The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1908-05-27

Where was this enstrangement lead
ing them? How would it end? 1t wa
nearly dawn when at last she slept.
That morning he went to his offic,
early. He did not come into her room
until he was leaving; he was carry
ing his hat and coat. He came up tt
the bed and kissed her quietly good
by.
She had wanted to put up her arms
| and draw him down beside her; to tel
him good-by with all her old love anG
| caresses. But she had not; she haC
lain very still, answering quietly tina,
her head was better. A moment later
she heard the click of the elevator
down the hall. He had gone.
The day dragged painfully. She felt
strangely alone and desolate Even the
shops failed to interest her. Once she
started to telephone her husband, and
then in quick fear had hung up the
receiver. What was there to say?
When he came home that evening
later than usual, she felt it was pur-
posely to avoid their accustomed chat
before dinner. He went Immediately
into his room to dress.
In half an hour they were seated
at their table in the cafe. They had
reached the entree when the woman
whose dress had been torn last night
swept in and was seated by the head
waiter at a table next to theirs. She
saw the color in her husbands face
deepen.
And then-confused and embar
rassed by the sudden appearance of
this woman, his hand hit against
slender dish of tartar sauce near the
edge of the table and sent it splashing
to the floor.
In one agonized glance she saw the
despatched, ruined gown of the wom-
an and the furious anger in her face.
Then she bowed her head that she
might not see the wretched mortifca-
ton of her husband. She heard his
pitiful attempts at an apology and felt
the frozen silence of the woman. The
waiter came up hurriedly, removed the
broken dish and wiped up the floor
A scream-shrill, piercing-rang
through the room! Another and still
another-screams of agony and terror.
People started to their feet. Through
the swinging doors used by the wait
ers rushed figure enveloped in
flames.
Some one screamed Fire." There
was rush for the DOORS Then above
the din and confusion rose her hus-
bands voice, clear and stern.
Stop! There is no fire. If there is.
you are perfectly safe-on the first
floor. Help me with this girl! Quick!
Rugs-coats-som
There, in far corner where he had
caught the girl, was her husband
alone, rolling her on the floor, his coat
around her.
With something like shame in their
faces for their instructive cowardice.
Two or three men now rushed to him
With their coats. There were no rugs
md the strips of carpet between the |
ables were fastened to the polished |
loor.
Someone tried to pull off a table
10th, with a loud crashing of china,
nd someone jerked down a lace cur
the needless, senseless thi:ags
hat people do in such cases.
But 1T was her husband, unheeding
heir useless efforts, who was still
eating the flames that chung to the
irl. At last he had them smothereA.
And then, still unmindful of his
ands that were cruelty burned, hnr
usband carefully unwrapped the coats
'om the poor blackened creature that
~ there. The people stood back,
'atchlng him breathlessly They
eemed incapable of action or speech.
Some one whispered that it was
antry girl who had overturned an al.
)hol lamp as she was placing it I'M
err a coffee urn.
A few moments later a doctor made
is way through the crowd and then
vo White-coated ambulance attend.
ats lifted the still unconscious girl
a stretcher and carried her out.
The people were now crOWdinS
'ound her husband, praising his cour,
se and bravery and presence of mind.
hey pressed forward to shake his
md, and were Mortified to find that
S hands, his wrists, even his arms.
ere burned.
Some one touched Elizabeth on tho
oulder. She turned. 1t was tho
oman who had sat opposite them.
er eyes were full of tears.
Il haven't the courage to speak to
ur husband, but l want to tell YOU
w sorry | am for my rudeness in
ignoring his apologies. II am very
rry. l wish you would tell him
at"
She was gone before Elizabeth, in
r embarrassment and agitation.
uld find any words for reply.
Later. in their own rooms, after the ..
ctor had left, and he lay on the
UGH with helpless, bandaged hands.
izabeth came over and knelt be-
lie him. For a while neither spoke;
en- he realized that she was sobbine =
ietly.
Elizabeth, what is it, dear?" !.
She made no answer, only crept y
ser to him. q
Clumsily he tried to smooth her
lr, but she took the poor hand in =
In or hers. covering it with kisses =
d tears. Perhaps he understood, for T
only said, tenderly: ~
dear 1ittlo I,I;,oho4L,r