Evening star., 1932-11-14

wedding ring was something you slipped
through q husbands nose. And yet
here he was committed to her plans
By the trick of including her parents
a her inpromptu houSewarming.
As he stepped from the elevator he
saw the door down the passage gayly
opened. There she stood in the role
Of benefactresS.
She leaned against him, exercising
ell her charm.
sI did it for you, Give. To save
sou trouble. Tell me that you adore it. :"
He held his peace till they had
gached the drawing room, then gently
disentangled himself from her en-
brace.
Apart from having made me a
iaughing-stock and probable bank
rupt, find your choice of apartment
delightful. There isn't thing wrong
with the apartment; the trouble Is how
to pay for it."
but my lover" she replied with
angelic forbearance, ''this is my present
to you"
unfortunately" he smiled, initiating
her suavity, sit isn't It's the present
as far as the furnishings are con-
eerned, of friends who wished you well
At your first wedding"
"Come to earth, Give" She was
prepared to reason with him as a
mother with a wayward child. why
get sore about the furnishings? I di-
vided everything scrupulously; I've
brought on from Chicago only the
things that were mine. And as re-
CARDS the apartment, don't expect
you to support it; I leave you free to
contribute whatever you feel you can
aEo-. But have to bargain and I'm
NO bargaining. AS I've told you be-
fc-c, caything that possess Is yours.
It was as though she'd stuffed
flannel in his mouth. Shed bossed
him. yet insisted that her motive had
been generosity. Struggling his shoul-
ders, he turned away and stared down
into the park.
Her Quivering voice pursued him.
She was losing her assurance.
Il Gid it to help you-to make you
Iooi- important"
st never want to look what I'm
not" To say what his dignity de-
manded, it was necessary to steel his
heart. 1t was impossible to do that If
he looked at her. We've been mar
ried how long, Santa? Not three weeks.
at the start I hate to appear un-
gracious. I'm allowing your good in
tentionS every ounce OF credit.
"But surely when it came to our
home. I had the right to be consulted.
II live on you I forfeit your respect.
You despised Oak because he thought
no shame Of living on you; yet you're
attempting to"
SIt's such bad taste"
s'But nv dear girl, he's here; he's
ell about us. Every blessed stick, the
carpet on the floor, the pictures on the
wall are reminders of him. At what
I'm now earning it would take me
years to replace them. Any friend who
visits me will appreciate their origin.
You've not supplied me with home.
You've transplanted yours and his
from Chicago"
Silence. He listened to hear her sob.
Peered across his shoulder, dreadful OF
what might be happening. On the
couch, behind the dishevelled tea tray
over which she had presided so proudly
as hostess, she was sitting little and
debated.
Cant you see at what I'm driving?"
He sank his voice.
when you put it that way"
"Then let's have yours"
She dabbed her eyes with an ab-
gurdly inadequate hsndkerchief-moStly
lace and therefore two-thirds holes.
You've never had a home-only
schools, college dormitories, lodgings.
Never any one to love you, to care for
you-just struggled. longed to make
up to you everything you'd missed. 1t
seemed silly when I owned so many
lovely things, to cut off our nose to
spite our face-not using them"
Her submission softened him. Didn't
It occur to you, dear, that your kind
ness would humiliate me?"
She smiled palely, twisting her hand
kerChief
Il didn't think, Give. If I did. it
was only of giving you pleasure. II
you could have seen me working, un-
packing, showing hauling. I was afraid
you'd notice the blsters on my hands
from unnailing boxes. But I get your