The times-news., 1937-07-31
.Be,tDtsse9 Oomau
~ ,rI en- Wei sLMER COPYRIGHT, ss7 NEA SERVICE, INC
BY HELEN WELSAlMER
oF CHARACTERS

PHILIP IRVING, Judith's es-
tranged husband. 49,, E.
MARTA ROGERS, Judith's RI
BRUCE KNIGHT, author, Ju-
dith's old elassmate.
MIILICENT BAYNE, Bruees
protcge.
Yesterday: Fearfully certain
that Phil is in love with Marta
Judith proposes weekend at
Pills lodge to talk things over
But words will not come to voice
that something"
CHAPTER III
Phil nut down a magazine which
he had picked up casually, rs
Judith paused. She noticed that
his eyes had been resting on a
picture of her, clothed IN purple
crepe pajamaS. lounging on a
davenport in their sun room;
Odd, she thought, that she should
be wearing those pajamaS now.
She could not mention Martha
name TO Phil. though he had given
her an opening. He himself went
on. Judy. what's happened to
me-" He raised his voice. What 5
happened to me-" He raised hiS
voice. What's happened? You
ought TO know? You're a woman
You're my wife. It's your 0uSi-
ness to know
Tell me about it." She drop
ped down on haSSock ut his feet.
The mood passed. you'll think
I'm an ass. Pm not certain OF
myself, my feeling, of anything
ANYMORE. Not even of my love
for you. Judy. Judy She re-
membered a favorite little bro
ther who had come TO her when
their father had been drunk and
unkind long ago, as she met the
puzzled blue eyes. Life was beng
that way to Phil now. 1t had re-
moved the wrapping from his
emotions. She couldn't advise him.
She could only stand by.
So to change the conversation,
presently she mentioned the
cleaning jackets she had bought
a few days before. He didn't smile
appreciatively. His lips cudled a
little. "They matter lot to you,
don't they Judy? Clothes, l
mean"
"Why no. not at ALL"
"But you wouldn't wear ging-
ham aprons and live with a man
on a Georgia farm or on Pacific
island and never have a picture
in the paper. Not you! Oh no!
Not Mrs. Philip Godfrey Irving,
who wears the most becoming
clothes in America"
She glanced at him swiftly,
Scrutinizingly. No, he hadn't been
drinking. But he wanted TO hurt
her, terribly and dreadfully. She
fought back an inclination to de-
fend herself. This was not the
time for alibis. When she spoke
her voice was quiet.
"Phil, we need the lodge this
weekend. Shall we go?"
His mind came back from a
long distance. "The lodge? Oh
YES, of course" Now his eyes
were quiet again. judith. | think
that might be an excellent thing
to do"
But when Phil called on Friday
he said: Judith? The Cables are
here from London. Just got a
ring from old Pete. How about
taking them along"
Because there was nothing else
TO do, she agreed. Anyway she
liked the Cables. who were a little
older and fond of the out of
doors.
And later, when Phil began to
suggest that house party might
be in order because the weekend
would not be theirs alone anyhow,
she understood. He had decided
that he couldn't face the two days
alone with her, lest he make a dis
closure he wasn't ready TO make.
She helped plan the guest list.
Another woman was needed.
"Why not Marta?" she asked.
"She's beautiful and we need her
for ornamentation."
PhiPs guarded answer showed
that he didn't know how much
she suspected.
"Do you think so? She hates
New York over week-ends."
When she replaced the tele-
phone in it's ivory cradle Judith
stood up, gave the heavy rose
haSSock a mighty kick that sent
her silver mule spinning after 1t,
bit her lips. Marta wouldn't flt:;
That should be good news--should
show up q woman. But Marta
was clever enough to get the men
TO protect her For one thing she
didn't know how to dress. She
would have no rust and green and
brown sweaters and skirts along.
Or-maybe she did know how to
dress. She would be fragile IN
rose and blue. And every man
longed TO be a Launcelot.
The day went on. She prepared
to meet some friends for lunch.
There was a sheer black frock OF
chiffon, that went with a large
black hat whose only ornament
was a knot of pink wax flowers.
She was ready to leave when she
was summoned to the telephone