The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1902-08-14
Breath Of
Scandal
Rx ELIAS Isle
By ELIAS Isle
Copyright. 100 by A. s. Richardson

rail of the yacht and looked with dis
appointed surprise at the approaching
dingey.
'"There are only Hugh and your cous-
In in the boat, she announced to her
guest. "Mr. Cuthbert isn't there I'm
SO sorry"
Her information implied that the sor-
row was sympathetic rather than per-
sonal. Sibyl Beach resented it.
"You needn't be, Helen" she said,
the curve of her lips Strengthening
firmly.
why, invited him to come. partic
ularly on your account"
"And I wanted him not to, particu-
larly on my account" said the girl.
"Why, Sibyl, dear. / thought you
were such great friends or even MORE"
$50 did l." There was suspicion
of tears in the bright eyes the girl
| turned to her friend. $50 did until
until he disgraced himself. Oh, you'll
know all about it soon enough any
way. may as well show you now"
She held out clipping from a week
| ly publication which makes business
of purveying social sewage to its read
ers.
cit came to me in the mail-anony.
nous, of course" she said.
Mrs. Verrell took it with an express
sion of distaste.
you wouldn't believe anything that
wretched paper says, 1 hope" she OBJ
served. whenever read it feel as
If l needed bath to get clean again."
.'The Era had little notice, too, say
ing that Sid.-Mr. Cuthbert-was there,
and that Is reliable enough. only
wish it weren't"
With pressed lips and frowning brow
Mrs. VerreIl ran over the clippings. 1t
was a comment, less yelled than is
common with that paper, upon the
presence of Sidney Cuthbert at the flu
neral of a woman who had once been
well known in that dim border of the
theatrical profession where people or a
more dubious world claim habitation.
1T will strengthen Mr.. Cuthbert's
reputation for generosity among his
club and society friends" commented
the paragraph, that he should have
borne the expense of the funeral from
his own pocket. The woman who was
once known as Viola Trevannion was
buried beside her son, whose death
two years ago was also the occasion
Of burst Of mortuary generosity on
the part Of young Cuthbert."
isn't that nice thing to read about
man you had thought you could
could at least respectY said the girl
bitterly. ..
81 don't believe it about Mr.. Cuth-
bert" began the other Indignantly
when the two men came over the rail.
After Verrell and young DR.. Dent
had greeted the two women the latter
turned to his cousin and said:
"DidI hear you speaking about Sid
ney Cuthbert, Beauty?"
"You may have if you We're listen
ing" said the girl. ''And l do wish,
Harvey. that you would drop that
childish nickname. Pye outgrow1i it."
"Well, I don't know about your out
growing it, said Dent, looking ait her
flushed cheeks and shining eyes, ARut
you certainly haven't outgrowns Alr
childish-beg pardon-your chfldn ID
temper. But of course I'll drop it,
Sib, If you don't like it," he added
good naturally. But was interested
in Sidney Cuthbert because used to
know him when he was Typh and J.
was house in Sawgums." sly -.
whats Sawgums?" asked Verrell
lazily from his deck chair. "Lunatic
asylum? And was Cuthbert one Of the
numbered patients and you another?
I understood you to say you were
house. Singular delusion."
"Sawgums is short for st. Angus
tines hospital, where disported my
self as house physician when Cuth-
bert became typhoid case No. Z" ex-
planned the young physician. "As all
the private rooms were full he had to
60 into the public ward and live at 81
per day between profane and asth-
matte car driver and a charity con-
valescent."
Every good lesson in economy" OBJ
served Verrell virtuously.
"He couldn't give many dinner par
ties and send the kind of flowers he
used to favor Sibyl with on that basis
Helen, if my feet are in your way I'll
have 'em moved" he concluded bliss
fully unconscious of his wifes savage
glances. did Cuthbert like it, Dent2"
Seemed to enjoy it tolerably after
he got convalescent. He got up quite
friendship with another patient
known as Tommy the Cod presumably
because he lived in an empty fish box
down Fulton market way" III
"Don't remember having heard Cuth
bert speak of the gentleman. muir
INJURED Verrell. Ibid he ever bring
him to call, Sibyl? Helen. If you kick
the only husband you're ever likely to
nave on the shins he'll rise up and de-
sert you.''
''The Gods real name. as near AS he
could tell. was Hannigan," continued
the physician. ''Cuthbert's preyiou;
acquaintance with him was purely a
business one. Tommy used to sell
Cuthbert evening papers on Wall
street until one day a truck ran over
his ankle. and when we got him here
we found he had a very interesting
case of heart disease, SO we kept him.
Well, the Cod used to give Cnthbert
all the news about the street that he
got from his friends who used to visit
him. 1t meant good deal to ,Cuth-
bert. for he was keeping his illness a
secret for fear it would bring his moth
er back from Newport and consequent
~ didn't have any callers of his own.
Tommy generously loaned him his Wis.,
ltors, and one day the superintendent,
pious old party, came in unan-
nounced and caught them shooting
craps on Cuthbert's cot. They had
made dice out of lump sugar, and
Cuthburt had won cents, when old
Barber raided the game. After that
the two pals were more cautious. One
other visitor the Cod had was wom-
an who said she was his cousin, but
Tommy had other ideas. Certain ac-
quaintances Of hers had told Tommy
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