Evening star., 1932-09-10
INSTALLMENT XVII.

Vt written to Jean and wired her.
Il His first evening after he came
back was spent with her. They
drove to the Belmore Club in West
chester for dinner. Not that either
one of them felt It was important where
they went, just so long as they were
together. Martin asked her again to
marry him, and again she refused,
unless he changed his stipulation.
When they returned to her apartment
building. Martin asked Jean IL he might
come up. II am tired" she said. "and
II you don't mind I'd like to 60 to bed
now" The real reason was that little
Jimmie occasionally woke up during the
evening and made his presence known.
Jean was not inclined TO explain him
to Martin, for that would involve a
confession of her divorce, so she denied
herself the JOY OF spending another
hour in his company.
Marcia was in the living room with
Jimmie in her arms, trying to pacify
his fretful cries. Hes been q little
beast this evening"" she said. Some
thing he ate, think"
I'm sorry. What's the matter, pet?
Give him to me, Marcia"
She took the child In her arms. He
Immediately began to cry again, and
Jean started for her room. but as she
crossed the hall knock came at the
door, and unthinkingly, she opened it..
Martin Webster stood outside, her
fox scarf In his hands. She realized then
that she had trapped herself. She had
left her fur in his car.
Jimmie howled so loudly that Martins
words were drowned out, though Jean
assumed he made perfunctory remark
about the scarf, meanwhile he stared
incredulously at the baby.
Then, without being invited, he came
inside and closed the door. Jimmie
held out his hands and Martin took the
child In his arms. Jimmie became sud-
denly quiet and Jean realized that he
also been quiet when Warren Hill held
him.
Martin went m the living room and
Jean followed him. Marcia was
stretched on the couch. absorbed In
book.
Hello" she said. "I thought Jean
sent you home"
"She tried to. Whose child Is this?"
He Is our house guest for the pres
ent. I'm mad at him, too. I stayed
home to take care Of him this evening
while you and Jean were out and he
squawled the entire time"
Then Jean LIS responsible for him?"
Inadvertently, Marcia had betrayed
her, and. realizing this, jeans courage
swept all assembling aside. She had
done no wrong, so why should she con-
ceal her actions like criminal?
Eyes. Martin, am responsible for
the child-he belongs TO my former hus-
band"
Martin nearly dropped Jimmie, and
Marcia. fcreseeing battle between this
high-strung pair, got UP and said, Give
him to me-" and carried the baby to his
bed.
Jean could see that Martin was
stunned by the impact Of Q thought 20
alien to anything with which he had
ever associated her that his mind could
scarcely grasp it.
"Your-husband-Jean7"
"Yes, took the money from you that
day 50 I could run away from him.
'It is fantastic. Incredible. You have
been married."
"But-God, Jean, don't you see that
this is Just another damning link In
the evidence against you?"
What do you mearl-evidence"
Martin realized that he had made 2
mistake. "Nothing-do you want to tel
me about it?"
"There Is nothing to tell you except
that daddy was not In his right mind
and he persuaded me TO marry jim
before he died"
How long were you married to him'"
Three months"
''Is that child yours?"
Mot was never-I-" Jean could
net find words to tell this accusing, dis
believing Martin the truth about her
marriage to jim. She was sitting on
the couch and her eyes now suddenly
filled with tears. She buried her face
in q pillow.
Martin regarded her dispasstonately.
Her tears could not move him to sym.
pathy. The deception she had prac-
ticed made him furious. She would
have married him with this secret IN
her heart. Then the thought came,
how could she have married him when
she was married to another man?
Jean, are you stin married 70 this
man?"
mo" she admitted, realizing that she
must face the thing through. II went
to Reno and got divorce this sum
mer."
Martin could not believe his ears.
"You said you were ill-you went on
"Yes, I was nervous, but because OF
my love for you, knowing that must
be free before could let YOU tell me
you cared, I thought 1t would be better
If you didn't know. You said you didn't
believe in divorce"
Martin stcrmed. No other word would
At his performance. Jean covered un-
der the lash Of his words, realizing that
she deserved all he said.
In the midst Of this scene o latchkey
was fitted into the lock and Aubrey
came in-a lean, gaunt-faced, Spectac-
young man. He had been
on the studio couch In the ltv-
ing room since Marcia returned. There
had been talk Of getting him q room
outside, but Jean liked having him
there, and Marcia let the matter rest
did, that his health was In . precarious
state, though she didn't worry Jean
with the knowledge.
Aubrey now gave Martin curt nod
and regarded the detected figure Of
Jean apprehensively. He leaned over
and touched her shoulder what Is
the matter?" he said. HAS Webster
been bullying you?"
She did not answer, and he turned
to Martin, his young eyes hot with re-
sentiment.
why don't you leave her alone?
You've done nothing but make her un-
happy since she's known you she
told me of your outrageous"
Aubrey! Aubrey" Jean was on her
feet, clutching at his sleeve, imploring
him to be still. Don't, oh, dontl"
He put his arm about her and drew
her head down on his shoulder and
stroked her hair tenderly. Meanwhile.
he regarded the other man with SOM
Der, hating eyes.
"If you will be good enough TO leave
and not return again :" His
tones were melodramatic.
Martin laughed little scornfully.
'"This affair is between Jean and me,
and If you had any sense you'd keep out
Of It,"
ut is my duty to protect my sister,
t. =