwill in her own favor.
They had rid themselves of the
physical Dicky, but his memory walked
| in both their minds. Into the quiet
room he intruded, dusk lengthening
shader lampllight falling. In an ef-
fort to ignore him Give took to read
| ing, Santa to sewing.
Give flung down the paper through
which he had been glancing.
"One lives and learns. When lool
back, I'm amazed that I could have
stood for such lunacy. wouldn't again
whatever it cost"
She guessed to what he was refer
ring.
tits easy to be wise after the event
darling; but I don't see what else We
could have done"
Reclaiming his paper. he made 6
wall of it. from behind which he spoke
the truth.
1--WE dragged Dicky into our home
It wasn't so vastly different"
He'd said we out of politenesS. What
ever happened now, she could nevel
make a clean breast to him.
Give racked his brain for remedie.
to correct this ghostly discord. In
stinctively he felt that Dicky was still
the cause Of it. While he was fighting
shadows, his wife was slipping from
him.
"I see you're wearing my brooch
tonight" he smiled. "Of course, I've
known right along that a good deal O
your jewelry was your other husbands
gift to you''
Scarcely his gift, Give. He in.
herited 1t from his mother. I pait
for the re-setting. He never bough
me anything"
"If it was his mothers. Santa, th'
more reason for returning il. Yol
ought to have done it the day you di'
vorced him."
Guess I ought"
well, please do" he requested. "Ane
while we're on the subject, there's {
heap more of his junk that must 60
That bureau, for instance, that h.
bought for you on your birthday"
Next evening the bureau had van
ished from the drawing-room. Tn
furniture had been rearranged. He
obedience to his wishes gave him ,
tWinge Of compunction. As she joinet
him. glancing up like little dog fo
his approval. he drew her to him.
The return of the jewelry was un
fortunate 1t stirred up Dicky. H
wrote Santa protesting. He wrot'
again; when she refused to answer
telephoned her.
Listen, Santa. Those things ar
yours"
Not any longer, Dicky."
But I gave them to you"
Sllbc IldIcS W see Iuc WCdI1le tIicIl
"Then you told him about our meet
ings?"
She hung up.
i His persecution, which she had hopet
was ended, burst into new vigor H,
bombarded her with letters, telephone
calls, even kilograms.
Sooner or later. as the days wher
her divorce had been pending in Chi
cago. he would take to waylaying her.
! When the encounter happened, 4
was almost a relief.