The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-04-15

mirthlessness, that 1 had noticed when
i first came.
At last they were all gone, and she
took me ID to my room
I'm not coming in know you
are tired. Good night"
So, still she did not want to talk.
| Wondering I lay there, unable to
sleep. 1 had come here expecting to
find Edith living alone with her chill
dren, in strict seclusion. a crushed.
broken hearted woman. That was
what her letter implied; and now - ..
And the children-why had she sent
them away7 Then thought of the
conversation over the telephone-and
the flowers!
| From somewhere a clock struck
two. and stiIl lay awake. Suddenly
there was soft rustic in the hall
and then a faint knock. I opened the
door to find Edith standing there in
a long flowing gown.
Il knocked softly. SO, If you we're
asleep, 1 wouldn't wake YOU" she ex-
planned nervously.
mo, I haven't been asleep. Come
in and let me put something around
you-you1l take cold that way"
"oh. I'll not take coId-though 1t
wouldn't matter If I did" bitterly.
She threw herself on the couch and
looked at me with hard brilliant eyes.
Mary. want to talk. 1t will be
easier now than in tie morning. Do
you know that for the last two months
have wanted to come to New York
just to see you-to talk to you? There
were times when felt 1 should go
mad II I didn't talk 20 some one. and
you are the only woman 1 trust
Then why didn't you come, dear?"
I asked gently. "You know IL there
is anything could do
"oh, there is nothing you can do
except listen. You needn't even
trouble to give me advice, for I
shouldn't take it-one never does. But
you can listen-you can let me talk.
Can you understand how that will
help me?'
''Yes< dear. I think I can" And I
thought Of how Helen Chandler had
said the same thing.
She was walking up and down the
room now, just as Helen had done
when she cried out that she wanted to
go to her hus band. that he was alone
in that awful silent graveyard-and
he could never bear TO be alona-tbat
she wanted to go to him. with her
hands TO dig down and down till she
came TO his coffin, and then to lie
there with him.
There was something in this atn,o-
sphere that brought that scene back 7
felt the same faintness coming over me.
Was there not enough anguish In my
own life? Why should fate make me
share that Of other women?
=
IT want to begin at the beginning so
you will understand She was still
walking back and forth. You have al
ways thought my marriage a happy
one' haven't your You have always
thought Frank a kind and dndulRent
husband? That was what 1 tried 10
make you think-what I tried TO make
every one think-and believe 1 sue
ceeded. But It was all a lie! For the
nine years Of our marriage have been
living a lie. From the very first nc
was cruel and unfaithful, shameIessly
unfaithful. I believe now that he never
loved ne And any love had for him
he has long since killed.
But I resolved that no one should
know : 1t before the world we should
stand as happy couple. And for ali
these years I have acted that role, part
~ Tor the chiidren's sake and partly for
my own. But six months ago something
happened-something that crushed out
OF me all the good that was left. And
from that time 1 haven't cared
think my pride. my reserve. ny
quiet ignoring Of all that he did. has al
ways .xasperated him-niy damned SUI
perionty' and my damned virtuous-
ness he calls it Again. and again he
has tried TO humiliate me, but 1 have
been fmpervious to all hts insults until
this happened:
About ten o'clock one night he
drove up here in an automobile with a
flashy light-opera sfnEer-his mistressl
A man-about-tOwn a11 another actress
were with them. And he forced me to
receive them, and to have Jane serve
supper He must have told the
woman I was not at home. or she
would not have come. For underneath
her attempted bravado she was nervous
and Ill at ease. and I think. too. that
she Ditied me, which was the most in
tolerable part Of all But L carried IL
Off well-she showed far more con-
fusion than J. No one would have
thought I was entertaining my hus-
bands mistress, and that knew every |
one at the table was perfectly aware /
that I knew who she was
But that was not all. ! think he was (
furious because ! was not confused. be- I
cause i treated them with cool courtesy I
instead Of making some vulgar display /
of temper. It seems incOnceivabIe. and /
yet I really believe that was what be /
wanted. OF course. they had all been (