The Washington times., 1936-11-07

with a few women, instead Of all
those men that are always hang
ing around, we wouldn't be talked
about so much and I'd have more
friendS!"
Dorathea would have slipped
out on that parting shot. She had
her hat, and her coat over her
arm, but Evelyn'S strong white
hands closed over her wrist.
"Where did you pick up that
sort of talk? Who said that? 1t
was Caroline. I'll tell her what I
think of her.. her and her nasty
tongue! I'm going to telephone
right this minute. L"
"It wasn't Caroline!"
Then who was it"
"N-nobody!"
"Oh, yes, it was. You can't lie
to me. I can see it in your face,
Dorathea. Tell me- Tell me who it
was, or if you don't, I'll know it
was Caroline"
Again Bennie's whistle rose and
fell. Sound of footsteps coming up
the back steps.
Dorathea wriggled frantically.
Let me go! What are you trying
to do, huniliate me before my
friendS?"
your friends. But what about
my friends? And my reputa-
ton? You don't care. You didn't
even take the trouble to deny it
or come and tell me as daughter
should when Caroline"
1T wasn't Caroline!"
Evelyn held on doggedly. Then
tell me who it was. Tell mel"
"All right then. I'll tell you.
You're hurting my arm! The only
reason I didn't tell you was be-
cause I didn't want to make any
more trouble. Now you've made
me tell. And I don't care. It was
Uncle Peter, and if you say any
thing to him, HE'LL have plenty
more to say to you or miss my
gueSS!"
Evelyn sat at her dressing table,
her throbbing head in her hands.
Spilled powder, scraps of cotton
and cream, dabbed gauze were
pushed out of the way.
She'd tried three times to get
Peter, but the line was always
busy. Her first anger was melt
ing and self-pity filled her, in
stead.
Here she is, lone woman, de-
serted by her husband, held up to
scorn by her own brother. And
why? just because she was pretty
and young and popular, and a few
respectable business men liked to
take her to dinners and theaters!
Thank heaven she WAS pretty
and had few men friends. If she
had not she'd have starved to
death long ago.
If Dorathea got through life as
good and sensible as she, she'd be
able to give thanks for something.
There they were, gathering
down stairs to their movie now.
The three of them, Bennie and
Helen and Dorathea. An unnatu-
raj combination if ever there was
one. A girl with Dorathea's looks
wasting her time on a couple Of
nobodies like the Rogers. You
could laugh at Edith and her silly
ideas about class, but just the
same you had to admit she had
the right idea. Better to make
old maids of your girls than have
them running around with mar
ried men.
OF course, it was all right.
Helen was always there. There
couldn't be anything wrong when
Helen was always with them. But
why did she put up with it? And
leaving her two babies in the
house alone! What if the house
should burn down? I never left
my children alone, she told her.
self VlrtuOuSly. never IN all my
life went out and left them alone.
And for the moment she forgot
that there'd always been a maid
to leave them with.
Thinking Of herself as a fond
mother. far better than selfish
little Helen Rogers would ever be,
she dried her tears and went on
with her makeup. After all, Mel
would be calling for her soon and
she did not want to look a fright.
She'd planned to have him drive
her to Peters. but she'd had such
bad day it did seem shame to
spend the whole evening in a FAM
lily fight. Maybe it would be better
to let him drive her out into the
warm autumn country instead.
(TO Be Continued)
CCopyriRht, 1885, King Features