The Washington times., 1933-01-27
CHAPTER XII

Claire Maldop!. The name
leaped at her out Of all the
other things that he had just
said. She heard nothing else.
She needed nothing else but
that name. It told her in.
stantly why Kim was sitting
before her now, calmly demand
ing a divorce-why he had
been irritable and indifferent
ever since the beginning of
winter.
why didn't know it?" she
murmured.
Know what?"
THAT Claire Maldon's at the
bottom of all this. Wouldn't
you think that I'd have guessed
that some time or other during
all these weeks when you
wouldn't talk to me or come
to meals or pay any attention
to the baby?"
She began to laugh suddenly.
A bitter little laugh with a
break in it.
"When I think of all the
nights I've lain there on that
couch wondering what was
wrong!-Trying to tell myself
that you were worried about
your business, or that you
stayed away from home so
much because you were play
ing cards downtown with
the men. Wouldn't you have
thought I'd have guessed that
it was because Of some woman,
as usual? Some girl in an Of
flee or drug store-or some
married woman like Claire NAL
don?"
Kim stared at her in bewilder-
ment.
II hope you're not going to
be dramatic about this" he
said, with all a mans fear Of
a scene in his voice. 1--WE can
settle it quietly, can't we? And
sensibly?"
No Hesitation
IF you mean that we can
arrange a divorce, my answer
is NO" There was no hesi.
tation in Mary Faiths voice.
IF I knew that you were hon.
estly in love with her and that
she was honestly in love with
you, I think perhaps I'd let
you go, Kim. But I don't know
either of those things. The only
thing I'm certain of is that
Claire never will care very
much for anybody but herself.
And if you-"
IT don't see why Claire has
to be dragged into this" Kim
broke in violently. II haven't
said that I'm in love with her"
But a dull red flush crept
under his blond skin, and he
threw back his head defiantly,
like a wayward boy who has
been found out In some stupid
deception. +.
1T just happens that I do
think a lot of Claire, though"
he added awkwardly, as if he
were alf-ashamed of what he
was saying. II wasn't going to
tell you this-but you've asked
for it, so here goes. I've been
crazy about her ever since I've
known her"
But that's not true. Kim"
Mary Faith cried. "You were
in love with me when you asked
me to marry you two years ago,
and you knew her two years
ago when you were so infatu.
ated with Janet McCune-and
this fall when you had some
sort of affair with that girl
in the drug store. You got over
those affairs, and you'll get over
this one, Kim. You're like that.
I don't say one woman is just
the same as another to you, but
almost. If there's anybody
you're faithful to, you're faith
full to me-in a way. You al
ways do come back to me.
Don't you?"
He wouldn't answer her. He
stood looking at her for min
ute or two longer, swinging his
head from side to side.
But even if you are in love
with Claire" she went on. you
can't think entirely of yourself
now. You have a son and
you've got to stick to him. IN
a few years he'll be growing up,
and I won't be able to do the
things for him that a boys
father ought to do. I won't be
able to tell him how to take a
punch on the jaw in the school
yard, or take him fishing, or ex-
plain baseball to him-or do
any of the things that your
father should have done for
you, if he'd wanted to make a
wan 4f -