The true northerner., 1900-12-28

thit DUCK, anu lie Salu nOlnlng NJ MI
abut business, for he knew that she de-
spiired of him and would believe in no
moe dreams.
Their correspondence from the middle
OF November until Christmas day was a
mincle of evasion. Each was waiting
for the other 10 make the first advance.
Alma had been sure that he would beg
herto be with him at Christmas. but he
did rot. He sent her an extravagant sum
of money TO buy presents, but she put it
all iway, feeling sure that she should
need il soon. Her gifts to him were the
woi9 Of her own hands. He sent her
only some pretty trifles and letter that
was worth basketful of diamonds.
II want you to come back on New
Years day." he wrote. I'VE shall begin
life oYer again in a new home that will
be veH different from the old one, but far
happier, / surely trust. than any home l
have Yet made for you. am no longer a
dreanRr. We shall start this time with
sober realities"
That was substantially all he said
about lis affairs, but she understood ev-
erything. The crash had come, and she
was glad of il, unspeakably glad. She
had begun to have q deadly fear that he
would wait for some chimerical success
before summoning her. She welcomed
failure, since it had accomplished the
same result.
Yet she had q certain vague dread, G
distrust Of herself. She knew that all
her tastes We're luxurious and that they
had been exaggerated by the reckless life
of the last two years. Should she be
able to'hile from him all sign Of shrink
ing? She made resolves that had the fer
vency of prayers, and she wrote brave
letters.
She had but one communication from
him, and that dealt only with the ar
rangements for her journey and their
meeting at the end of it. The letter was
not cheerful in tone, and though it seem
ed TO have been written during ordinary
business hours, it was not upon the paper
of the Winthrop Electric company. with
which he had been so long connected.
On the return trip Alma had 10 change
cars at junction station, and she board
ed the wrong train. 1t proved to be a
delayed express that did not ordinarily
stop there, and it went through like a
cannon ball, arriving in the city nearly
two hours ahead of the way train which
she should have taken.
Although it was a holiday, she tele-
phoned at once TO the Winthrop compa-
ny's offices, remembering that they were
never wholly closed Even If her hus-
band were no longer connected with the
establishment his address might be
known. He had not mentioned it in his
letters
A boyish voice came over the wire.
"Is who here? Which Jones? Oh
Yes: he's been here but he's gone. He's
coming back in about an hour. You Mrs
Jones? All right; I'll tell him. Wait
till | look up the address in the book"
The address was forthcoming present
ly, and it gave Alma a shock. She hap
pencd TO know the place. y picture OF
that dreary row of flats as much alike
as so many squares of gingerbread, rose
suddenly in her mind. However, she
| had sworn 10 he brave. yet she couldn't
help thinking that if Sydney still held his
old position he was carrying economy q
little too far But there were the debts
She had almost forgotten them.
She secured cab and was speedily and
luxuriously transported to the region oil
her new hone The row Of flats was 9
little dingier than she remembered il
and there were few more children OF
the d0orsteps than in the days when she
used to drive through that street. Her
arrival in n cab caused a stir of which
she was considerably ashamed.
The sensation OF searching for her hus
bands name among the bell buttons il
that hall was like encountering a soileC
plate in n restaurant. She had strange
fear that som body she knew would see
her.
IL must be remembered that Alma
had never ben poor. Her family had
small means, but they lived well in d
pleasant villag. Since her marriage sh,
had conducted herself like a million
airess. City Poverty was outside the line
of her eXperieice. and it's aspect began
to frighten her.
The name OF Jones was not among the
buttons, and Anna sent bright eyed
dirty faced boy with a message 10 the
! janitor. The boy returned. bearing two
keys tied together with a soiled pink rib
| bon.
ITS the secon1 fiat. west. next door,
said he. IN show YOU
Alma was trembling with excitement
The sudden realization that she would