Oxford Democrat., 1902-08-05
Breath of
Scandal
By ELIAS Isle
Copyright. 1901. by A. S. Richardson

Young Mrs. Verrell leaned on the
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 hel
guest "Mr. Cuthbert isn't there. I'm
so sorry"
Her intonation 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, i'm tied him to come, partic
ularly on your account"
"And | wanted him not to, particu
larly on my account" said the girl.
why. Sibyl. dear, l thought you
were such gscat friends or even more. "
so did l." There was suspicion
Of tears in the bright eyes the girl
turned to her friend. 80 did until
until he disgraced himself. Oh. you'll
know all about 1t 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.
1T came to me in the mail-anOny-
nous. of course" she said.
Mrs. Verrell took 1t with an express
sion of distaSte.
You wouldn't believe anything that
wretched paper says. hope she oh,
served. "Whenevcr read it feel as
If needed bath to get clean again
THE Era had little notice, too. say
ing that Sid-AIr. Cuthbert-was there,
and that is reliable enough. only
wish it weren't"
With pressed lips and frowning brow
Mrs. Verrell ran over the clippings. 1t
was a comment. less yelled than is
common with that paper. upon the
presence of Sidney Cuthbert ut the fu-
neral Of a woman who had once been
we'll known i'm that dim border of the
theatrical profession where people OF a
more dubious world claim habitation.
ut 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
a man you had thought you could
could at least respect" said the girl
bitterly.
~ don't believe It about Mr.. Cuth-
bert" began the other Indignantly
when the two men came over the rail.
After Vcrrell and young DR.. Dent
had greeted the two women the latter
turned to his cousin and said:
Did hear you speaking about Sid
ney Cuthbert. Beauty
"You may have if you were listen
ing" said the girl. "And | do wish
Harvey. that you would drop that
childish nickname. I've outgrown it
"Well. | don't know about your out
growing it." said Dent looking ut her
flushed cheeks and shining eyes. but
you certainly haven't Outgrown your
childiSh-bcg pardOn-yOur childhood
temper. But of course III drop II.
Sib. if you don't like it. he a,.dcd
good naturedly. But was Interested
in Sidney Cuthbert because used to
know him when he was Typh I and !
was house in Sawgums."
whats Sawgums:" asked Verrcn
laZily from his deck chair. "Lunalic
asylum? And was Cuthbert one Of the
numbered patients and you another?
l 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. - ex-
plained the young physician. "As all
the private rooms were full he had to
90 into the public ward and live ut 81
per day between profane and asth'
matte car driver and charity con
valesccnt."
Every good lesson In economy" OBJ
served Nerrell virtuously.
He couldn't give many dinner par
ties and send the kind Of flowers he
used to favor Sibyl with OH that basis.
Helen, If my feet are in your way I'll
have 'em moved" he concluded, bliss
fully unconscious of his wife's savage
glances. did Cuthbert like 1t. Dent"
Seemed TO enjoy 1t tOlerably after
he got convalescent. He got up quite
friendship with another patient
known us Tommy the Cod presumably
because he lived in an empty fish box
down Fulton market way"
Don't remember having heard Cuth-
bert speak of the gentleman" MUIR
INJURED Verrell. "Did he ever bring
him to call. Sibyl? Helen. if you kick
the only husband you're ever likely to
have 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 previous
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 very interesting
case Of heart disease, so we kept him.
Well, the Cod used to give Cuthbert
all the news about the street that he
got from his friends who used to visit
him. 1t meant a good deal to Cuth-
bert, for he was keeping his illness
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.,
itors, and one day the superintendent.
a 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 8 cents. when old