The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-09-26

him and don't like him and hi,
reasons for marrying another cir
sound funny to me. Why didn't hi
come and ask you to marry him?"
For . moment Caroline, starina
ct him, thought that perhaps CHI
had been mistaken in him, that hl
was Is crude q his background
Then she saw that his face ~,
white, his lips stiff with pain. III
couldn't appreciate fully what b
was saying. She forgave him.
IF only I could make you IN.
derstand," she walled helplessly
1T was my fault that Howard
didn't come back to me. was ter.
ribly unreasonable with him. And
then he only married Gwendolyn b.
cause he thought he could make hez
happy. It you say any mora
against him I'll think you Just have
middle class prejudices, and you
haven't seemed to b that kind Of
person 1T oil"
What does It matter what
think?" Malcolm said, flushing.
1T matters to mo. You know II
does. No one in the world has been
such . true friend to me q you, Nal.
colin. Don't let's end It ia q quar-
rel. I'm sorry ! said that about
preJudices. You aren't q sophisti-
Gated person. and I've been glad you
aren't. But this isn't IN ordinary,
sordid triangle, Malcolm. Howard
belongs to me. Gwendolyn is the
thief. And il be isn't all that You
admire in . man he is still the man
l love. can't believe he could hold
me like this If he were - WORTHLESS
~ you think"
II apologize" Malcolm said mis-
erably. II think Dqnsworth il !
loafing snob, but II You love him
that puts wings on him."
"Thanks," Caroline said CRATE
fully m.Gt m. lyon gave = me . bad mo-
I'm sorry. And I guess nothing
could really change my opinion
about you, Caroline. But I'm bound
to hate the man that gets you. You
might have expected that"
Il only wanted you to know the
truth" she told him.
Malcolm was glad, IN the weeks
that followed, that he did know It.
People in the neighborhood began
to gossip. He could sec that his
mother was worried for Caroline's
sake. But he never discussed her
Affairs. Somehow Towards name
had leaked out and the code Of Edge
Street said that : married man
should not keep company with Z sin.
gle girl.
Mrs. Rutledgs withdrew again
into the reserve she had formerly
shown. Some Of the women looked
askance 1T her when they met in the
market or on the street. Only Mrs.
Stuart and Mrs. Barnes defended
her and Caroline. The others said
society doinGs might b al very
well in society but not among people
who had something to do besides
themselves talked about.
Caroline was impervious to the
sly glances that were cast at her.
She was living in = world Of her
own-a world wherein her object
was 70 build up and maintain her
faith in Howard, TO trust him IN
spite Of the doubts that frequently
assaulted her. For Howard gave her
no indication Of any progress made
toward his freedom.
One day, following . night when
her father had attempted with Bit
ter, caustic argument, 70 make her
admit that she Was playing . fools
part where Howard was concerned,
she was driven to ask Howard Q di-
rect question about . point her IA
Their had brought up and she had
been unable to answer.
"Have You told Gwendolyn?S she
asked, that you want > divorce to
marry met"
had anticipated, because he knew
that Caroline was no moral weak
ling. He answered with the Lilo he'd
kept ready.
Eyes, she knows" he said, with
. tinge Of bitterness, "but it was .
mistake 70 tell her, Caroline. She's
jealous Of you, and determined 70
stand in your way"
"But you, Howard!" Caroline
cried. "Surely she cannot hold you
against your will"
If you mean-living there IN the
cottage" Howard said slowly, chat
is only for. appearances sake-&o
keep Dad out Of Z hole"
Caroline thought Of her own f.
TIERS ruin-of her mothers suffer.
ings and her own unhappiness-it
did not seem just that the man who
had helped to bring them to disaster
should b projected at furthsr cost