The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1909-07-08
WHAT AL|NE
T0UIID OUT,
The Great Ch0Tge It Ma!e In
Ter F.5.a CT LIE.
BY BELLE MANIhT-S.

Il am going to work again tonight
he remarked casually.
A faint flush stole to her cheeks.
For the first time in her three months
Of married life her thoughts We're cen
tered on her husband. stephen Alden.
When her father committed suicide
because he had lost his fortune in
speculation stephen had asked her to
marry lin. Her wealth had hitherto
prevented his paving her any special
attention. ore ether refuge was avail
able. \ distant cousin whom .Aline'S
father had once bcfrienGcd and who
lived on a farm offered her Il home.
She accepted stephen. and three
months after her fathers death they
were marri d. The home stephen was
able to provide was q very simple one.
and il had not been a very happy one.
Alt t. WAS in the liStleSs state that sue
ceCdS violent grief and alphabetically
allowed tie house to be run at the will
Of = succession of slatternly servants.
TIRE NIGHTS before Il break in their
mcrcfcncuS lie had resulted from
S+cuN"''S '1Iing the house at {
o'tiu L a:G net returning until late.
His excuse # lowing to work would
have p9e"c' UHHoli"ed tonight except
for -" feet that she had been unable
TO ret him by telephone at tie Office
tNo Ei@ht before even after repeated
calls.
At 10 o'clock she had gone to bed.
IN hour later she heard him come in
and go down the hall to his room. His
behavior ~cn%rosScd her thoughts en-
tirely throughout the following day.
The fact of his spending his evenings
out did not disturb her, but she was ut
a loss TO fathom his motive in deceiv-
ing her. 1t aSsailed her conscience and
opened her yes To the truth that she,
his wife. cid not know him well
enough to resent the deception nor to
speak to him about the matter.
A newly awakened sense Of duty
and a feeling that she ought at least
to u the duty of taking some
interest in his movements impelled her
to attempt to discover where he was
spending his evenings. Therefore, as
he was again leaving after dinner. she
slipped out a side entrance and fol-
lowed him at discreet distance. After
a walk Of nearly two miles she saw
him pause in front Of a theater.
poor Stephen" she thought. His
evenings must have been dull! No
wonder he seeks recreation"
But he turned and went down the
side street, entering the theater by
the way of the stage door. AS a solu-
ton Of his conduct occurred to her
she felt a great heart wrench-the
only thing she had felt sure Of was
taken from her. Without knowing
that she valued it, she had had per-
feet confidence in his love for her.
Instantly she felt q ~wild-almoSt an
insane-desire to know what
Of woman had attracted him. 1t was
a vaudeville theater, and she bought a
ticket, choosing a seat in an obscure
part of the house.
At the end of an hour she learned
what she had come to find out and
quietly steDped from the theatcr and
returned home. She spent an hour at
Stephens desk and Their went to bed.
She did not pass the night in sleep, but
laid out a course of action which she
began to follow Mt breakfast
"Stephen,' she said quietly, Il am
not-very well. You know l am not
used to staying in the city in the
summer"
He looked up quickly, a flush on his
face.
Il know you are not" he replied.
Cousin Lois has been anxious for
me to pay her a visit ever since father
THE country air would do you
good he said slowly.
"The cooks going to leave today.
You can stay here and get your meals
In the city. can't you?'
Yes; | can manage all right"
A month later, at the end Of a long
summer day, Stephen approached home,
weary and discouraged. He dreaded
to unlock the door and go into the
stale, shutup atmosphere Of the dust
coated, empty rooms. But when he
had entered the living room he stood
still in a~mazement. The windows
were open and freshly curtained in
soft muslin. The room was in perfect
order. A bunch of fragrant old fash
toned flowers filled a big bowl on the
table. Wondering, he went on into
the dining room. The table was laid
with clean linen, shining glass, speck-
less dishes and decorated by another
bunch of country flowers.
He heard a light step in the kitchen.
The door opened, and Aline, dressed,
not in mourning, but in becoming
color. came in.
ooh, Stephen!H she cried, running
into his arms.
He held her close and quiet for a
moment. When she lifted her face
for his kiss she put her hand ca
ressingly across Ills tired eyes.
you haven't dined? l was sure you
came HON" from the office first. 1t is
too hot for a regular dinner, but /