The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-02-17
Our Daily Sbcrt Story

at the long pages of printed stun. They contained not the slightest appeal to his morose mind, and he was in the act of fiinging the periodical away when some- thing familiar caught his eyes.
 My darling," he read. 'T will so with you at once, tonight-if you wish it. Try as I will, I cannot live this way day longer. Let me hear from you as soon as possible, and l shall then ar- range my plans accordingly. I shall be waiting here until eight o'clock for your answer. Hastily Patricia"
 Clayton caught his breath chokingly. What did it mean The veins beat and throbbed furiously in his neck. With shaking fingers, he slipped back the pages and ran his eye up and down in search of the title. Here 1t was at last: '-rhe End of the Quest,'' by U. D. c. A sudden light flashed on his brain. Una Dering Clayton. his wife! It was noth- ing but the letter in story then! And for that he had been led to play the part of a deserter. a fool, a rascal. If she had only trusted him with her little secrets!
 The following day he went to Liverpool and engaged passage on the "Constan- tia.'' bound for New York. The voyage seemed interminable. Surely 1t was the strahgest homecoming man ever had. He wondered how she would receive him If she would receive him, and his ex- planation
 It was just such a day as the one on which he had left. As Clayton step- ped from the stage-plank, he recognized, with a startled heart throb. the partner of his firm. He had left that faithful friend without 6 word of explanation, either at the time or thereafter. He pushed his way rapidly through the rain coated and. umbrellaed throng. keeping his head steadily averted. But to no avail. Kenner had already got sight of him. and was pursuing him zealously.
 Clayton" he cried, extending hls hand warmly.
 My dear fellow" the other returned. a bit unsteadily. And he could say no more.
 Where under the sun have you been?" Kenner went on. hooking his arm into that of his friend. Where, why and"
 That is a long story" replied Clayton, hurriedly. But for Gods sake, man, tell me something about my wife Is she-is she well?"
 'She is perfectly well; that Is to say. as well as any miserable woman can be-"
 Poor little Una. What did she think? What must she have thought of 1t all?"
 "She has never said what she thought. Dick. But I'll tell you what think she imagined"
 ''Wen9'( Clayton regarded him with paling lips.
 She would not believe you unfaithful; she positively refused to that. From what I can glean-from what she says, she" He paused, somewhat uncertain how to go on.
 Clayton looked at him beseechingly. Don't hesitate" he said, quickly.
 Well. in brief. believe she considers that you were-must have been mentally unbalanced"
 Clayton started A shiver ran over him from head to foot. But in a moment he had controlled himself and explained ev- erything as they walked on together loguc in vain."
 That goes to show, then, why no amount of advertising could reach you. Together, we exhausted the whole cata- logue in vain"
 You will come home with me- will you not Tim half afraid I haven't the strength-the courage"
 Kenner shook his head. smiling. "No," he said. T am not coming home with the right place-if your head Is not. I'll see you at the office tomorrow"
 Clayton nodded. shook hands and swung himself onto the next car. In- side of 16 minutes, he stood before the gate of his own home trembling with a strange mixture of emotions. He hesi- tated just long enough to collect himself; then entered nobselessly, and tried the door. It was unlocked and yielded read fly. to his touch. Inside the hallway, he looked about him with eyes dazed by the very familiarity of the objects every where. He did not pause. but sprang up the steps. three at a time, crossing the corridor softly. to the door of his wife's boudoir. He knocked lightly: there was the sound of swift footsteps and the musical rustic of a woman's skirts It was the half hour before dinner Clay ton remembered with a sudden sense of delinquency. that he had not dressed for the meal! The door orened quietly.
 Why Dick!" she cried joyfully, I've been waiting for you. knew you would come today; something told me. It-it is our anniversary"
 Clayton opened his arms.