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IT WAS the kitten that gave Stella her first suspicion of Philip's madness. Only that morning she had felt suddenly, unaccountably afraid when he had looked at it as she picked it up and held it in her arms. She remembered the small weight of that soft, furry body against her shoulder, its round green eyes looking at her with almost human adoration, the ecstatic rhythm of its purr. It had been such a darling and she had loved it so much !
Philip had made a movement to embrace her and Stella had drawn away, shielding the little thing with her hand. "Careful, darling." she warned him laughingly. "He's so tin\! You'll hurt him."
Philip had looked at her so strangely, that curious smile on his lips. "It wouldn't hurt Ward's kitten,'' he said then.
Stella looked at him startled. She had never been able to understand why Philip was always bringing Ward Andrews' name into his conversation. Now for the first time she wondered if he were jealous of him. It seemed inconceivable to her. knowing that Philip admired Ward more than any other man he had ever known. She felt even then, before anything had really hap
frightened
pened at all. Frightened of Philip'* smile and hi* voice and his eyes. Silly of him to feel this way because Ward had given her the kitten that day he had found it straying half starved in the woods. Her love for the kitten had nothing to do with Ward. Of course she liked W ard. Everyone did. There was a charm about biin, a strength, a dependability that she had admired. Hut there was no reason for Philip to be jealous of him. It was Philip >\uhad married even though she had guessed W ard wa-> going to ask her too, that day he went back to London, the last day she had seen him.
Now for the first time she wondered why she had really married Philip. It wasn't only gratitude for all that his mother had done for her, it wasn't only hi* mother urging her. afraid to leave Philip entirely alone when the doctors had insisted she go to Africa for her health. Stella had liked Philip for himself, for his own unpredictable charming self, for his laughter that came after his brooding silences and quick rages, for his tenderness. But si ithad loved him for his need of her. Yes, that was the reason, the real reason she knew now, why she had married him. Wrard was strong. (Please turn to page 93 )
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