Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1909-03-26
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Fiction.
BREATH OF SCANDAL.
BY ELIAS Isle.

appointed surprise at the approaching
dingey. si,G r
There are only Hugh and your
cousin In the boat" she announced to
her guest. "Mr. Outhbert isn't there
I'm so sorry"
Her information implied that the sor-
row was sympathetic rather than per.
sonal. Sibyl Beach resented It.
"You needn't be, Helen" she said,
the curve Of her lips STRENGTHENING
firmly.
"Why, invited him to come, par
dcularly on your account" s
And WANTED him not to, particu-
larly on my account" said the girl.
why, Sibyl, dear, thought you
were such great friends or even more"
$50 did l." There was q suspicion
OF tears In the bright eyes the girl
turned to her friend 80 did until
until he disgraced himself Oh, you'll
know all about II soon enough any
way. may as well show you now"
She held out clipping from week
ly publication which makes a business
OF purveying social sewage to its read
ers. -
1T came to me In the mail--anony-
nous, Of course" she said.
Mrs. verrell took It with an express
sion Of distaste. .Nf
"You wouldn't believe anything that
wretched paper says, 1 hope" she OBJ
served. Whenever read II 1 feel as
IL needed bath to get clean again"
The Bra had a little notice, too, say
Ing that Sid-Mr. Cuthbert-was there,
and that is reliable enough. 1 only
wish It weren't"
With pressed lips and frowning
brow Mrs. Verrell ran over the clip
pings. 1t was a comment less yelled
than Is common with that paper upon
the presence Of Sidney Cuthbert at the
funeral OF a woman who had once
been wen known In that dim border OF
the theatrical profession where people
Of more dubious world claim habita-
ton.
1T will strengthen Mr. Cuthbert's
reputation for generosity among his
club and society friends" commented
the paragraph, 'that he should have
borne the expense of the funeral from
bis own pocket. The woman who was
buried beside her son, whose death
two years ago was also the occasion
Of burst of mortuary generosity on
the part Of young Cuthbert." she
isn't that nice thing to read about
man you had thought you could
could at least respectY' said the girl
bitterly. 49, -
II don't believe 1t about Mr.. Cuth-
bert" began the other Indignantly
when the two men came over the rail.
After Verrell and young DR.. Dent
had greeted the two women the latter
turned to his cousin and said:
did I hear you speaking about SID
ney Cuthbert, Beauty?.
You may have IL you were listen:
Ing" said the girl "And do wish
Harvey. that you would drop thai
childish nickname. I've outgrown It,"
well, / don't know about your out
growing It," said Dent, looking at her
flushed cheeks and shining eyes, ''bu'
you certainly haven't outgrown your
childish-beg pardon-your childhood
temper. But Of course I'll drop it. Sib.
Ii you don't like It," he added good
naturedly. "But I was interested in
Sidney Cuthbert because l used fe
know him when he was Typh 7 and I
was house In Sawgur1s.'' l6o
whats Sawgums?" asked Verrell
laztly from his deck chair. 'LunatI,
asylum? And was Cuthbert one of the
numbered patients and you anotherf
l understood you to say you were
honse. Singular delusion."
"Sawgums Is short for ST. Angus.
tines hospital, where I disported my
self as house physician when Cuthbert
became typhoid case No. T." explained
the young physician. "As all the prI-
vate rooms were full, he had to go into
the public ward and live at a dollar
per day between profane and asth.
matte car driver and a charity conya
lescent."
Every good lesson IN economy" OBJ
served Verrell virtuously.
He couldn't give many dinner par
ties and send the kind Of flowers he
used to favor Sibyl with on that basis
Helen, IL my feet are I'm your way III
have 'em moved" he concluded, bliss
fully unconscious Of his wifes savage
glances. did Cuthbert like It, DentT'
Seemed to enjoy IL tolerably after
he got convalescent. He got up quite
friendship with another patient known
rs Tommy the Cod, presumably be
cause he lived in an empty fish box
down Fulton market wayP
Don't remember having heard Cuth-
bert speak OF the gentleman" muir
INJURED Verrell. did he ever bring
him to call. sibyl7 Helen, If you kick
the only husband you're ever likely 10
have on the shins he'll rise up and de-
sert you"
"The Gods real name. as near as no
could tell, was Hannigan," continued
the physician. "Cuthbert's previous
acquaintance with him was purely n
business one. Tommy used to sell
Cuthbert evening papers on wall
street until one day truck ran over
his ankle, and when we got him here
we found he had a very interesting
case Of heart disease, so we kept him.
Well, the Ccd used TO give Cuiliber
al the news about the street that ne
got from HIS friends who used 70 WISH
him. IT meant a good denl TO Cutb
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