Red Lodge daily news combined with Carbon County news., 1932-03-10
Chapter 3
This is YOUR WlFE7"

this is YOUR WiFE7"
"oh, that. You don't know the
Mother yet.
probably she's running some very
Important meeting at this very mo-
ment. You're going TO be crazy about
her, Kit. But / don't like the idea
OF bringing you up here. I'll talk that
over with the Mother"
Kitty reused to look about her, a
sudden tenderness yelling in her
eyes.
This is your own room. Gar? Your
ittle-boy's room?'
He had to kiss her for the tone in
her voice. well, l moved up here
after / graduated from a nurse out
] don't think you'll find n toys
about" He surveyed his possessions
proudly, tennis rackets, foils, boxing
gloves, a varied collection of trophies.
innumerable framed photographs OF
college groups, girls, dogs, horses
speed boats.
Pound came in. then. coughing dis
creetly. Under Cars direction he de-
posted the bags and %retreated..
Gar, don't ask your mother 20
change us. This-this is nice Her
tone was pleading, her eyes pleaded.
She could not explain that she felt
more secure here in this room that
was Cars, more his, because h Tear
If sharing him was too newborn a
thing within her TO voice It. :.
''Oh, well. just as you say, sweet.
''It'n only be for little while
Gar" She walked about the room,
looking at its photographs. over his
desk hung a framed picture OF Mar
gerry Crosby in beautiful pose. Kitty
regarded il. smiling unconcernedly.
There, I'll open your bag Gar
said. You must doll up 20 meet the
mother. Kit
At that her apprehension took SWIFT
hold of her again. The trousseau she
had assembled in that too-short week
of preparation contained only two Q.
what B~ridgewater called "dress-up
dresses, a soft blue lowered crepe
and a more practical ~st-colo
And while she was weighing her
choice she thought of Cars mother.
Gar, you love your mother Very
very much, don't you?
He did not notice the soberness OF
her voice. Devoted he answered
quickly. We've always been pals
she's that kind. Guess there ism
ANYTHING | could tell her that she
wouldn't understand. You'll see that
Kit"
His tone put shame 10 hef PANE.
her concern for the shortcomings OF
Bridgewater's best dressmaker, even
her dread of sharing Gar.
Downstairs, Carol Frew sat care
,essly on the arm of a chair watching
her mother direct Pound in the plac-
ing OF the tea-table. "A little more
10 the right, Pound. DID YOU tell Sim
10 make the mushroom sandwiches!
Pound had told Sim. The sand
wiches were on a silver plate, the
lemons cut to a delicate thinness,
each slice neatly pierced with cloves.
There was candied ginger, and little
cakes scarcely bigger than thimbles.
Mushroom sandwiches, because Gar
liked them: magnificent gesture OF
forgiveness Carol smiled. Her smile
was not a pleasant n and spread no
further than the muscles of her lips.
The two, mother and daughter, We're
much alike in feature, smooth brown
hair. gray eyes heavy lidded. high
brideed nose, even contour of cheek
n chin. and thin, finely curved
lips. But Carols face lacked the gra-
eionsness that touched the older wo.
mans with beauty: it was marked
rather with discomfort and restless
ness. furtive suspicion.
The room in which they sat was
beautifully appointed. The walls were
of a cool buff paneled with murals
of a Persian motif. the windows Wee
high and wide and hung with heavy
amber satin hat seemed, today, Il
catch and hold the gold Of the after
noon sunlight. the same high note OF
color was repeated in the delicate
fabric Of the chairs and divan. and
reflected in the prisms OF the crystal
candelabra around the walls.
"Chivers is lectu.ing To-Day, Caro-
said significantly. She wanted hei
mother to know that she had consid
cred going to hear Chivers read from
his own verse, in spite Of the facl
that Gar was coming home with q
bride; she wanted her mother t
know, too, hat she was not missing
ii out Of any curiosity over Kitty, foi
as far as she was concerned she dc
MT care what Kitty was like an,
more than to hope feryently that she
was quite a mess. She was stayint
10 watch her mothers technique.
When Cars letter had come tell
ing them briefly that he was mar
ried Carol had eXulted. Now TIL
precious boy had done something hi
mother could not gloss over. Shf
had looked for tears on her mother
part, anger, ~denunciation. But /
Mrs. Frew shed any tears she hal
shed them in secret and her smilinI
acceptance of the situation had hell
NOT even a nilll VI ACSlEiAdbibls 1diN
had told herself that her mother wa
too clever to show her hand yet; she''
watch for the first move. And She
thought her mother might make /
this afternoon.
But when her mothers absorption
in the arrangement of the tea thing
betrayed that she was not even hear
ing what Carol said and therefor
could not be told, even thru the mos
subtle in%sinuation, why she was re
naming. Carol shut her lips in a thi
line. half-smile, h~alf-sneer.
When Gar and Kitty came in Mr.:
Frew rose and went to meet Cal
her hands outstretched. MY dea
boyi' She was as tall as Gar. Sh
took his head In her hands and kisse
him. And Gar embraced her. boyish
~, a little roughly, inarticulate ia
the moment in his rush of affection
They might have been meeting alon
in the room for m awareness o
their part of Kitty or Carol.
Mrs. Frew disengaged herself froi
Cars arms, smiling. one hand hold
ing his. And this is-your wife?
Her faint hesitation indicated that
the moment Kitty's name had oscar
ed her.