The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1907-08-14
By CECILIA A. LoIzEAUx.

cQlIQ ABOUT some LQ1QgS, ana you
don't think. But business is bad-not
mine only, but every ones. There's
that new store here, q 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, as well as the Doctors. It took
months to pay those"
81 suppose you wish it had been a
funeral BILL" said Mary sulkily.
"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 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 1t wasn't SO very long ago."
1--WE were awfully green" she said
"Well, 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
the furnace needs fixing, and the house
needs painting. We must go slow, lit
tie girl"
Mary Brent's lips Quivered for a mo-
ment, and then, hiding her face on her
arm. she sobbed like a spoiled child
Her husband washrsr sorry, then an
CRY. This was too childish.
1.-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. Tim
almost glad he didn't live" she sobbed.
'I wouldn't want him to hear his ia
Their talk like that to me-" And she
whirled from the room.
John Brent spent a wakeful, uneasy
night but by morning he thought he
had found a solution. He ate his lone
~ breakfast-Mary never got up to
breakfast any more-and went down
town early. During 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: "Tll
take good care of 1t, Reade, and bring
1t back tomorrow. The fact that you
aren't married makes 1t 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. With
In a few moments a 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 hear
Ing the burst Of .laughteS that game
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 his coat. which he usually did
to please his wife. Mary, apparently
entirely recovered from the headache
she usually had after such stormy
times, sat opposite to him, dainty and
pretty in her pale pink house gown.
The dinner table was attractive and.
daintily set, and Nora, In a clean white
apron, numbered awkwardly 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 it would be. 49, -. aa
They had reached the pudding and
Nora had retired to the kitchen when
the doorbeIl rang, and John started to
his feet AS If he had been expecting
some one. He sat down again, how.
ever, as he heard Noras step In the
hall, and In a moment she opened the /
door, ana Jack Burnett appeared in the
:
Come In! Come int" cried John
heartily, a trifie too heartily, his wife
thought. She wished John would not
associate with this class Of people.
s"Sit down and have a bite" said, her
husband, and she was forced to echo
the invitation, though she felt greatly
relieved when the man refused. He
leaned over the back Of a chair, SEEM
ing at loss how to begin. His feet