The tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1900-1902, 1902-07-17
The wife and The Mistress.
~ W. b nAnRETr.

-
Wopyright, iM1. hy Daily story Pub Coz
Il waa y dark and etfl IN no woods
That not q sound. save The scaniy. AZ
most noieeless plaEs 81 rain. eoald be
heard by The two breathleas listeners
In the baggy. The woman was hold
ing n hand out 70 feel the drops: her
ears were sharpened until even the
breaking Of q twig made Der start.
There Il nothing" she said AZ
last. We could hear a horses hoois
two miles on"
Go on. then. AZ fast as yon can"
"tou'i not forget that you're TAX
Ing the name Of John whitinF7 /
marked ell your clothes with It this
morning before / packed The yaliae and
put those handkerchief that were Ia
TIERS with the same initials embrold-
cred on them; and
Her companion broke IN with a dis
cordant laugh.
= guess the old man would rise up
In his grave n he knew H. He never
took much stock IN ne anyway"
The woman shivered slightly.
4 was going to say she continued
without replying TO his RENT. that
you can't be recognized by the silver
watch. Il was never used. you know.
Your gold n I've put away"
You can give il 70 Bob ghen he
grows up. And I say. Annie, are o
going to let the children know"
Not than I can help, Robert
The little ones need hardly hear Of Il
yet q while. but, Of course, Bob and
Eleanor Will. Nobody can keep the
papers from them"
Its rather rough on then" NUT
tered the man "Itm sorry for clean,
or"
"She viii bear as s wc7pan knows
how 10 do and has 20 do. But, oh,
Robert, why didn't you think Of that
beforef"
Why didn't l DO a lot OF things diff
ferent9 I've lived my life, that's all,
and now I'm ready 10 drop out Of 1t.
Jackson was 70 blame, curse him. for
winding me up 80 soon. II was he
that got the bank directors here this
month. He's had his evil eye on me
all winter. Stop. will your l heard
something"
'Sh-shi That was q Gala mans
voice!" he whispered e~xcitedly. ~Yoa
hold the rei1s. II they come; I'll jump
and eut" But II was the scream OF
q distant locomotive, followed By the
dull roaring OF the train. No other
sound was audible Ia the silent woods
saw the soft falling rain.
4 should like 10 ash you one thing
before we part" said h-s wife present
~, in the calm. deliberate tone which
is sometimes a feature Of intense men
tai pressure. How did you come TO
all this' Were you an honest man in
the beginning. aS-Rs / believed you TO
be-or have your friends been deceived
In you all these many yearsf
Il am asking as much for Bob's sake
AZ my own. He is much like you and
your temptations may be his. Tell
me. was II that other woman;
what otheTT-but he faitercd over
the %interrogativs lie. "oh. well. II you
know about her-carelessly-"i sup
pose II may have been. A ma can't
keep up .wo establishments on the sal
AIRY OF q bank clerk. But you can't
say / didn't provide Tor my family.
Annie. Did you or the children eveF
want for anything3'
She drew In a quick breath.
Not FOR material comforts. no.; you
kept Us well housed and clothed and
fed. But what you took the none
FOR. then. vas yUur-Toye-ror nerT
why. n you want 81 in plain terms.
yes. I'm like a good many other fell
lows, I guess lie laughed uacom-
fortabiy. Nov ! suppose your next
question will be. How did ! come 20
fancy anybody 30 different from you,
eh9 Well. ! may as well have II out
with you. ! don't mean any odense.
you know, and I appreciate your being
a good wife and all that You wont
md ! ever breAthed a word against
you 20 anybody. But you were too