The Ypsilanti daily press., 1945-01-11
in Mans C|othing
by
Nj: mon @. Eberhort

Drue hesitated. Then she lifted
her little chin higher. 81 don't be-
lieve that" she declared.
Conrad Brent with a sharp and
yet controlled gesture of anger
lifted the decanter and set it hard
and abruptly down again. He said,
Look here, Miss Cable"
Drue interrupted and said quietly,
Mrs. Brent"
MRS. ;"
81 did not actually resume my
maiden name. / am legally Mrs.
Brent"
A small purplish flush crept up
into Conrad Brent's cheeks. "But
you are not my sons wife," he said,
biting of the words. "And I must
tell you, painful though it is 10 me,
that my son doesn't want you. He
asked me TO arrange the break with
you. didn't want to tell you that
at the time. | didn't want to hurt
you needlessly; and Craig wanted
to spare you as much as possible.
Nothing but your defiant and sus-
picious attitude would have induced
me to say it. But you must under
stand that Craig doesn't want you
to be his wife and didn't"
All this time Drue was standing,
outlined sharply in her crisp white
uniform, against the door.
Conrad Brent touched the de-
canter again, absently, and said,
"As ! say, I'm sorry. But you must
have known the truth when he
didn't come back to you after he fin
ished his training"
Drue took a step forward at that
and asked, "He did finish them"
A queer, indecipherable express
sion fitted across Conrad Brent's
face; it was something curiously yet
shrinkingly secretive. Then he said,
stiffly, "Yes. Heleaves soon. don 7
know his destination"
why is he at tome?"
81 don't really know that you have
a right ask" observed Conrad
Brent. However -" he lifted his
shoulders and replied briehy-"he
is home on leave. Now. Of course
his leave will have TO be extended
AS say, / don't know where he is
TO be sent. He doesn't know. He is
again that queerly shrinking and
secretive look came into his face
"he is TO be bomber pilot"
Bomber -. :" murmured Drue In
a kind Of numb and expressionles,
voice.
Yes" said Conrad Brent. There
was a strange little silence in which
/ thought, for the first time prob.
ably Conrad Brent shared an emo.
tion with the girl he hated. HI
seemed then 10 realize it, for ht
drew himself up, gave her hooded
hating look and said, "That is not
the point. The point is you are nc
longer his wife. And he doesn't
want TO see you" He waited, and
Drue didn't move, and he rasped
suddenly in kind of burst, "Dc
you doubt my word?"
Drue answered quietly, her eye.
straight and unwavering, yes"
Conrad Brent turned so purple
and swelled so visibly that I gave q
preparatory glance at the decanter
Of brandy and the sofa; but nothing
happened in the way Of a seizure
and Drue added simply, you see
Craig loved me-"
THAT was a boyish infatuation r
frowned Conrad Brent, with a kind
Of controlled violence. ale was soon
cured. Your marriage to my son Is
ended completely. only wanted tc
make sure you understood that be-
fore permitting you TO stay on In
this house. ! see you prefer not 10
so you can leave at once :" He
turned 10 the bell and had his hand
outstretched when / advised, Shed
better stay"
His head jerked toward me
startled. / said, "All this is beside
! the point. The only thing that mat