The Washington times., 1936-11-17

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what's wrong? What's hap
pened?" Jan whispered.
Both women looked at her
and neither answered.
On the coffee table before Eve
lyn lay a little heap Of things. A
rumpled lace-edged handkerchief,
a scarlet lipstick and Dorathea's
newest vanity case.
Evelyn's hand went out, touched
them, pushed them aside. i still
don't believe it," she said.
Helen Rogers said without turn
ing her head, II don't care
whether you do or not. I thought
you ought to know, that's all. I
may as well go. The children
are alone"
It was Evelyn's opportunity.
Her eyes flashed, her color deep
ened. She fairly suffered in her
eagernesS, "Since when do you
care whether they're alone or
not?"
Helen came from the window,
her swollen, tear-stained face red
dening alarmingly.
"If I ever left them alone" she
said in tense voice that began
low and got higher and less con-
trolled as she spoke, 1T was be-
cause I had to leave them, to try
and save my husband.
II went with them, no matter
how tired I was-even once when
Junior had an earache-I knew
they didn't want me but I pre-
tended didn't know it. thought
I'd be such good sport he'd just
have to come back to me I
couldn't afford to pay someone
to stay with the children! Not
when he was spending every cent
he could get on Dorathea!"
"That." Evelyn said. reddening
in her turn, sis a lie. Bennle
never spent a dime on us! Every
where I went with you it was
dutch treat, as you called it, and
let me say it was the first time
in my life was ever asked to pay
my own way when there was a
gentleman in the party, though
I don't need to tell you I didn't
grow up in this sort Of environ
ment. I'm not used to it. /"
"Oh, I'm not talking about you.
It didn't take long to get you out
of the picture. He didn't pay
much attention to you after Do
rathea threw herself at him
"Dorothea-my daughter-threw
herself-you're crazy! My dear
woman, you're crazy, and I'm not
going to stand here and let
you-"
Jan surprised herself. She sur
prised everybody. Yesterday she
would have stood sick and silent
in her corner, not knowing what to
do. But today she was grown
up, able to handle things.
"PleaSe go, Mrs. Rogers" she
said firmly, taking that furious
and half hysterical young woman
by the arm. "Whatever is wrong
can be talked over later. You're
upset now, and the children are
all alone while you're up here
"You keep out of this, Jan.
Didn't I tell you to go to your
room?" Evelyn cried.
But Helen turned to Jan as Ii
to someone her own age.
eyes," she said, wiping her eyes,
"I must go. I don't know what
they're doing and Baby Aileen has
such a cold. don't know what I'm
going to do-I'm nearly crazy.
I've cried all day. It's been going
on for two weeks now. He said he
had to work, but I knew he was
lying and then I went to send his
blue suit to the cleaner and I
found those things of Dorathea's
in his coat pocket, and I knew
knew-oh, I've been through so
much-so much"
But it's so easy to be mis-
taken" Jan said, I'm sure Mr..
Rogers can explain, ana DoraChea
wasn't with him last night. She
was with a girl from her office"
There! That's what 1 said" "
Evelyn put in.
"And that's all either of you
know about it," Helen said. For a
moment she almost forgot her an
ger. She came over to Evelyn, her
poor little face washed OF all its
prettiness, her voice still thick with
tears.
"Can't you see how I feel? He's
nv husband. We were so happy
so happy-we'd be happy yet if
we hadn't come here! I tried so
hard! Even last night when the
baby's temperature went up and I
was scared, didn't say anything
when he said he had to work. He
cold mt tn worry and he'd be home