Evening star., 1940-12-30

for 1t before they were married, but
in her fondest dreams she hadn
expected it would be like it was.
Now he. too, was acquiring a kind
of pride that he never had shown
before. The young doctor who had
married a girl for her money seemed
to have disappeared entirely. The
same young doctor had acquired a
new character, and he refused to
take a cent of money from that girl
because il was hers, and he would
not let it be used to pay his debts.
His debts, vi thought ironically
They weren't really his at all. They
were hers, inherited from her father
Debt had been her dowry, debt
that meant complete changing of
her husbands ambitions. And debt
was much different from mere pow
erty. She had wanted to bring Gale
poverty because she had thought it
would strengthen him, make him a
man. But she had not wanted to
bring him debt.
She had done a thing that might
have broken his spirit, but so far
had not. And she could take great
pleasure in that fact of his strength
except for this new thing. this OBJ
legation he was under to the woman
who called herself Mrs Smith.
vi Plans to Help.
Well. there was a way in which
she could justify the wrong she had
unwittingly done her husband. She
was earning money now and she
could use some of it to provide for
Mrs. Smith. She would send her
money anonymously each week, and
that would relieve the pressure
upon Gale. She could help out that
way until Mrs. Smith had had her
child, and then she would talk with
Gale and make some arrangement
for their divorce
1t isn't that I care so much about
Gales past, vi thought. But must
show some pride and self-respect.
I would rather overlook the whole
thing and try to be happy with
Gale. try to be a good wife to him
But he will not ask me to forgive
him. He won't even make a clean
breast of the thing. And that is be-
cause he doesn't care enough about
me to want to keep me as his wife.
He has become a doctor with char
acter, but he doesn't become a hus-
band with love.
When Gale returned to the apart
ment that night, freShened by a
long walk in the cold December
night. vi had already retired. He
was glad because he didn't feel like
talking to her. He had hard time
controlling his anger when he faced
her, knowing what she believed
about him. And for some reason
that he couldn't fully understand,
he couldn't bring himself to explain
to her about Mrs. Smith. 1t was
as if what vi thought about it was
the main thing. If she thought the
worst, then let her think it. She
didn't have to think that She could
try to see the other side If she
didn't care to try to see that side,
then explanations would be useless
They might not be believed even.
And if they were believed he'd be
contemptuous of himself for having
been forced to give them, and con-
temptuous of her for requiring
them.
Mrs. Smith Moves.
1t was two weeks after that
when Mrs. Smith moved from her
wretched tenement and took q
small furnished room in a clean and
Well-kept apartment building about
mile west of Lincoln Park.
Maybe I'm foolish, DR.. Barclay. ="
she said the first time Gale called
on her there, but 1 couldn't bear
to think Of having little Don in that
wretched room. lit would have
seemed like a blight on the little
fellow at the very beginning"
Gale smiled down at her up
turned, childish face. Its exactly
what you should have done. Mrs.
Smith," he said. II hesitated to say
anything about it, but I was hoping
that, some way, you could manage
TO get better place"
Il know you're wondering about
the money" Mrs. Smith said. She
looked away and closed her teeth
on her lower lip Then she said,
Don is sending me $8 every week
now, and with what you are giving
me I can manage all right and even
save little to get clothes for him
and then she added, IF it is him.
and laughed.
Doctor" she continued after a
moment, 'I know that Don will make
good and be able to pay you back
for all you've done for me. I know
he will, really I dol"
Gale patted her shoulder. Don't
worry about that, child" he said.
Things are going along better for
me now and I don't miss the money.
And our principal concern is keep
ing you healthy. That husband of
yours seems like a mighty strange
chap to me, but if you still love him
after he's stayed away this long,
then he must be all right. Where
is he, did he say?"
NO" A worried frown touched
the girls forehead. I'm fact, he
even printed the address to disguise
his handwriting. II don't under
stand it at all, doctor. But I'm sure
everything's going to be all right.
He's kind of funny, but it's because
he's genius. He's an artist, you
know"
Wis Remark RankIes.
Il see," Gale said. And he
thought Lord, what faith! Here the