When a Man Marries | Page 8

like castor oil, but necessary.
"Oh, you know well enough what I'm driving at," he burst out savagely.
"She doesn't know Bella has gone. She thinks I am living in a little
domestic heaven, and--she is coming tonight to hear me flap my
wings."
"Tonight!"
I don't think Jimmy had known that Dallas Brown had come in and was
listening. I am sure I had not. Hearing his chuckle at the doorway
brought us up with a jerk.
"Where has Aunt Selina been for the last two or three years?" he asked
easily.
Jim turned, and his face brightened.
"Europe. Look here, Dal, you're a smart chap. She'll only be here about
four hours. Can't you think of some way to get me out of this? I want to
let her down easy, too. I'm mighty fond of Aunt Selina. Can't we--can't
I say Bella has a headache?"
"Rotten!" laconically.
"Gone out of town?" Jim was desperate.
"And you with a houseful of dinner guests! Try again, Jim."
"I have it," Jim said suddenly. "Dallas, ask Anne if she won't play
hostess for tonight. Be Mrs. Wilson pro tem. Anne would love it. Aunt
Selina never saw Bella. Then, afterward, next year, when I'm hung in
the Academy and can stand on my feet"--("Not if you're hung," Dallas
interjected.)--I'll break the truth to her."
But Dallas was not enthusiastic.

"Anne wouldn't do at all," he declared. "She'd be talking about the kids
before she knew it, and patting me on the head." He said it
complacently; Anne flirts, but they are really devoted.
"One of the Mercer girls?" I suggested, but Jimmy raised a horrified
hand.
"You don't know Aunt Selina," he protested. "I couldn't offer Leila in
the gown she's got on, unless she wore a shawl, and Betty is too fair."
Anne came in just then, and the whole story had to be told again to her.
She was ecstatic. She said it was good enough for a play, and that of
course she would be Mrs. Jimmy for that length of time.
"You know," she finished, "if it were not for Dal, I would be Mrs.
Jimmy for ANY length of time. I have been devoted to you for years,
Billiken."
But Dallas refused peremptorily.
"I'm not jealous," he explained, straightening and throwing out his
chest, "but--well, you don't look the part Anne. You're--you are
growing matronly, not but what you suit ME all right. And then I'd
forget and call you 'mammy,' which would require explanation. I think
it's up to you, Kit."
"I shall do nothing of the sort!" I snapped. "It's ridiculous!"
"I dare you!" said Dallas.
I refused. I stood like a rock while the storm surged around me and beat
over me. I must say for Jim that he was merely pathetic. He said that
my happiness was first; that he would not give me an uncomfortable
minute for anything on earth; and that Bella had been perfectly right to
leave him, because he was a sinking ship, and deserved to be turned out
penniless into the world. After which mixed figure, he poured himself
something to drink, and his hands were shaking.

Dal and Anne stood on each side of him and patted him on the
shoulders and glared across at me. I felt that if I was a rock, Jim's ship
had struck on me and was sinking, as he said, because of me. I began to
crumble.
"What--what time does she leave?" I asked, wavering.
"Ten: nine; KIT, are you going to do it?"
"No!" I gave a last clutch at my resolution. "People who do that kind of
thing always get into trouble. She might miss her train. She's almost
certain to miss her train."
"You're temporizing," Dallas said sternly. "We won't let her miss her
train; you can be sure of that."
"Jim," Anne broke in suddenly, "hasn't she a picture of Bella? There's
not the faintest resemblance between Bella and Kit."
Jim became downcast again. "I sent her a miniature of Bella a couple of
years ago," he said despondently. "Did it myself."
But Dal said he remembered the miniature, and it looked more like me
than Bella, anyhow. So we were just where we started. And down
inside of me I had a premonition that I was going to do just what they
wanted me to do, and get into all sorts of trouble, and not be thanked
for it after all. Which was entirely correct. And then Leila Mercer came
and banged at the door and said that dinner had been announced ages
ago and that everybody was famishing. With the hurry and stress, and
poor Jim's distracted face, I weakened.
"I feel like a cross between an idiot and a criminal," I said shortly, "and