Evening star., 1940-12-29

as you were about marrying without
love?"
Wis anger had dissolved again
and she went back to eating. After
moment she looked up at Gale,
who stared at her angrily. Its
amusing to hear you condemn me
for what I did, Gale" she said. you
admit you married me for money
and you obviously haven't yet got
over the fact that you were gypped."
"Gypped is good" Gale replied.
Il sure was that"
They finished dinner in silence
and when vi started to wash the
dishes Gale, without a word and for
the first time in over a week, volun-
tarily started drying them. He
smoked cigarettes chain fashion as
he worked, getting ashes on most
Of the clean china, but vi said no
word in criticism She knew he was
feeling remorseful about something
and was doing the work as a kind
OF silent penance.
Later that evening they sat in the
living room and talked without
.rancor about what they would do.
vi, refusing to discuss her reasons,
announced that she would get a Job
OF some kind in order to help with
| home expenses, but she would not
work in Gales Office any longer.
I'll make no more explanations
so far as Mrs. Smith is concerned"
Gale said. You can think whatever
you please about that"
I'm afraid that explanations
wouldn't do much good anyway" vi
replied. But let's not talk about
that any more"
Conversation Is Recalled.
She was still remembering the
conversation she'd overheard as she
stood outside the Office door that
evening. Gale had said he'd send
Mrs. Smith as much as he could
afford each week, and no more
about it. Obviously the woman had
been demanding more than Gale
could send her.
Poor Gale, vi thought, not with
out a trace of irony. What a mess
he got himself into when he mar
ried me. And I didn't intend it at
all. At least I didn't intend it to
be as bad as 1t has turned out.
did want him to get down to earth.
I did want him to get over his am
bitions for high social practice.
did think it would be good for him
to have to struggle and fight to
make a go of his practice. I did
want all that. But I didn't want
him to start of with a debt of
thousands hanging over his head.
And I had thought that there was
nothing terribly wrong in his past.
Gale give himself up to reading
because the conversation with vi
only made him angry. She was be-
ing so righteous and SO sickeningly
loyal, refusing to go into a rage
about what she thought was ter
rible scandal in his past. She was
preferring to be stole and brave.
And if she'd only act sensible he
could easily tell her there was moth
ing to be brave or stole about.
A few days later vi did land a
job in small dress shop on Michi-
gan avenue. She had bought clothes
there in the past and was known by
the proprietor, and with a sharp
French eye for business, Msieur
Prlonne observed that her connec-
tions with the fashionable set would
be an asset to his business. Not a
great one, he hastened to add, but
probably worth SIS a week to start.
vi Argues for More.
That was more than vi had ex-
pected but she argued valiantly un-
til the ante was raised to 10, then
quickly agreed. She saw no need
to tell Prionne that her contacts
had been let slide since her mar
riage to the impoverished DR.. Bar
clay. She didn't believe such a.
statement would do her any good.
And she knew that, with the SPEND
Ing money her salary would provide,
she could re-establish at least some
of those contacts.
Gales praise was perfunctory. He
| merely nOuoed ana SAID, That's
nice. Good luck" And went back
to his reading. But when vi sug.
gested that she contribute some-
thing each week to paying off the
debts they'd inherited, Gale banged
his book against his knee and
glared at his wife. For a long mo-
ment he said nothing, seemed to be
struggling to get control of his voice.
His face was flushed and his eyes
narrowed.
You're going an awful long way
to make me feel like a complete
cad" he said at last. What do YOU
expect me to say? Thanks, old girl,
appreciate your help?" He stood up
abruptly and went to the closet and
pulled out his topcoat and hat.
Maybe am cad" he said as he
went to the door, but you're not
paying of any of my debts with
your money. Have the grace to
leave me little self-respect."
(Tomorrow: Mrs. Smith tells Of
some good fortune)
| (Copyright, 1910, The Chicago Daily
4