Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1936-12-12

She looked at him breathIess, eyes
shining To her surprise he did not
answer at once. His face grew blank,
then serious almost hurt.
You're not the sort who belongs
in the theater, SalIie, sweet he told
her gently. wait, dear" This as she
gasped and her dark eyes Widened IN
amaSement and shock.
you can sing pretty well. and you
Rave q genuine natural talent for act
ing. but"
but what, I'd like to knowl" she
stormed in q rush Of horror and in
dignatlon succeeding the surprise.
but 1 want 10 star you ia a far
better role" he said quietly. That OF
wife and-and mother. I've rented a
house, Sallie. It's on the water, near
Babylon. A little house. I'd cali It our
halfway house, with you there"
She had whitened. Hallway between
the Marchmont theater and the Beau
Bosquet?" she jeered Halfway be-
tween two places OF work? A COM
muter's villa, in other words, where I'd
stick in the kitchen, and run the vac,
and
Il meant it as halfway to heaven,
dear. OF course that's sentimental, but
it's real to me Just the same. never
knew love was so much of life, Sallie.
T."
Look here, Kingl" She stamped one
foot in alarm and sheer anger. do
you think I'd have married you II I'd
dreamt you just wanted a housekeep-
er?"
'You do mean, then, that you mar
ried me-why?" The last word cracked.
She laughed mirthlessly why does
any girl marry at the drop Of the hat,
the way I did? Because you were and
are powerful and respected figure in
the theater Because you could say
whether or not could have my chance
on the stage-even in a sticky part
Because as husbands go" she seemed
to relent little, but then she tossed
back her head-"you are no worse,
suppose, than any other"
He did vince at that, and paled
beneath the new sun tan. Il see. You
married the stage prospects gave
YOU, not myself"
And what did you marryP" she
famed "a girl who would stick in your
kitchen, getting flour on her nose, and
doing work you can have done by an
expert for $50 month. Yes, you mar
ried the scenery and the Sentimentality
of that dime-a-dozen playlet, Ten |
Miles Between not the real girl who !
was acting in i'll"
Time outi" he said grimly. I'VE both
fooled ourselves, see. Neither of us
is what the other thought Even here
on our honeymoon you've acted part.
what If have?" defiantly
'sJlst this" he said slowly. 1--WE made /
q fool Of myself, Of course. You are /
not the girl loved. You are a stranger,
and so you win be from now on. sug- /
gest, however, that we both act part /
for a time"
81 want my-chance-to- start" said I
Sallie between her teeth IF you won't /
give 1t to me, I'll go to Reno on the
next train"
Z was going to suggest Reno" ne
nodded gravely. THAT viii be the so
hutton, Of course. And it win no doubt
be good publicity for you. Help you
and q place In some revue or musical
comedy But viii not submit TO your
getting q divorce nowl@
''Wh-what does that mean?" she de-
handed with a catch of breath.
Simply this I'm no leper. Hence
'orth, and for three months more, I'm
not going to be your husband, either
,ut you are going to make people think
iol"
ssNeveri"
EN- bargain with you" he went on,
gnoring her denial. That's quite in
.haracter between q man who wanted
SEQ a month housekeeper and q girl
Who wanted a boost into the electric
lights. isn't it?" His voice was hard
With irony now.
well, youW keep to your sticky part
until October /. You'll come and play
he lines Of q fond bride happy in her
lew home, wear simple frocks, man
ge the servants, and appear with me
lere and there in public II bring