Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-03

sudden scraping of quickly moved chairs. and
little startled cry and there stood before him a
confused clerk and blushing stenographer, red
faced, nervous-f fingered.
harsh reprimand was on the junior partners
tongue; but something, he knew not what held it
for an instant and in that instant the clerk embar
rassed, hesitating stammered:
"Im-eh-very sorry, sir-eh-but--eh--that
is-Miss Warren and I--eh-are engaged--eh--
sir-that is, sir-going to be marred, you know,
sir-and-"
The confused clerk stopped and he and the
blushing stenographer stood, amazed, speechless
for their dreaded employer had turned on his heel
without word and going back into tine private
Office had closed the door behind him.
Once there he seated himself at his desk head
between hands, eyes gazing steady out through the
broad windows to where the dark sky melted into
the yet darker earth.
1t was but little incident-a mere nothing; yet
of those nothings that are everything, for it
had opened up a vista of memory that had been
shut to his eyes for more years than he cared to
think; and yet he was still young man.
AS his cab turned the corner of the block on
which was his residence, he saw his wifes brough-
am at the door, And, even as he started to as
cend the steps she appeared before him gowned
for the street.
where are you going?" he asked
"You!" she exclaimed. You're very late.
though that probably you had been called out OF
sSns over to tresoe %
some kind and wants my advice
I've been doing lot of thinking this after
Madisons with you and tell you what I've been
thinking?"
'Why-er--yeS, of course she repned heSitaL-
ingy. But it's only little way you know, and
er-we wouldn't afford us but very short
time, perhaps you drather-"
"Er-nothing Only I've had headache all
day and | fear | shall be very stupid; and know
how you hate stupid people Isn't 1t some
thing that waltz"
He shook his head. "It can't watt" ne said.
"Ill go with you
She inclined her head slowly. "As you wish"
she acquiesced. Perhaps we'd better not go to
the Madisons; I'll Jane tomorrow instead of
tonight. Shall we drive in the park instead?"
"That would be much better,' he said, as he as
sisted her into the brougham. Thank YOU
Giving a curt order to the driver, he took his
seat beside her in the carriage, and silently they
rolled over the smooth asphalt toward the park
'Well?" she asked lightly, what is it you wish
to tell me?"
"a man came to me to-day, he said slowly, "to
ask me how he nigh get another mans WIFE"
There was long pause, broken only by the
sound Of horses hoofs and the rumble of wheels.
What did you adviser she asked in strained
voice
ing her all that he might of what her husband did
not give her aand she had grown to look to him for
love and sympathy and mental companionship that
she could not get from her husband. | told
him to go to her and carry her by storm, to dom-
nate her by sheer strength and decision, to compel
rather than ask. to force rather than plead.
at was very good advice she said hurriedly.
"It was very good advice" She laughed little.
He started. then turned slowly and looked at her.
1T was very good advice" she repeated again
THAT is reason why tell you of it,, he said
gravely.
there other reasons?'
MANY. But the greatest is that want you to
know that realize the depths of my own shame
and degradation-that know the wrong have
done In the list for dollars, have forgotten many
things that I should have remembered, ignored
many things that / should have considered |
want you to know these things; and then want
you to help me try to right the wrong that may
have done; for l too, fear that my advice was
good.'
Il do not know the You may"
What is her name?"
That is what l don't know. But you are much
in society If tell you the man it may disclose
to you the identity of the woman
Possibly" she assented. And the man is-?"
"Grierson-Thomas Lloyd Grerson.''
Her fan dropped to the carriage floor. He
stopped and picking 1t up handed it to her.
You know him?' he asked.
And now do you know the woman"
There was long pause There came to them
from atar, the thousand noises OF the city.
"Well?" he said, at length, tentatively.
She did not answer.
He waited. Still she did not answer.
At length she turned little toward him. head
tilted backward, shoulders against the carriage
side
He gazed at her. his staring eyes expressive of
his unbelief.
said with bitter little laugh. "You came home
you mean" he cried.
Look" she cried.
He bent forward and gazed through the win
dow his eyes following the direction of her fan,
The sickly halo of lamp-post revealed the figure
of man. seated bench He was smoking a
cigarette and tracing impatient arabesques with
his cane in the gravel at his feet.
1t was Grierson, the junior partners client OF
the afternoon.
She was speaking again: 81 was to meet him
there Now you know all | don't know why
tell you, but-you had better let me go You did
There
no place in your life for me- nor in mine for you-
And had starved long as it was in me to starve.
Let me go! You cannot want me now Let me
go"
1t was all in a breath, quivering, tense; and now
she had buried her face in her hands and her
1.-THE body shook with the painful rackng of her
sobblng He sat gazing out into the tree-studded
darkness of the park his eyes set his breath lab
ored.
Through the iim-lit darkness they rode in si-
lence that was utter for the broken choking of
her sobs the clatter of hoofs his breathing, and
the rumble of wheels.
Suddeny he leaned forward and sgnalled to the
driver.