Montana oil and mining journal., 1934-08-18

I N%s~ NAAA@N ~ %tfN-@A ~ So RAASs AkL A%a
initely wanted marriage. And being q
doctor with q new practice. even with
his most excellent reputation. he de-
cidedly did not want q scandal
! She watched George he hardly
seemed aware OF the doctors atten-
? tons. He couldn't help noticing. sure
lyl Roberta didn't have % make up
fake engagements now. There were
always plenty Of real ones She had
70 hurry home from tea-had to be
careful not 10 talk too much about
Roger at parties
George wasn't jealousI George did
mt carel She watched him She knew.
She wondered what he would say when
she told him that Or. Elm wanted TO
marry her. She felt she would hardly
be able to mask the triumphant smile
that would be on her face when she
said she wanted q divorce-and told her
reason
But she wouldn't be the only one 10
smile. For It was actually George who
wanted the divorce. Who had wanted
it all the timel
And then Roberta knew. She didn't
want to divorce George. She didn't
want 10 marry Dr. Elm. She loved
George. She had always loved him.
She didn't love any one else. Why,
she was going with DR.. Elm only 10 fool
George, and. in a way, 10 fool herself.
Why, II she got q divorce, Il would be
70 spite George. 10 "show him." 70 get
even with Lois Fairfield. In a way,
TO justify herself. Now why under
heaven should she divorce the husband
she cared for. leave q home she loved
more than any other home TO spite
two people-whom she wouldn't be spit |
ing in any way. Why should she play
into their hands-give George 70 Lois
Fairfleld2 1t wouldn't be fair 10 marry
Roger Elm when she didn't love him. 4
he was decent, fine, honorable. But
that wasn't the reason she wasn't GO
ing to marry him. II wasn't the thing
she wanted TO dol
She told Roger Elm, as gently as
she could, that she had thought It over,
that she believed marriage was a part
nership, q contract, that she wasn't
being fair In walking out on a bargain
she had made
''But your husband DR.. Elm pro-
tested. Il thought that he
II know" Roberta smiled sadly. She
knew she was acting. It wasn't sad
to give up Roger Elm. II had salved
her pride, being able 10 attract him.
Putting him out Of her life was, In a
way, pleasant. It sort Of gave her back
10 herself, made George-and getting
George back again-Seem little nearer.
DR.. Elm was awfully nice about
things. He became q little sadder. q
little more quiet. Maybe he really car
ed Maybe he was acting too. In g
few weeks ne became a part Of the
crowd again, q pleasant rather shy man
who sat pretty much in a corner IL
some one who wanted an unattached
man didn't capture him.
What was there TO do now? Roberta
had tried all Of the things people wrote
or talked about. And she hadn't won
back her husband at all George still I
stayed away In the evenings, making all {
sort OF excuses. BE still left the office
early and arrived home late for din
ner. He was gtilI casually polite. heart =
rendingly indifferent. She skllI slept =
10 the guest room. And Lois Fairfield \
vas stiu pretty and sly and condescend- Q
ng. :
George didn't ask for q divorce. And =
ihe had the feeling that he was not the =
'ort OF man who gave up q home and
BUSINESS connections for an elopement. =
The wave Of every day living caught 3
Roberta up again. And she began t0
worry Just 9 little less about Lots Fair :.
ield. The thought Of George and Lois
ogether still made her heart act pc
uliarly, made her q little III, but she no 4:
onger had TO say to herself, steady :
low," when one Of her friends said any
hing.
George probably wanted her to do
omething definite. Lois undoubtedly =
I'd. The women IN the crowd, who 3,
anne with tales, who had been 30 eager
or bits OF news when Or. Elm was at -
snttve, wanted her 10 do something. "
hey all wanted the divorce. All but !.
.oberta herself ~
All OF her methods for getting George
ack had failed. But, Ia q way. she
:f1l had George. More than Lois had
tmI And she had proved 10 herself
nat she could have married another
ian If she had wanted 10.
She was George McKe@en's wife.
very one respected her because OF that. =
he had q nice home. The things she ~
anted out Of life. AN but that inner ~.
'mething that was George. That had Is.
me. Why give everything else away, BE
o. and gain nothing In reeuEn2 X
Selfish2 What IL she were9 Why )
iould she sacrifice herself Tor Lois TA
She told herself that II -. -.
gorge actually asked for divorce :.
ie would give it TO him. Why be 3 AZ
'ood sport and offer it, herself9 NJ
The women she knew thought she "a
rs stupid. She didn't know what ~
IS going ON under her nose" she !
1uld keep on being stupid Would PH
etend to see nothing. What did It
after what women thought about herr -
Things could keep on like this for A
er. What of it2 She would suffer -
IS this way than II she were without
Gorge. altogether. And there was a ~
ance that some day George would -
ow tired Of Lois, or that Lois, finding
{ that she didn't intend TO do any
ing, would grow tired Of George. It "a
nan.-