The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-03-20
THE EVENING STOR Y
His Desperate remedy.
(By Cecilia A. Loizeaux.) }

was shaded to an artistic dimneSS by
many ruffles OF crepe paper. His wife
brought her hand down upon the piano
Keys in a crashing discord that made
him shiver and set his teeth. Pre-
sently she seated herself in low chair
at the other side of the table, the soft
light falling full upon her pretty, petu-
liant face as she bent over her fancy
work.
John Brent forgot that he had been
reading the political editorials and
looked over the top of the paper at
his wife.
What makes you want a diamond
ring, Mary?" he asked, gently.
Her blue eyes frightened. She
Thought he was relenting.
why I've wanted one all my life.
When was a little bit of a girl had
one with glass set, and when 1 grew
too old for that used to dream of the
time when 1 would be old enough to
be engaged SO that my lover would
get me one
You should have chosen a richer
lover" said her husband with a tinge
of bitterness. young hardware mer-
chants can't quite go at the diamond
ring pace
His wife hardly heard what he said:
she stretched a dimpled, white hand
out across the table and was admiring
"See!" she said, with a flash of CO.
quetry. ITS pretty enough for dia-
nonds, isn't it? That Mrs. Burrows on
Tenth street has hands that are big
and red. She has one diamond as big
as robins egg-almost."
Her husband is a saloonkeeper; he
can afford it," smiled John, looking at
the dainty hand that lay in his rough
palm. He was wondering just how
long he was going to be able to keep
it from doing any work-har1Iy con-
sidering the diamond question. Then
he put it gently down and leaned on
the table, looking a his wife closely.
Perhaps I haven't told you so that
you fully understand, Mary" he said
after a minute. You're a good deal
of child about some things, and you
don't think. But business is bad-not
mine only, but every ones. There's
that new store here-a branch of the
big one in the city, and they are cut
ting prices murderously. And we have
heavy expenses, too. don't know how,
but we manage to eat and drink and
wear almost more than we can pay
for. And then there was the hospital
bill, and the doctor'5-it took months
to pay that"
Il suppose you wish it had been a
funeral biH,'' said Mary sulkiIy.
Mary! Don't you dare to say such
a thing again as long as you live! You
shall not twist my meanings in that
way. Can't you be a little reasonable?
Then you decided that the house was
too shabby to be lived in, though the
things we had bought when we were
married seemed very fine to us at the
time-and it wasn't 50 very long ago"
1--WE were awfully green,' she said
We'll, you've got over the green
ness" said her husband dryly. 'And
the rugs and furniture and hangings
have not yet got the last payment, and
house needs painting. We must go
slow. little girl!'
Mary Brent's lips quivered for mo-
ment, and then hiding her face on her
81. =
Her husband was first sorry-then an
CRY. This was too childish. ~
The trouble with you and all the
rest of the women like you is that you
haven't enough to do to keep interest
ed. You sit around and think of your
selves until you believe you are mar
tyrs, when a little work would be bet
ter for you. 1t isn't all your fault,
though" he added slowly. IF the
baby had lived, you would have been
more grown-up."
His wife sprang to her feet "I-I'm
almost glad he didn't live" she sobbed.
II wouldn't want him to hear his faith
er talk like that to mel and she
whirled from the room.
John Brent spent q wakeful, uneasy
night, but by morning he thought he
had found a solution. He ate his lone
ly brea kfast-Mary never got up to
breakfast any more-and went down
town early. During the forenoon he
the most prosperous attorney in the
town and his best friend. The two were
closeted in the consulting room for
over an hour and as he came out into
the reception room. John said, "I'll
take good care of it, Reade. and bring
1t back tomorrow. The fact that you
aren't married makes it easier. 4
wouldn't want any other woman to
know"
AS soon as he got to the store he
went straight into his private office
and called up the police station. With
in a few moments a detective whom
John Brent knew wel passed through
the store and into the little room The
clerks looked at each other furtively
and applied themselves vigorously to
their work. They could not help hear
ing the burst of laughter that came
from the office, however. though the
ensuing conversat ton was too low to be
heard.
That evening John Brent went home
a little later than usual. and sat down
changing his coat, which he usually
did to please his wife. Mary. appar-
emily entirely recovered from the head
ache she usually had after such
times, sat opposite to him,
dainty and pretty in her pale pink
house gown. The dinner table was
i ttractive and daintily set, and Nora
in a clean white apron. numbered awk-
around the table, serving the
simple dinner.
John seemed to be very nervous He |
ate little and kept glancing furtively
at his wife, who was seemingly indif-
ferent but who knew the signs. and |
thought he was about to present her |
with a peace-offering. She wondered |
what 1t would be.
They had reached the pudding and |
Nora had retired to the kitchen when |
he doorbe1l rang. and John started to !
his feet as If he had been expecting
some one He sat down again, how |
ever as he heard Nora's step in the |
hall, and in moment she opened the |
loor and Jack Burnett appeared in the |
doorway.