“Yes, she had taken a toothbrush out of the medicine cabinet.”
“Cold creams?”
“That’s what fooled me, Mrs. Cool. Her jars of cream and bottles of lotions were on the dresser just as she usually left them.”
“Humph,” Bertha grunted. “She didn’t have a suitcase when I saw her leaving the place. She must have gone back for that stuff.”
“Undoubtedly, that’s what happened. She went out to meet the person who telephoned her. She was intending to have her interview and then go meet her mother at the depot. But something this person said changed all that. Mabel went right back home, threw just a few things into a suitcase and beat it — either forgetting all about her mother or else thinking this other thing was more important — and until I can reach her my hands are tied. Could you get Nunnely to wait until tomorrow?”
Bertha said, “Now listen, you’re all worked up about this. There’s absolutely nothing you can do. The probabilities a, e your wife hasn’t really left you. She’s simply been told a lot of stuff about you and has decided to walk out on you for a while, just to teach you a lesson.”
“ What makes you say that?”
“Lots of things. You mark my words, your wife has set the stage to give you a good scare, and her mother is in on the play. Your wife will be back as soon as she thinks she’s accomplished her purpose. She’s keeping in touch with her mother and knows everything that’s happening. That’s why she had her mother come down here.”
“Now you go on back and start adopting the attitude that if your wife wants to leave you, that’s her privilege. You hate to see her go, but if she really has gone and it’s all over, there are lots of other women in the world. Don’t carry it too far, but get that idea across to your mother-in-law and then go out for half an hour. That will give your mother-in-law a chance to get in touch with your wife on the telephone. The minute your wife hears that you’ve recovered from the shock and are starting to think in terms of other women, you’ll find your little wife will come back so fast—”
Belder said suddenly, “That’s not all. There’s been another one.”