The Washington herald., 1907-03-09

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and that's all there is 10 it,
John Brent mfolded his evening paper
and held il under the light, which was
shaded 20 an artistic dimness by many
rufies Of crepe paper His wife brought
her hand down upon the piano keys IN "a
crashing discord that made him shivcr
and set his teeth. Presently she seated
herself in q low chair ut the other side
of the table, the soft light falling fun
upon her pretty. petulant 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 q little bit of a girl I had
one with d glass set. and when I grew
too old for that I used 10 dream of the
time when I 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 merchants
can't quite 90 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 IT,
See she said, with flash OF cOquet-
r.. Its pretty enough for diamonds,
isn't il? That Mrs Burrows or Tenth
street has hands that are big and red.
She has one diamond as big as a robins
egg-almost"
Her husband is a saloon keeper; 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-hardly considering the
diamond question Then he put it gently
down and leaned on the table, looking at
his wife closely.
Perhaps 1 haven't told you so that
you fully understand, Mary" he said
after a minute. You're "a good deal of
a 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 cutting 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's-it took months TO
pay that"
i suppose you wish it had been a
funeral bill said Mary, sulkily
Mary, Don't you dare to say such
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 I'm, though the things
We had bought when We We're married
seemed very fine to us at the time-and it
wasn't SO very long ago"
we We're awfully green" she said.
We'll, you've got over the greenneSs,
said her husband dryly. And the rugs
and furniture and hangings have not yet
got the last payment. and the furnace
needs fixing. and the house needs paint
ing. We must go slow. little girl"
Mary Brents lips quivered for d mo
ment. and then. hiding her face on her
arm, she sObbed like a spoiled child. Her
husband was first sorry-then angry.
This was too childish.
The trouble with you and all the rest
of the women like you IS that you haven't
enough 20 do 10 keep interested. You sit
around and think of yourselves until you
believe YOU are martyrs. when little
work would be better for you. 1t isn't all
your fault. though" he added slowly
II the baby had lived, you would have
been more grown-up.'
His wife sprang TO her feet Tim
almost glad he didn't live" she sobbed
II wouldn't want him to hear his father
talk like that 10 me-" and she whirled
from the room.
John Brent spent a wakeful. uneasy
night, but by morning ne thought ne had
found a solution. He ate his lonely break
fast-Mary never got up to breakfast any
more-and went down town early. Dur
ing the forenoon he went over to the
office of Jim Reade, 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 :
III take good care of il. Reade, and
bring il back tomorrow The fact that
you aren't married makes it easier.
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. Within a few mo-
ments detective whom John Brent knew
well 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 hearing the burst of laughter that
came from the office, however, though
the ensuing conversation was too low TO
be heard.
That evening John Brent went home a
little later than usual. and sat down to
the waiting dinner-table without changing