Revelations of a Wife | Page 7

drew a relieved breath. His heartily murmured, "You're a
thoroughbred for sure, Madge," rewarded me for my composure. I was
just woman enough also to be comforted by the whispered comments
of two women who sat just behind the seat which caused the mischief.
"Isn't that a shame--that exquisite gown?" and the rejoinder. "But isn't
she game? I couldn't smile like that--I'd be crying my eyes out"
Dicky left me at the door of the dressing room, pressing a coin slyly
into my hand. "You'll tip the maid," he explained, and I blessed him for
his thoughtfulness. I had been too absorbed in my gown to think of
anything else.
An obsequious maid provided me with needle, thimble and thread. She
offered to mend the tear for me, but I had a horror of being made
conspicuous by her ministrations.
"If you'll let me have a chair in a corner I shall do very nicely," I told
her, and was at once snugly ensconced near one of her mirrors behind
the very comfortable rampart of an enormously fat woman in an
exaggerated evening gown, who was devoting much pains and
cosmetics to her complexion. She looked as if she intended to remain at
the particular mirror all the intermission. I hoped she would stay there,
in spite the dagger's looks she was receiving from other complexion
repairers who coveted her place, for she was an effectual shield from
curious eyes.
To my joy I found that the gown was not ruined, and that it could be
repaired without much expense or trouble. Even the temporary
mending I was doing disguised the break. I was so interested in the
mending that I was completely lost to my surroundings, but the sound
of a familiar name brought me to with a jerk.
"Did you see the Dicky-bird and his marble bride?" A high-pitched yet
rather sweet voice asked the question, and a deep contralto answered it.
"Yes, indeed, and I saw the way Lillian Gale was rushing them. For my
part I don't think that's quite clubby of Lil. Of course she's got into the

way of thinking she has a first mortgage on the Dicky-bird, but she
might give that beautiful bride a chance for her life before she
forecloses."
"What's the secret of Lil's attraction for Dicky Graham, anyway?" the
soprano voice queried. "She's a good seven years older than he is, and
both her past and her youth are rather frayed at the edges, you know."
"Oh! love's young dream, and the habit of long association," returned
the contralto. I've heard that Lil was Dicky's first love. She was a
stunner for looks 19 years ago, and Dicky was just young enough to be
swept off his feet."
"That must have been before Lil married that unspeakable Morten, the
fellow she divorced, wasn't it?" interrupted the soprano.
"Yes, it was," the contralto answered. "I don't know whether Dicky has
been half in love with Lil all these years or not, but he certainly has
been her best friend. And now comes the news of his marriage to
somebody the crowd never heard of."
"Well, I think Lil may say good-by to her Dicky-bird now," returned
the first speaker. "That bride is quite the prettiest piece of flesh and
blood I've seen for many days."
"She is all of that," agreed the other, "She holds all the best cards, but
you'll find she is too statuesque and dignified to play them. I saw her
face tonight when Lil was talking to her. She is not accustomed to Lil's
kind, and she does not like her friendship with Dicky."
"You can't blame her for that," interrupted the soprano. "I am sure I
would not like to see my husband dancing attendance on Lillian Gale."
"No, of course not," the contralto replied; "but she will be just fool
enough to show Dicky her feelings, and Dicky, who is the soul of
loyalty to his friends, will resent her attitude and try to make it up to Lil
and Harry by being extra nice to them. It's too bad. But then, these
marble statue sort of women always sacrifice their love for their pride

or their fool notions or propriety."
"It will be as good as a play to watch the developments," the soprano
commented. "Come on, we'll be too late for the curtain."
I felt suddenly faint, and the room appeared to whirl around me. The
maid touched me on the arm.
"Are you ill, madame? Here!" and she held a glass of water to my lips.
I drank it and motioned her away.
"I'll be all right in a moment," I murmured. "Thank you, but I am quite
well."
So this was what marriage would mean to me, a contest with another
woman