TANGLED WIVES By PEGGY SHANE Copyright by Peggy Shane. WNU Service SYNOPSIS finds her- with a A pretty young woman self in a taxicab in New York strange man who addresses her en- dearingly and speaks of "an awful shock.” He leaves her for a moment and she drives on, for she fears him. Her memory is gone. She stops at the Biltmore, Fro her expensive cloth- ing and wedding ring she concludes she is married to a wealthy man. She meets a young woman who speaks of her desire to go to Reno for a divorce, if she can get the money. The wom- an vanishes with the nameless girl's $900. An elderly woman, Mrs, Oscar Du Val, cordially greets the nameless girl, addressing her as “Doris,” wife of Mrs. Du Val's son, Rocky Rocky Is abroad, and Doris, bewildered, Is tak- en to the home of Mrs. Du Val and her sculptor husband, Oscar Doris falls in love with Rocky's photograph, but cannot remember having married him. Discovering a trademark in her clothing, she visits a and is astounded when a saleswoman insists she hid from observation, store, CHAPTER III—Continued sl omnens Doris found herself on the inside of a dark closet with the door firmly closed, What could be this? She groped. The hard cylinder of a broom handle was beside her, and this other shapeless thing was probably a vacuum cleaner. Could it be that was dreaming? The fantasy of a girl coming toward her, almost calling her by name, “Miss, I mean Mrs.—Val—" she surely had said “Val"—then the crazy push Into the closet: it was very like a dream. Or possibly the salesgirl was mad Or was Doris mad? She remembered that insane people sometimes thought every one in the world was crazy, She felt the blackness of the closet around her throbbing, throbbing. Why she shut away in a closet, a “Door the meaning of she from some unknown her fright As always In her mo- il leaving wis increasing. ments of depression the vision of the man in the cab came to tor: Now hig face floated before he very Her imagina out a pnacrine menacing real, tion, very brought supposing he unbidden, dozen susgestions: were out there? wanted to kid nap her? supposing he were a erim- inal, and she was his helpless tool—a criminal herself? Her hand tightly clutching the broom handle, her reason telling her that this was all nonsense, she still felt wave after wave of terror plunge over her like great billows knocking her common sense over, choking down her efforts to be calm and rational The salesgirl had recognized her, had called her Val. Outside Mrs. Du Val was waiting for her in the ear. Every. thing was all right. What was she scared about? Everything was not all right. What was the meaning of the salesgirl’s ter. ror? And why was she in this closet? Dogis called herself a fool. Fate had taken her kindly into a safe haven where she could rest and be well treated until her memory re turned. But she had not been satis fled. She had wanted to return to this alarming life she had onee led. Why hadn't she been content with Mrs. Da Val In the country? She tried to think back to the Impulse that had ded her to this place where girls looked at her with stricken pitying eyes and pushed her Into dark closets, She felt that if she ever got back to the country, she would never make any effort to leave again. After what seemed a very long time she turned the handle of the door and looked out. The small reception room was empty. Evidently the salesgirl had left It so, that she might get away. And outside sitting placidly in her limousine was Mrs, Du Val, Doris stood in the center of the room hesitating. Try as she would she could not summon her resolution to go on. Out in the car lay sanity, rest, peace, If she went In again and looked up that salesgirl she did not know what would happen, but she could feel the terrer the girl had spread like a contagion, Doris knew that she was being cow- ardly but she could not help herself. “Then she remembered that the sales girl had used the word Du Val—or at least she had said it so quickly that Val something was all Doris heard. But it must be Du Val. What else could It be? And after all that was all she had come to find. Some proof that she belonged to the Du Vals, And that one word of the salesgirl’s should be enough, She ducked out of the door and raced breathlessly to the curb. She didsnot wait for Louls to get down and open the door, but got Inside quickly and sank down on the soft springy cushions, “l was beginning to worry,” sald Mrs, Du Val. “I did promise Rocky mot to let you get out of my sight.” As the car rolled up the avenue Doriq pondered this. Did Rocky know y supposing he A of her danger whatever it was, and had he left these strange Injunctions about her for her own safety? Her mind went over and over the Incident. “Miss,” the girl had started to say, as If she had known Doris best for a long time as Miss Somebody. Then she had remembered, corrected herself and sald Mrs.—Mrs, what? Oh it must have been Du Val, but in the excitement of the moment it had been said so quickly that Doris could not be quite as sure as she would have liked, She was pale and exhausted from the fright. Mrs. Du Val was quick to notice this. “Doris, the trip into town is a mis- take. You could not stand the dentist, could you, today?" Doris looked at her thankfully. “Whatever happens I'll always love you and be grateful to you” she sald. “Such thoughts !™ “I mean it, You have been wonder- ful to me.” “*Whatever happens,’ she says! You must not worry so. You are going to be all right.” Doris looked anxiously at Mrs. Du Val. What did she mean by that? She spoke as If she knew of the strange thing that was hanging over her, Surely she could not have known that a salesgirl would push her into a closet and call her a poor child. Doris’ head was buzzing. If she could only talk to someone about all this, She found herself falling back on her old hope: tomorrow she would re- member, She had had a shock today ~—that ought to bring memory back. Oscar met them In front of the house as on the night of Doris’ arrival. He was delighted at their return. His first words were: “I have good news for you. Tonight there will be a sta. dium broadcast. It Is very good. Do you like to listen to Beethoven, Doris?" Doris sald she did. Mrs. Du Val looked pleased, Doris felt unreasonably happy. Here she was secure and loved. The salesgirl had called her by name, so she could be sure she was all right. It must be that Rocky's coolness sprung from something she had done in her past to alienate his love, But she would win It back. In the future she would be a model wife. These feelings were still in the as- cendant when she unsuspectingly sat down In front of the radio after din. ner. As Oscar Du Val turned the dia} to find the concert there was a pre- liminary buzzing. A man's voice spoke with startling distinctness. It boomed its message through the room—a fright. ening monologue that set Dorie’ arms her chair: Merrell, the girl wanted for murder in Morristown, New Jersey clenching the sides of “Diane iring Doris was s into space Rinssy eves, -Was Mich., at The police are’ Mrs, Du Val gave a low Oscar switched the radio off. Doris had fallen back In her chalr in a half daze, Wave after wave of black emn tion was pulling her downward, The radio voice had spoken from her past and dragged her back to the no man's land of threatening circles, and menac. ing purple rings, Mrs. Du Val's fat little arms were around her, trying to embrace “At such a time you listening to murders !™ She fell forward In her chair in a dead faint, * * * * » * . Doris came slowly back to senses. She opened her eyes: the white canopy met her gaze. She was in bed then, but what was this fright. ening trouble clutching her? She turned her head. Mrs. Du Val was sitting at the bedside leaning over with anxious eyes. Behind her the soft rays from a pink lamp fell on Rocky's picture, sent out gleams from the silver frame, Doris felt better. The bad dream was gone, She was back with Rocky. Rocky's mother was patting her head, She managed a smile. “Now, now you are going to be all right,” whispered Mrs, Du Val sooth- ingly. Then Doris remembered. She had been sitting at the radio. Something had been said, something horrible. “What—what was It they were saying over the radio?” “Now, now go to sleep, my Doris, It is all right” Doris sat up and looked at Mrs. Du Val a little wildly. “But you've got to tell me. It's very important.” “Now, now Doris. Remember. At such a time you must not be thinking of murders!” Murders! Doris fell back against the linen covered pillows. Murders! What had she to do with murders? She knew that her past had yawned for one ter. rible sécond while the radio announce. ment was being made, And now her mind had tprned away from it again. She was thinking that the reason she had forgotten her past was be- cause it was too agonizing for her mind to dwell'on. Her loss of memory was a veil which nature In her great kindness had dropped across her life. Behind that curtain lay something dreadful which she could feel, even if she could not remember it. Now that she had had that one backward glimpse she felt that she could never be happy again, “Tell me,” she said, “what murder was it that was being talked about?” “Mercy, mercy. And how should I know that? You must stop thinking of such things, Doris, It is bad for the baby, you know.” Mrs. Du Val was blushing furiously. “There now, Doris. You must forgive me. I have not been very delicate, have 1? But I was so worried. To day has been too much for you. Now, now we won't mention It again, I reported seen In Detroit four-thirty this afternoon scream. her, should not be her know that young girls are sensitive about such subjects.” Suddenly the meaning of the often repeated phrase, “at such a time,” was clear, She looked with startled eyes at Mrs. Du Val. Of course, She might have known that was it. All those little worries about her exercise, her diet, taking care of herself, all those sly little looks: she was supposed to be an expectant mother! And of course she was not golng to be a mother. Of that she was certain. Now the meaning of Rocky's words unrav- Did Rocky, too, think she was going to have a child? She opened her mouth. “I'm not—" hand was already over her lips. “You must not say another word, You are too excited.” Doris® eyes, big and full of anxiety, looked at Mrs. Du Val, use of trying to tell anything now? She would only be thought wrought, Sooner or later she must straighten this thing out. Tonight ind out, “But about this murder—* “No, no. No more talk.” In silence Dorls allowed Mrs. Du Val to tuck the covers about her chin. She was thankful when the light was turned out, and she was left alone. She tried to think why It was that she had never before thought of this explanation of Mrs, Du Val's sollel- tude, ut how could she have sup. posed such a thing about herself? Now she sat up In bed elutehing at throbbing temples, If this were 80, then she was not Rocky's wife. Rocky's wife was some other forlorn waif. In her frenzy she pictured this other woman as a sort of Biltmore ghost walking. walking through the big lobby looking for a Mrs. Du Val that never came. The shapes and shadows in the room were assum- ing grotesque outlines, pointing acens. ing fingers. “You are not Mrs. Rock- well Du Val. You are not Rocky's wife at all. You belong to the man In the eabh™ She tossed all night, not quite know. ing whether she slept or dreamed wak. ing nightmares At dawn with a painfully contracted heart and knelt down before the Rocky. In his pictured eves she tried to read the truth about her relationship to him. He had grown so familiar to her that she could not belleve that she had the real man. Even though her mind conjured up no recol. lection of him that went beyond that il fr Il knew that Image believed him to be she rose picture of never seen nme, she st she she be so only In " make-believe The breeze coming In 1g the from She sn erm In the long mirror she mpse of her slim figure In its thin lacy nightgown open window was sharp and shivered caught a gli Her eves were bright, her cheeks flaming unnatural. ly. She took hold of the corner of her table to herself. +1 must have a little fever,” she muttered. She crawled back under the covers and fell asleep, She awoke to find Mrs. Du Val standing beside her bed. Mrs. Dn Val looked anxious, and she knew she had something wrong with her. Her head felt hot and unnatural, “It is nothing,” said Mrs Du Val cheerfully, “you have a little touch of grippe. You must stay in bed. You will be all right.” For the next few days Doris lacked the energy to bring up the subject of her supposedly approaching mother. hood. Mrs. Du Val, like many fussy and worrying women, was at her best when there was actual {liness to com- bat. She was a miracle now of opti- mism, as she pursed Doris, Doris lay for hours listlessiy watch- dressing steady changing patterns in the sunshine that came in through the long windows, Her hands lay clasped In front of her, Once she took a daisy from the bunch of flowers that had been put near her bed, and pulling the leaves went through the familiar ritual of, “he loves me, he loves me not.” The mes- sage of the flower was, “he loves me not.” She did not like it. Superstl- tiously she felt that it proved that Rocky was not her husband, “I suppose I really am slightly crazy,” she told herself despondently. She fingered the ring which curled around her finger with tender reassur- ance, She had never taken it off since the day in the Biltmore. Now it sud denly occurred to her to look at the inscription inside again. She slipped it off. “H. L. V. to D, M. May 19th, 1932." D.M had been. And II. L. V. panic overwhelmed her. itials were R, D. V. She was not mar. ried to Rocky. Shs must be married to the man in the cab, be some way that H. L. V. could be Rocky's initials, Sometimes people's you thought they would be, people who went by nicknames, Her brain whirled, She felt determined to prove to her- self that she was married to Rocky. H. L V.<R. D. V. There seemed no escape from those awful initials, Why hadn't she thought of this be fore? She had often gone to sleep with her fingers on the small elrele, thinking of it always as Rocky's pres ent to her, there was a V and had taken It for granted that they were Rocky's Ine itinls. Now she accused herself guilt. ily. She had wanted to think herself married to Rocky. (TO BE CONTINUED.) ml ROM Paris to New York to Chl cago to Hollywood, it's velvet that outstands on the circuit for fall. Because of the decided empha- sis placed upon this ever-beloved ma terial In the program those planning clothes will do well to get Int velvet frame of mind from the very start. It Is not at all necessary to until later to wear ve The psy- chological moment | ht now. Yon will think so yours lien you see the cunning glove and capelet sets made all of which are al- ready on display In the better shops. You will not want to lose a acquiring gembles fashion advance style new 0 nn walt $ ivet, beret, vie ivet pinute in one of these intriguing en- tiy stun- OW -80-Y¢ for they are perfec ning worn ith the now mideeas iinen or Ir Carrs velvet wear during any previ record In ma ter of richecolor a tra chic. Just to give you a nt of things to be In a tailored way icture to the left of our tration, a really handsome specimen of a fall street coat which is finished to a nicety with quilted cording on sleeves in groups and about the neckline where darts radiate in somewhat of a yoke effect. This Is a Ma ¢ Roum and this eminent couturier sees to it that the dress of bandwoven silk is Surpass group ila the model as “classy” as the coat which tops it. You will notice that the collar and cape sleeves of the afternoon model, centered In the picture, are also quilted in a ribbed effect. This form of decorative treatment is going over big In newl fashions For this extraordinarily beautiful daytime wrap, which bears a Lanvin label, the designer employs lyons velvet of super The little feather toque is the crowning glory of this costume. Being of red transparent velvet the coat posed to the right tunes its color to the motif of the dress, Make a mental note of the wide rhinestone bracelet which this lady of fashion is imposing bar pin is effective en quality, 3 wearing: also the which enhar 8s tl ble, for they sem importance Jewelry, hat ched new is is their most nay picture. Even can versatility. You any sort of velvet your uncrushs market. An outstanding novelty is a ribbed velvet with a luster-lack finish. You can imagine how stunning ning jackets and blouses and acces sories such as bags, belts and collar and-cufl sets look made of this velvet ©. 1933, eve Western Newspaper Union. STRIPED WOOLEN By CHERIE NICHOLAS The new autumn woolens are most Intriguing. Striped versions are par fleularly stressed In the early show ings, algo diagonal tweeds in wooven fect which has been Interpreted In so many novel ways throughout recent of brown velvet. The little draped toque is of self-material, following up a mode which has been In evidence and is so well thought of, it continues on into fall GLOVES TO MATCH COSTUME FOR FALL will match your cos in fabric as well as Your gloves tume this fall color, black satin afternoon gown, you'll want black satin gloves to go with it. And you'll be able to find them, in good old chamoisette, and has a sur face as sleek and shiny as your gown. Or, If you have a brown wool knitted suit, you may wear brown knit gloves, in a smooth ribbed knit fabric, not bulky, but smooth fitting and neat, And so on. The good old silk jersey glove is back again with a bang, and you'll -gray, ecl-brown, navy, and black, Then chamoisette, the grand old standby, is presented fall clothes, Shirtmaker Frocks Are Startlingly Picturesque Now that the hinterlands have made the poignant discovery that a wardrobe not filled with shirt maker frocks is a menace, the New York makers are running riot with ideas on the subject, During the Palm Beach season, one bought a tony little tub silk in shirt maker style and called it a day, but now folks are riding high, wide and fancy in this ideal type made of crazy Tattersall checks, gaudy jockey stripes and tie silks that would startle an Indian, The “shirtmaker” chapter in the book. Tops of Shoes for Fall Are Remindful of Spats There are rumors that masufactur ers with loving care are designing kid shoes for fall that will remind ladies of spats. It might be even reasonable to think that some day spats will come back. Day clothes are long enough now that one needn't fear the “comic strip” between skirt hem and top of spat, but be that as was, today oxfords and pumps are being stitched up in kid combinations whereby the light up per fits over the rest of the shoe like a spat. is the greatest OU By ANGELO PATRI REVIEW LESSONS FVEILY so often it is necessary for ~+ a pupil to go over the points he learned. He repeats his rules, This Is an essential makes for thing. Our We think we It has a pleas- learning. It for one often trick us his thoroughness, She SnyE, Tell me all about IL.” Oftener that this thing be knew so well slips from his grasp when he tries to lay hold of it. He hesitates, stammers and fidgets and finally says, “I knew He didn't know it as well as he knew own name. His name has been used so often that it has become a The fact that slipped tried to hold into the haze when he not been knitted into the fabric of his To make an idea part of it into his mind by repetition and use. Eepetition alone will help a child to knowledge. It is not enough to repeat words, accurate though they may be. That is only one form of an idea, its thinnest, most elusive and de- ceptive form, To grasp its values and make them useful to our thinking we have to know the idea In many forms -in action, in association with other things. A child not learns that a river is a ward the sea. Suppose he never saw the boats carrying their loads up and down (ts course, never saw the farms turn green and bear thelr harvests be- cause of its beneficent watering, never noted the difference its drainage meant to the nearby uplands—how much does he know a river? We begin with the the word must be clothed and manifest before a child knows much about IL When review a subject, word, try to get about word but made a child ammer- un new find you are trying to help instead of h ing on the set view of it by helping the child to HEW S880 A with some a pupil is not review won't help way to interest him | ¢ deas in support of IT'S RAINING wph?s raining. Mother, it's raining. Does that mean we can't go?” “You certainly don't expect to go out n the rain? If It ig raining you have to stay in the house. That's all” A groan runs through the snxious group about the window. “Stay in all day? What will we do? There are some rainy Saturdays in every year and that means a lot of ted children, for Saturday is thelr important day. They save up their treats for that day, they look for- ward to it all week, for weeks ahead. A disappointment like a rainy day is no light blow to eager children. Sometimes the rain peed not inter- fere. If the children were going to the circus, let them go. The circus in the rain is great fun. Usually, it is under cover, anyway. Concerts, I'he outdoor week-end camping may be impossible. but sometimes there is a chance even If there is, let them take ft. Getting a welling is not going to hurt a healthy child. They are as wa- terproof as young ducks, provided they sre in good health and their clothes There is beauty in a rainy The soft gray that veils the enchants it The everyday The It would be a pity to de- the The drip of the rain from the trees, thud of earth that lies open to the meat and drink that the season is offering, the colors and the atmosphere of alli our days offer something precious and last. ing to the children who can enjoy them, I don't like to teach children that a rainy day checks them completely. It may not be wet enough to change thelr plans. If a rainy day outfit will settle the difficulty let them put it on and go ahead. If it is too heavy a rain use one of the alternatives you have had in mind. Instead of the outdoor excursion make it an indoor one to some Interesting place. Help them to use the rainy day and enjoy it The weather does not hurt healthy children. Dress theth to meet it Ine stead of dressing them by the calendar, use the thermometer. A sweater ean be worn with comfort on & cool day and nid aside with perfect safety on the following warmer day. We master the weather, We like it. We enjoy the changes in color and atmosphere and temperature that it brings. Whe wants to be afraid of n rainy day? Dell fyndicate.~WNU Service ou -
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