Page 4
Thursday, December 21, 1933
TIMES, WILLAMINA, OREGON
T a n g le d W iv e s
B y PEGGY SHANE
Copyright by Peggy Shane
S YN O PSIS
A girl finds herself In a taxicab in
N ew York w ith a stran ge man who
sp eak s of "an aw fu l shock.” He leaves
h er for a moment, and she drives on,
fo r sh e fears him. She stops at the
B iltm ore, w ondering who she is. Her
m em ory, is gone. She has a wedding
ring. The nam eless girl m eets a young
w om an who sp eak s of her desire to
go to Reno for a divorce, if she can
g e t the money. The woman vanishes
w ith the nam eless g irl’s $900. An e l
derly woman, Mrs. Oscar Du Val.
cordially g reets the nam eless girl, ad
d ressin g her as “Doris," w ife of Mrs.
Dn Val’s son, Rocky. Rocky is abroad,
and Doris, bewildered, is taken to the
hom e of Mrs. Du Val and her sculptor
husband, Oscar. Doris fa lls in love with
R ock y’s photograph, but cannot re
m em ber having married him. V isiting
a store she is, astounded when a sa le s
w om an in sists she hide -from observa
tion. Rocky returns. He demands to
know who she is and why his w ife
sen t her to his home. She cannot tell
him. They agree, for th e sak e of his
parents, to pretend, for th e -time be
ing, they are husband and w ife.
CHAPTER V—Continued
—io—
Rocky pulled a chair up to the table
and sat down. “Draw up, dream girl.’’
he said gleefully. “Rather, darling, let
me arrange your pillows for you."
There seemed nothing else she could
do about It, so Doris scrambled Into
bed. Rocky poked pillows behind her.
“Jolly, isn’t it?”
••What?”
“Oh—having our own little love nest
like this and being so fond of one an
other!”
Doris’ spoon poked tremblingly into
her grapefruit. She felt a little reck
less about where the Juice spattered.
“It may seem Jolly to you.” She looked
a t him unsmilingly.
Rocky opened his eyes In pretended
surprise. “You mean to say It isn’t to
you—with your love of adventure?
Fickle woman, and on our wedding
day you were so crazy about me!"
Doris was scarlet. For a moment
she thought that Rocky meant they
had had a wedding day. rt was too
confusing. If only he would stop teas
ing. It was baffling enough not to
know what had happened to her.
“After breakfast (we’ll drive into the
village,” said Rocky. “I want to call
up Doris without Mother finding it
out.”
“Go alone.”
“You don’t crave my company.”
‘-Frankly I don’t ”
He looked at her. She saw that his
capfious mood was gone. He was hurt
inexplicably, and angry.
“Well, I’m not so d—d keen about
you either. It’s to save Mother’s feel
ings that I’m going to take you.” His
face looked grieved, childishly so.
“She thinks that we can’t bear to be
out of one another’s sight 1”
Doris didn’t know what to say. His
making fun of love Infuriated her.
She looked at him in stunned helpless
ness.
Who was she? What was she doing
here? Where was the real Doris?
Why wasn’t she here instead?
Mrs. Du Val rapped at the door and
came In. “Ah my children—like quiet
little love-birds you s i t !” She glanced
at Doris’ plate. “Bub you do not
e a t!” She shook a finger. “You are
too excited. Rocky has talked to you
too much.”
Doris smiled. “Yes—he hasn’t given
me time to dress, evenl” She gave
Rocky a sly glance.
He came out of his gloom with a
humorous leer. “But you’re so beauti
ful—dressed or undressed.
Why
should I?"
Doris drove to the village with him
She sat quietly except for an occa
slonal answer to his sarcastic refer
ences to her “sustained innocence”—
her “touching consideration” for his
parents! When she could stand it no
longer she cried:
“Oh, keep stilt You haven’t the
faintest idea of what you’re talking
ab o u t”
“Maybe not.” Rocky stopped the
car and got out. “But I’ll know soon.
You wait here while I telephone.”
He came out a few minutes later,
looking glum. “A fine bunch of wom
en 1 pick for myself," he growled. “1
come home to a strange bride, and my
real wife is nowhere to be found.”
“Couldn’t you get her?”
“Couldn’t I get her?" shouted Rocky.
“And you let me go through all this
nonsense of telephoning her! How
much longer do you Intend making a
jackass out of me?” He eyed her ac
cusingly. “You, knew all the time she
wasn’t there."
She felt as if her last nerve was
about to snap, “Stdp speaking to me
WNU Service
in that tone,” she cried. “Anu if you
happen to have been born a Jackass,, is
that my fault? Stop the car. I pre
fer to walk.”
Rocky stepped on the gas. “Stop
it? Like h—1! From now on, this
fight gets serious! There are plenty
of unpleasant places for clever girl
crooks in New York!” He stamped
violently on the starter. “Where do
you suppose that woman is at this
hour? Not home from last night’s
party, I expect.’’
“You—you’re unspeakable.”
She
drew herself to the farther side of the
car. She was seething. Rocky seemed
engaged in a bitter brooding. They
said nothing more until he opened the
door of the car for her to alight.
Doris retreated from his extended
hand. “1 can get out of this car quite
well without assistance.”
He seized her arm and pulled her
out roughly. “Stop acting like a fool.”
They stood, eye to eye, Doris on the
step above him, outraged, panting with
fury. At that moment nothing hut
physical violence could have satisfied
Doris. This man had her so complete
ly at his mercy. She was so helpless.
She had no place to go—no one to turn
to. And he insulted her, humiliated
her. She could not think of words to
express her fury. Everything else had
gone from her mind.
He too was filled with hate. His
mouth was drawn into ugly lines. His
eyes looked at her mercilessly.
“You—’’ he began.
The cheery voice of Oscar Du. yal
boomed at them., “Ah, my children,
home again! Good. I thought you
might be late for lunch."
Rocky reached ou t1 his hand toward
her, smiling hypocritically. It was the
What should she do?
But the kindly Du Vais were per
ceiving at last that something had gone
wrong with the newlyweds. Doris did
not eat. Rocky glowered.
Oscar Du Val pushed back his chair.
“Rocky you go off somewhere with
Doris for a few days where you can
be alone together."
“Yes, yes,” said Mrs. Du Val eager
ly. “It is not good for young people
to be always with us old ones—"
“We love it,” Doris spoke impul
sively.
Rocky glared at her.
“As a matter of fact. Doris and 1
are leaving for New York this after
noon, if you don’t mind,” he said.
Doris’ heart leaped with fear. So
she was to leave this place—leave Mrs.
Du Val, her only friend in the world.
And where should she go in New York?
She rose. “I’ll go and pack,” she
said. “What time does the train
leave ?”
“I’ll drive you in my car,” said
Rocky.
Doris walked swiftly out of the
room so that they would not see her
tears. Rocky’s bitter taunt recurred
to her—he seemed to think she was
some kind of an evil woman. His eyes
were so unfriendly and cruet. If he
knew the truth he would turn her over
to the police. Perhaps he would any
way. The least he would do would be
to put her away in an .asylum.
She packed quickly. What the fu
ture held In store for her she could
not guess. This adventure had turned
out to be farcical. “To anyone else
it would be farcical although it doesn’t
$eem so funny to me,” she thought.
Doris accused herself unmercifully.
She ought to have known that Mrs. Dn
Val was not acquainted with her. One
“ I Don’t Think I Car* at All About Having You Kiss Me.”
last straw. She raised her fists in the does not run Into friends so easily
air and struck put desperately. In her when one is lost in New York.
madness she hit the umbrella stand.
How, now, would she find her friends,
It knocked over, hitting Rocky vio her parents, her—(her mind shied
lently.
away)—her husband? Then she
Taken by surprise, he uttered a loud thought again with terror of the man
“Ouch.”
In the cab. If she did find her friends,
“I hope it hurts!”
it meant, finding that man again.
Rocky whispered, venomously, “This
Of course he was her husband.
Is the lim it This ends everything.”
She looked at herself earnestly in
He rubbed his wounds tenderly.
the mirror. She was dressed in the
“And not too soon for me, either!” tweed that she had worn on the day
said Doris.
-of her meeting with Mrs. Du VaL The
They went In to lunch. Mr. and Mrs. face, young and anxious, looked back
Du Val noticed nothing amiss.
at her. She was absolutely alone in
The meal seemed long and unendur the world. And now she was going
able. Rocky was silent and brooding. out in it—without friends, without
Doris felt depressed. Where did she money.
belong? Where should she go?
Rocky knocked peremptorily on the
She considered taking Mrs. Du Val door.
“Are you ready?” he asked curtly.
Into her confidence. Rocky’s mother
had been so kind—had seemed such a
“Certainly.” she said promptly. -
refuge. Yet had that not been partly
She gathered up her gloves. She
because she was Rocky’s wife, because took one look around the pretty fault
she was supposed to have the Du Val less room. Her haven. “Good-by,”
she thought silently. “Good-by.”
seed flourishing within her?
Doris felt more unhappy than ever.
Bending her head so that Rocky
She had known, at least, all along that might not see her face she left the
she was not going to have a baby. room.
She took her leave in a daze, Mrs.
Mrs. Du Val would be very angry
when she found out how Doris had Du Val full of admonitions, smiles and
taken advantage of her sympathy and tears—Oscar Du Val neglecting his.
precious work to bid her farewell—
love.
the kisses, the smiling servants—
Rocky at the wheel grim, saying little
—then the grinding ’ gears—and the
last look over the shoulder—
Then she was riding over the road
beside Rocky.
He spoke once on the long Journey:
“I’ll take you as far as New York,”
he said unpleasantly. “But then I’m
afraid we’ll have to part compariy—”
Frightened, horrified, forlorn. Doris
still felt that she would rather die
than let him know how completely
helpless she was.
“You can drop me at the Biltmore,’’
she said.
“O. K.”
Doris’ throat was dry, her cheeks
hot from the sun. She hoped that she
would not cry. It would be awful If
she broke down in front of Rocky.
Was the drive never going to end?
Doris decided that she could sleep In
the park that night. She could pawn
her baggage and look for a Job.
Rocky smoked cigarette after cig
arette. his eyes squinting, his mouth
sardonic and unhappy. The hills gave
way to the Bronx River parkway.
■Then Rocky turned off Fifth ave
nue into a side street and orought the
car to a standstill. He got out. walked
around the car and opened the door.
She looked at him blankly.
“Well?”
“Get out !”
“But why—here?”
“I've decided you’re coming with me
to have a showdown with Doris.”
“Is this—is this where you live?"
“As if you didn’t know it.’
Doris sighed. It was so hot She
opened her hag and drew out her pow
der case. “Gome on,” Rocky command
ed impatiently.
“Oh—all right.” She had small
hope that Rocky’s wife would be able
to unravel the mystery, but the cool
iron grill before Rocky’s door looked
so Inviting.
He smiled at her. “I’m sorry for all
my rudeness,” he said.
“Oh it’s all right. I’m about ready
to be handed over to the police any
way.” She felt weary and reckless.
“There’s something about you that
drives me wild. I’ve seldom met a girl
who could get my goat as successfully
as you can.”
“I must be wonderful that way,”
Doris agreed.
They entered the elevator, and
Rocky pushed the button. The tiny
elevator was painted dull blue and
decorated with three large mirrors.
Looking at herself Doris saw that
she was flushed and bright-eyed from
the heat. She thought that she had
never looked better in her life, uor
felt worse.
The elevator stopped. Rocky opened
the door.
■ “Doris. Doris I”
Rocky’s voice boomed emptily
through the apartment.
Rocky’s wife was not there. As
they weitf in they saw that the place
had not been occupied for a long time.
Dust lay on everything, and there was
evidence that an untidy Job of pack
ing had been done there, but not re
cently.
“H—1!” said Rocky. “My devoted
wife seems to have left me, bag and
baggage. She didn’t even leave me a
note as far as I can discover.” He
bent over Doris and seized her sud
denly by the shoulders. “And now.
my dear young lady. It’s up to you to
explain. Just exactly what is the
game?”
Doris stared back at him. “Take
your hands off my shoulders.”
“When you answer my question.”
But the glare In her eyes bad had
Its effect. She saw that he was pre
tending to be more angry than he
actually was. They seemed to have
reached a deadlock. “This Is silly,”
said Doris. “You know perfectly well
I know no more about your stupid old
wife than you do.”
A slight grin announced that Rocky
knew himself beaten. His grip on her
shoulders became more friendly. “So
you think Doris is stupid.”
The girl flushed. She did think so,
rather she had conceived a dislike for
Rocky’s wife for some reason not
clear to herself. Yet she did not want
Rocky to think so. “I think It's stupid
to hear so much about her,” she said
faintly. “I don’t know whether she’s
actually stupid or not,"
“You sweet,” said Rocky unexpect
edly and kissed her.
It seemed forever that his lips
stayed on hers, but It was actually
only a moment before she was push
ing him away. “I don't think I care
at all about having you kiss me," she
said confusedly. “I don’t believe—”
(TO BE CONTINUED.!
OREGON STATE NEWS
ITEMS OF INTEREST
Brief Resume of Happenings
of the Week Collected tor
Our Readers
Astoria— Mrs, J. G. H ustler of As
toria has celebrated her 99th birth
day. She crossed the plains in 1847
with her family, arriving in 1848 at
Astoria, where she has since resided.
The Dalles— The city of The Dal
les has purchased a new fire truck
of the latest design at a cost of
$6830. The funds were from a $15,-
000 bond issue.
Astoria — Lime fertilizer to the
amount of 248 tops was purchased
by 134 Clatsop county farm ers this
year according to County Agent
Smith. During 1932 only 60 tons was
sold, to 28 farmers.
Eugene— A foot of snow covers
the ground at Cascade summit, ac
cording to Southern Pacific trainmen.
Thus far the state highway depart
ment has kept the McKenzie Pass
summit open.
Seaside— To determine whether or
not poultryment, grocers and others
want an egg depot established, a
meeting was held a t Seaside, De
cember ”11, to explain the object of
such a depot.
Roseburg— Taxes In Douglas coun
ty for 1934 will be increased about
2.4 mills, according to County Clerk
Agee. Residents of Roseburg will pay
approximately the same tax as last
year.
Carlton— There will soon be placed
In circulation in Yamhill county a
total of $36,967 as a down payment
by the federal government’s agricul
tural adm inistration to farm ers who
signed up wheat acreage reduction
contracts.
Klamath Falls— Lawrence Griffen
and John R. Morgan of Bly, Klamath
county, have been arrested for illegal
deer hunting in the Gearhart moun
tain district. When apprehended by
state police they had the carcasses
of 11 deer in their wagon. Only four
were bucks, the others does or fawns.
Medford— The Medford city coun
cil has passed an ordinance providing
for a 40 per cent cut in the license
fees paid by milk distributors. The
new ordinance also changes the meth
od of collection. Gallonage fees, form
erly due each month, will be collected
in advance on a quarterly basis.
Salem—With applications before it
th at will require, if carried out in
full, more than twice the men allotted
to Marion county for its next relief
work program, the committee will
have to pare the project to fit the
600-odd men th at it may employ in
its second quota.
Seaside— A decision handed down
in the Clatsop county circuit court
sustains the city of Seaside in its
controversy with the city of Gear
h art over rates for water furnished
by Seaside. Gearhart refused to pay
higher rates on the ground th at a
contract between the two communi
ties was still in force.
Salem—Salaries of Marion county
employes are to be restored to the
1932 basis in the 1934 budget. The
budget of $692,333 is approximately
$92,000 in excess of the levy last
year. It does not contain an approp
riation for" old age pensions or trans
portation of non-high school district
students.
Turkey Sold for $27.50
Redmond — The heaviest dressed
turkey raised in 1933 was brought In
by Mrs, E. D. Alrod of Terrebone.
The turkey weighed 27% pounds and
brought the owner $27.50 on a con
test which was sponsored by a buyer
here.
Mill to Close for Holidays
Silverton— The Silver Falls Tim
ber company mill will close down De
cember 16 for the holiday season.
While it is not definitely decided for
how long the mill will be down, offi
cials said that it would likely be
for three weeks as considerable re
pair work is to be done.
1700 Turkeys Received
Eugene— Seventeen hundred tu r
keys weighing 21,866 pounds were
received in the first turkey pool for
December here by the Oregon State
Turkey Growers. Of the total taken
in 90 per cent were prime birds. The
association will sponsor another pool
here next Thursday.
Big Cabbage Head Shown
Florence — A big-head, contest
seems to be on in Florence and near
by cabbage patches. Numerous large
heads have been reported. F rank
Turner was in town displaying a
cabbage weighing 21% pounds th a t
had been grown on the Weston Buss
tract in the Canary neighborhood
south of here.