The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1902-07-25
The wife and the Mistress.
BY w. B. BARRETT.

BY W. B. BARRETT.
Copyright, 1862, by Daily Story Pub Coz
It was so dark and still In the woods
that not a sound, save the scanty, al
!, most noiseless plash of rain, could be
heard by the two breathless listeners
In the buggy. The woman was hold
ing one hand out to feel the drops; her
ears were sharpened until even the
breaking of twig made her start.
There is nothing" she said ut
last. I'VE could hear horses boots
two miles off"
GO on. then. as fast as you can"
You'll not forget that you're TAX
ing the name of John Whiting? I
marked all your clothes with It this
morning before packed the yalise and
put those handkerchiefs that were ia
theirs with the same initials embroid-
cred on them; and"
Her companion broke in with dis
cordant laugh.
Il guess the old man would rise up
in his grave If he knew it. He never
look much stock in me anyway"
The woman shivered slightly.
Il was going to say" she continued
without replying to his remark. that
you can't be recognized by the silver
watch. 1t was never used, you know.
Your gold one I've put away"
you can give it to Bob when he
grows UP. And l say, Annie, are you
going to let the children know"
Not more than 1 can help, Robert.
The little ones need hardly hear Of it
yet a while, but, Of course. Bob and
Eleanor will Nobody can keep the
papers from them"
'It's rather rough on them," NUT
tered the man. I'm sorry for Elean-
orr
"She will bear as woman knows
how to do and has to do. But, oh,
Robert, why didn't you think of that
before?"
"Why didn't do lot Of things diff
ferent? I've lived my life, that's all,
and now I'm ready to drop out of 1t.
Jackson was to blame, curse him, for
winding me up SO soon. 1t was he
that got the bank directors here this
month. He's had his evil eye on me
all winter. Stop, will you? 1 heard
something"
"Sh-sh, That was a Gala mans
voice!" he whispered excitedly. You
hold the reirs, if they come I'll jump
and cut" But it was the scream Of
distant locomotive, followed by the
dull roaring CT the train. No other
sound was audible in the silent woods
save the soft falling rain.
CHI To
before we part" said his wife present
ly, 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-as l believed you to
be-or have your friends been deceived
in you all these many years?
81 arr asking IS much for Bob's sake
as my own. He is much like you and
your temptations may be his. Tell
me, was it that other woman@
What other?"-but he faltered over
the interrogative lie. "Oh. we'll, II you
know about her"-carelessly-'1 sup
pose it may have been. A man can't
keep up two establishments on The sal
airy of bank clerk. But YOU can't
say didn't provide for m. family,
Annie. Did you or the children ever
want for anything?"
She drew in quick breath
mot for material coufortT no; yon
kept us well housed and cl~<hed and
fed. But what you took the money
for, then, was your-love-for herr"
why, if you want 1t in plA-n terms,
yes. I'm like good many other fell
lows, l guess" He laughed uncom-
fortably. Now I suppose your next
question will be, How did l come TO
fancy anybody so different from you.
eh? Well, l may as well have it out
with you. 1 don't mean any offense,
you know, and appreciate your being
good wife and all that You won't
find / ever breathed a word against
you to anybody. But you were too