The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1905-04-07

J tie office. And Stella: Why, Stella
could gain nothing by the use of her
uA@.e with the verse-nothing but a
few dollars. which he could easily
make III 70 her iii allowance. Anyhow
Stella was his wife. and what belonged
to her belonged to him. If she knew
what he was going to do she wouldn't
care. She would be glad that he had
found a way to be happy.
Anthony seized the pen at his elbow
and signed the poem in firm. round
hand; then he folded the paper. placed
it in the envelope and sealed it. Stella
heard him open the door of the apart
ment and came out to ask where he
was going TO mail your stuff TO the
Decade" he told her I'll be right
back"
But he didn't come right back. "
once the envelope had been dropped in
the box his suilt threw away its mask
anG rose 10 face him. He realized as
suddenly Is the temptation had come
to him that he was Il thief. The paltry
excuses through which he had looked
at his act melted under the glaring
eyes of an accusing conscience. and he
dared not return to the tender gaze of
his wife. Great heavens. what have l
done: he asked himself as he stood
at the corner. and What have l done?"
he kept repeating as tie elevated hur-
ried him along TO his work.
All through the day new phases Of
his plight persiStently crowded into his
mind. What if the editor of the Decade
recognized Stella's style in the sonnet
and wrote 10 ask questions: What if
he failed TO keep her from seeing the
especial number OF the magazine III
which the poem was published? In Ell
Their Of these events what woulI sine
think of him? Would lie lose her re
spect and her confidence altogether?
Anthony wiped the perSpiration from
his brow at the thought. She Nigh.
even cease to love him.
1t was hard eight hours for the city
editor Of the afternoon paper which
paid for the Matthew'S livelihood. 1t
was a harder evening which brought
Stella's welcoming kiss ana her half
hurt inquiry, What took you away SO
suddenly this moru,ug:" The week
that enSued was hardest of all He
had become 50 morbid on the subject
of the sonnet that he was afraid to take
the one backward course that suggest
ed itself to him-that Of writing the
editor that a mistake had been made
in the signature-lest that astute gen
tlemGn should suspect tile truth. His
eyes, formerly so frank and honest,
rarely met those of his wife. who soon
discovered that something was wrong
On the elevated station one after
noon when he was going home Antho-
ny saw the August number Of the
Decade. Only nine days had elapsed
since he had posted Stclla'S poem. yet
he looked through the magazine with
agonizing apprehension. Suppose ii
happened to have been used in that
issue His hands We're shaking when
he turned the last leaf. and he felt
hysterical longing t. laugh or cry.
This thing is playing the very devil
with me-" he confe sed to himself. y
can't stand it much iJn-er I'm going
TO tell Stella all about it,"
lie fully intended to do 50 when he
opened his door and saw the love and
solicitude in the face Of the little wo-
man who met him. There's a letter il
the dining room for you" She said
Its from the Decade | didn't know
you sent them anything You won;
let it make you blue, will you, DEAR"
No" said Anthony shortly, He
strobe into the dining room and shut
the door behind him. 1t had come at
last. What should he do with the
money? Nothing in the world could
induce him to touch it. He wasn't
that kind of a thief.
A few minutes later Stella, finally re
solved not to be angry at anything
Anthony did when he was so plainly
Respondent, opened the door and stared
at him. Why, Kiddie," she said, you
look so happy. Was it a checl?"
NO" he replied eXultantly, dropping
on the floor the bits of paper he had
held in his hand. NO, A returned
manum ,ript-thank Cod"