The Milwaukee Leader

The Masculine Code

Ralph Kenton, 23, educated in architecture, was thrown by circumstances with Sabra Moore, a radiantly beautiful woman of 40, very wealthy and determined not to grow old. She proposed marriage. He accepts and her future is to be linked with that of Ralph. Then enters Belknap, her attorney and steadfast friend yet silent admirer. Earnestly striving to retain Arthur Belknap's friendship, pleading eloquently her cause, her love not only for Kenton but her desire to regain the youth that had been lost as the wife of another, Sabra invites Belknap to her wedding. On her wedding day Sabra hesitatingly approached her fiance as he stood ready to accompany her to the church. Would Ralph appraise her highly or would he look on her with the inexperienced eyes of youth? Even in the ecstasy of her marriage Sabra sensed faintly that it was she who proudly proclaimed possession of Ralph, that her husband did not breathe that which every woman desires--the words "My wife." In the first flush of connubiality Sabra whelmed by emotion, gives way to tears. Kenton manfully forbids his wife to evince regret and declares that there are to be no more allusions either to her age or as to his youth. Under Sabra's loving care Ralph, during the first five years of their marriage, develops into a leader, one of the prominent factors of the busy life of the metropolis. During a dance she saw Ralph become infatuated by the wiles of Olga Notingham, a beautiful but mature divorcee. Crushed by her physician's prediction of death in a few months, Sabra, returning home, sees Olga and Ralph examining a ring that he had bought for the divorcee. The wife's agonized prayer for aid is answered. As Sabra pens an invitation to a beautiful young girl to stay indefinitely in the Kenton mansion, the first step of the wife is taken to break the net which Olga has thrown over Ralph. His fitful recreant love stirred by his wife's beauty during a formal dinner in the home of friends, Ralph excites Olga's jealousy. The young husband tries unsuccessfully to draw Sabra away from Belknap's side. As Mrs. Kenton sees her plan to save Ralph from the adventurous Olga succeed by means of Claire, appreciation for her husband increases. So charming is Claire during the informal dinner in her honor that Kenton forgets an engagement with Olga, which appointment he had previously pleaded as an excuse to leave. Even Olga's angry remonstrance by 'phone fails to draw Ralph from the company of Claire. Like a flash Kenton realized, as he drove recklessly from a party where Olga had been that he didn't love her but that he really did love Claire Ellsworth. Bitterly condemning himself, Kenton drove long and fast in the night. Finally he determined to return to his home. Never before in all Ralph Kenton's life had he felt a qualm of conscience when a woman's face or a woman's name had come to his mind. In all his peccadillos he had kept very closely to the "decent man's" code--He had never wronged an innocent woman. He knew as all of his sex know that he could keep one woman in his heart even while he had another woman in his arms; tonight, as he was driving home to Sabra Kenton, he again told himself that, deep in his soul, he had cared for but one woman and that woman was his wife. All the little flirtations and affairs that had gone before--yes, even the one with Olga Notingham--were but the foolishness and foibles of external masculinity. He fairly writhed at his next discovery in himself. Although he had not made, by word or deed, the slightest advance to Claire, yet he felt for the first time that he had wronged an innocent woman, and that woman was Sabra, his wife. Notwithstanding all this analysis and retrospection, there was only one conclusion. The surge of a great love, an overwhelming love, was upon him. He hated to go home to Sabra. Abruptly he turned his car toward the country; he traveled far and fast into the night, thinking--thinking--but not being able to make up his mind as to what he should do. At last he awakened to the fact that if Claire came home from the party to which he foolishly consented to let her go with Harry Hastings, Sabra would wonder if not worry at his absence. Claire would, of course, tell her that she left him to go with her young friend at an early hour in the evening. If Sabra had any real feeling about his attentions to Olga, she would immediately jump at the conclusion that he was with her. Almost in a panic he turned his car back and broke the speed laws effectually as he drove back to his own door. The house was in darkness except that part of it which Sabra claimed for her own private use. Ralph had forgotten completely that Sabra had told both him and Claire that she was going to wait up for them. He hardly stopped to hand his car over to the chauffeur who met him at the drive; breathlessly he ran up the steps. He swore softly as he fumbled with his night key but at last, two steps at a time, he mounted the stairs to Sabra's room. "Come in." Ralph gave a sigh of relief as he heard the voice. From its note of expectancy he knew that Claire had not returned. "Where is Claire?" asked Sabra as Ralph came forward and lightly kissed her. "She went on to a young folks' party at the Thornton's." "With whom did she go? Why didn't you go with her, Ralph?" "Because it was very evidently a kid party. I was not asked. They thought me too old, I guess. Anyway, a young chap by the name of Harry Hastings, who, Claire said, was an old friend of hers and her family, seemed to be the favored one." Ralph could not prevent a little tinge of bitterness from coming into his answers. "I'm afraid you should not have let her go," said Sabra; her heart almost stopped for a second. Was Harry Hastings an old lover who had followed Claire here? Knowing the girl's fine character, Sabra Kenton was fully aware that Claire would never think of Ralph as anything but the husband of her aunt. Under these circumstances it was natural that her interests might be attracted to a man of her own age. "Is Harry Hastings good looking, Ralph?" "Oh, yes, the cub is handsome enough," he gruffly answered. The clock on the mantle struck the hour. "Three o'clock," exclaimed Ralph.

and's Wife ONE GIBSON 5. Dills Co. line Code

"I didn't dream it was so late. I guess I am a failure as a chaperon. Don't you think, Sabra, I had better drive to the Thornton's?" A little gleam flickered in Sabra Kenton's weary eyes. Her plan was working as far as Ralph was concerned. "No, dear," she answered. "Claire is able to take care of herself. She will be here shortly." As if in confirmation of her trust in Claire, the bell pealed. Maturity. Tomorrow—Youth's Description of