The daily tribune., 1907-07-15
THE
DIFFERENCE
y, Nll.ls clAvsY GILMORE.
f<%<%%<<<<<>+<<<<**+%<<<t$
(cepyrlaht, ~ Daily Story Pub, co,)


The door opened briskls and Rich.
ard Kennedy came into the room, He
wore q heavy storm coat buttoned
| from chin to knee, and with his broad,
black felt tossed back from a crisp
mass OF chestnut hair, his eyes spark
ling and his cheeks dashed with red
from the keen, frosty air. he looked
bigger and handsomar than ever.
He glanced at his wife and she an.
swered with quick flash of her eyes.
He read loves language in them plain
ly enough, and coming up to where
she sat, he stopped to receive her tiny
flying kiss on his lips. Afterwards
he went out into the corridor to re-
move his coat and hat. When he
came back into the room he sat down
in the vacant chair close by her. She
looked SO young and pretty as she sat
beside him. lost in the fascinating In
tricacies of bit of fancy work. he
bent and kissed her again.
Il heard funny story at the club
tonight" he remarked after pause,
reaching over and shredding strand
of crimson floss from the skeins in her
lap and slipping 1t absently through
his fingers.
Funny" she questioned with a
laugh. Then by all means tell it to
me, for I've been trying to have the
blues the whole afternoon and l want
to be amused. awfully."
He laid his fingers over hers and
You are nervous you are not well,
sweetheart" he said, swift note of
anxiety coming into his voice.
But she was quick to smile away his
apprehension, insisting with all a
woman's curiosity. upon the story.
Kennedy was frowning trifle when
she looked at him; curious express
sion of distaste had developed about
his lips. He spoke feelingly:
1T seems that Hartwell has left
home; In short, left his wife"
Not that lovely Alicia Davenport?
Why they were married only last
spring!'
Mrs. Kennedy threw up her head
with little startled movement. The
Il
prise, a shock.
Her husband nodded and after a sec.
ond went on
Its only too true. The afternoon
paper contains an announcement Of
the bill"
THE bill?"
THE divorce"
Nrc nHr CT u he
wall, her eyes shadowing strangely,
the fancy work forgotten in her lap.
There must have been something
very sudden-very dreadful" She
broke or seeking words.
The other took up her thoughts
quickly:
From what could glean," lie said,
there appears to have been another
man in the case"
But they have seemed so entirely
devoted to one another! Odd, there
should have been someone else and no
one suspected it before, isn't it?"
"Oh ] believe it was some rather
disgraceful affair that happened In the
past and just now coming to light.
we change the topic?"
Kennedy had spoken bit petulant.
ly, for when he looked at his wife, she
was breathing quickly and an odd,
half-frightened look had crept into her
eyes.
But the womans pale cheeks famed
into red and she pressed the subject
with hysterical insistence.
And OF course the woman had to
bear the brunt of 1t all. | never knew
1t to fail. How different. 1t is with a
mani He cannot begin to count his
indiscretions upon his fingers. yet his
wife must come to him as spotless as
the dawn and rs pure as the dew that
kisses it,
Her husband laughed and flushed.
She was so naive. so exquisitely sen
sitive to the rude edges OF human pas.
sion. He bent suddenly and stroked
her hair with gentle fingers.
Come" he said In a little tone Of
jesting depreciation, aren't you Just
that her breast rose and fell hurriedly.
that her lips were tWltching.
Presently, controlling herself. she
tossed her head and broke out dc.
family:
"Of course. being a man, you are
disposed to treat the subject lightly"
She was very white and could hardly
save herself from the tears OF excite.
ment.
Kennedy rose and slipped down to
the broad arm Of her chair, his hand
resting on her slender. quivering
shoulder.
'It was my suggestion that we dis.
miss It altogether" he said. "and II |
were you. little girl. | would not take
II so to heart. Things OF this sort
are happening every day. though we
are fortunate enough not to have them
come under our personal observation -