The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1932-12-29


~ gett Traynor after he married
Victoria none of mis- friends seemed
able to decide. He was thirty years
older than shea hale and vigorous
fifty to her fragile twenty.
Victoria was beautiful, she was
young, she was well bred in the best
sense of the term. Though her ram
lily had no money she had been well
educated and had travelled a little
and met the right kind of people so
that she was perfectly able to take
her place as head of the Traynor's
big house. That wasn't where the
trouble lay. He had kept the house
open for two or three years alone
since his Aother's death-she had
been one Of the social leaders of her
day. Victoria stepped into his
mothers shoes. so far as social
graces went. Everybody talked
about the reign of the new Mrs
Traynor as foregone fact.
Victoria really loved Traynor. He
knew it. He of course. adored her.
Everybody knew that. And they
seemed ideally, beautifully happy.
The gracious old house glowed with
hospitality of the best sort. Vic.
toria's young friends and his older
ones mingled in charming groups
That may have been where the
trouble started. One of her friends
was Jack circuit. He was an artist
Poor. Not more than twenty-three
One night William Traylor and
Victoria were alone In their big
library. He gathered her, unre.
sisting. into his arms. And as he
held her he was suddenly painfully
conscious of her youth, of his great.
er age.
If-one of those ifs that change
.'estinies-if Victoria had lain there
quietly for moment In her
husbands arms, life would have
smoothed out for them In few mo.
ments. William Traynor's mood of
bitter resentment. so ready to turn
into raging jealousy, would have
passed as suddenly as IL had come.
leaving no memory behind il.
But Victoria, unmeaningly, did
just the wrong thing. She loved her
husband. She put a soft, creamy
hand up to her husbands face.
william" she said, "rve been
thinking. We have so much. I've
everything"
He drew her jealousy closer.
sPve been wondering If you'd do
something-rather big-to make me
happy"
She went on: "You know Jack Or.
cult. He's-well, he's genius. j
know 1t. But he needs a year In
Paris. And he's-well. he can't man.
age 1t. You know he has an inva-
lid sister to look afteI He's a por-
trait painter, and somehow or other
he ought to be given his chance. See
what I'm getting at, dear?"
Il think So" said Traynor In a
hard, low voice. But Victoria didn't
notice his voice. She went on with
her plea for Jack.
swell, I've been thinking about
him. And wondered If you couldn't
perhaps do something to give him
his year abroad We've got so much
land he has so little. thought
maybe we could look after his sis.
teri mean find place where she
could stay In exchange for tutoring
some place In the country. She's
a lovely girl, and awfully bright
And then you could commission him
to paint portrait of me-next sum.
mer, when we go to Paris. But you
could tell him he must have train
ing there before he does IL, and you
could pay him In advance-more
than It's worth. And that could ok
things up" She stopped. flushed
and delighted with her plan. Get
ting no reply from Traynor, she
asked him: Wouldn't you like a
portrait of me done by Jack Or
cuttr"
Traynor rose. pushing her rough.
ly away from him. He stood, his
back to the fireplace, his hands on
her shoulders. He laughed harshly.
"A picture of you-for me-done
by Jack circuit? A beautiful idea.
A lovely thing. of course. A sort
Of consolation prize given by Spring
to Winter. He'll go to Paris. on my
money, and be waiting there for you
when we go over next summer?
That's a pretty idea. He'll do your
portrait for me. You'll keep your
old husband and his money-and
have your young"
Traynor sai7 no more. Victoria,
her face whittier than her dress, stood
facing him. She stiffened under his
hands and he took them away. She
said nothing. as she turned and left
the room.
In fact. she never spoke to Tray
nor again. Arrangements were
made through others. She left the
house that night, and In the course
of time divorce was managed.
Victoria really loved Traynor. A
couple of years later she married
Jack Orcutt- OF course nobody got
the story exactly right People said