The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1941-04-04
Conscripi' S Wife
By BETTY WALLACE

Continued From Page Elevenl /.
Just lately I've been hearing that
your husbands getting to be
regular guardhouse lawyer
"Guardhouse lawyer II don't
understand =. -
You know. lots Of wind not so
much behind 1t. Unco-operative.
you could call It. Argumentative.
Not that he's an out-and-out gold
bricker. but - well - he hasn't
seemed so happy in the army
Has he been giving trouble -
Martha asked swiftly.
oh. nothing much. Extra IA
.tgue. X. P. But I just thought
I understand" Martha told her,
gratefully. I'LL try Her
voice trailed off. She didn't know
exactly what she could do about
it. I'm find some way"
CHE did not connect that with
y the fact that only few hours
later Bill remarked. Funny. you
never hear from anyone. I should
think an old friend might call up
sometime. Maybe even drive over"
His eyes watched her.
DO you mean Suzanne Or my
landlady? ?"
He dropped it. But the next
week. he was at it again. And now
Martha realized that this was seri-
Gus. This was what occupied his
mind when it should be on SOL
diering.
Bill. why do you keep harping
on my old friends? What's the
matter with you"
"Oh. I'm just wondering. Like
Wednesday. I phoned and you
weren't there
Il happened to be at the drug
store. waiting for a prescription"
why didn't you call back ,"
You know / don't like to put
toll charges on Helens bill"
Always have a good excuse,
! don't you -
She was suddenly, devastatingly
angry. Look here. Bill. this has
been on your mind long time.
You've kept asking me. Over and
over. Last week and the week be-
fore. Do you think I'm seeing
Paul? Is that it? You're so busy
stewing about Paul, you have no
time to apply yourself to learning
what you were sent here to learn,
Stop limiting! Simply ask me
whether I've seen him. I'll tell
Iyou"
We'll, have you ?"
NO" Her fingers were shaking.
Don't you believe me? Bill.
what's the matter with you? I'm
doing everything possibly / can to
to please you. I'm there at Helen's
I'm stuck. like a vegetable in a
stew All l have to look forward
TO are these Sunday visits And
now you're-you're-"
so you're stuck. at Helen's,
Not as gay as having dates with
Paul. huh?'
CHE stared at him. aghsst. All
~ these weeks, he had been nurs1
ling this resentment which she
thought was ended. All these
weeks, jealousy had been gnawing
at him. She could see it in his eyes,
ugly and angry. He was like a
stranger.
!. Bill" she pleaded, you know
I haven't seen Paul since the acci-
dent. Why can't you forget it?
There's no use dragging it up now
no use our quarreling over a
thing that never meant anything
in the first place thing that's
over, done with"
How can l be sure ?" he asked
coldly.
= You might try building a fence
around me-" she. snapped bitterly.
And then she was running. and
Bill was running after her.
Oh, they made it up. that time.
n But it was still there. the next
time she went to the camp. Like
an evil miasma floating in the air
!. around them. Like a veil of fog,
through which she tried to reach
); her husband and couldn't.
She thought about it at night.
alone in her bed in the room which
y she shared with Helen. If Bill kept
this up. resigning her job had been
futile. She might as well be earn
ing living, might as well be liv-
. ing, doing the work she loved
Would nothing drive out of his
mind this mad jealousy?
5, ITO Be Continued)