The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-05-01

weeks swelled within her. She
choked back the first angry retort,
but she let herself say, You got
me there once-I'm not going
back. If they're hard up they can
rent the rooms. I'm sorry for Pop,
but if your mother is so stubborn
and so extravagant that She"
The door shut.
Edward had walked out.
4
Marie's dark curls were as glossy
and carefully arranged as ever,
her magnolia-like skin as lovely,
her pretty mouth as carefully
rouged. But the pictures didn't
turn out so we'll any more. There
was something lacking-some-
thing gone.
You ought to take a decent va
cation" Walt said.
He had been south for several
months, and he was shocked to see
her so changed.
why. Walt! What do you
mean?"
"Flo's in Reno now. Getting a
divorce. But I suppose you guessed
it-everyone did, but me-"
She reached over and took his
hands in hers. I'm sorry, Walt"
Edward was taking a nap when
she got home. He woke, yawned
and grinned lazily. I'D have met
you, had known what train you'd
be on"
Il wish you'd quit that job.
You've been dead-and a disagree.
able dead ever since you got it,"
But I notice you still like to
eat!"
No." he said. mo, thanks. I
don't. Not tonight. And I'm sorry
if I seemed to make any sugges-
tions about your private affairs.
It's pretty evident that they are
your private affairs, and I have
no part in them"
He put on his hat. Presently,
the door slammed.
He couldn't have gone far. In
a half hour he was back with some
delicatessen chicken and a bag of
tomatoes.
She hadn't moved. She was sit
ting just where he'd left her. on
the straight chair by the side of
the bed, her wide-brimmed hat
on her lap.
"Honey-I'm sorry. I know I
haven't been very decent lately.
But fellow darn it, Marie. I
have my troubles, tool"
**
The first Of October came. Ma"
RE sat hunched over her check
book. making out checks, a frown
between her eyes, her mouth tight
and thin.
Edward lay on the Chesterfield,
watching her, pretending to read.
Marie fluttered from Julie to
Charlie, and back again. From
kitchen to living room, straighten-
ing a picture here, twitching a
curtain there, bright-eyed and ner-
vous. wanting everything to be
perfect for them.
Walt was only too glad to give
her the vacation she had refused
before.
Tive got so much to say to you!
It'll take weeks" she cried.
But after they'd discussed the
weather, and Waits divorce and
jules giving up the beauty shop,
after they'd helped Charlie de-
eide on garage for his car, there
didn't seem to be much to talk
about.
Now what to talk about? They'd
used up all the safe subjects.
From the first, everyone had been
conscious of strain. Before they
came. Marie had moved all her
and Edwards things out of the
bedroom, installed them in the
little dressing room back of the
wall bed in the living room. Then
she'd made up the bed with the
best percale sheets with double
hemstitching, and busted and
vacuumed, in fever of excite
ment.
But when they arrived. Julie in.
sisted on sleeping in the living
room wall bed. And all the things
had to be carried back into the
closet.
Edward didn't say anything. He
Just looked.
With money carefully slipped to
Edward in advance, he took them
all around town, out into the hills,
across the bay to San Francisco,
expertly driving Charles car, for
Charlie, stubborn about strange
traffic." refused to even take it out
Of the garage.
And then, one morning Edward
wouldn't get up. "Oh, don't be
silly" he said to Marie, when she
pleaded with him. We're not fool
ing anybody.
I'm going to clear out. I'm
going over to Mons. If you want
to keep up the fiction you can say
that I'm out of town, or over there
to help with the fall cleaning, or
any lie you like. And before go
I want to say just one more thing,
that I've known all along about
your friend Walter Carson's di.
vorce. and why his wife is getting
it, and that's ONE piece Of wool
you didn't pull over my eyes"
She tried to answer. ooh, YOU
you-Oh, how can you even
THINK"
Edward was stuffing clothes into
a suitcase.
jules face was red, and Charlie
was humming, when, somewhat
Gained by cold water and quiet,
Marie finally put in an appearance
IN the kitchen where they were