, 1910-05-26

with the jeweled tiara which now
graced her head: there seemed to be
nothing in the world that she could
not enjoy.
Yet she was not happy, and as she
gazed at the face reflected before her
in the glass she wondered if the world
guessed how unhappy she was. She
knew hat by her own indiscretion she
was in danger Of losing all she had
won. her position in society, her place
in the affections of her husband
everything.
When she married Mr.. Jeffries It
was with deliberate calculation. She
did not love him, but, being ambitious,
she did not hesitate to deceive him
He was rich, he could give her that
prominent position in society for
which she yearned. The fact thai
she was already engaged to a man for
whom she did care did not deter her
for a homer from her set purpose.
She had met Robert Underwood years
before. He was then a college boy,
tall. handsome, clever. She fell in
love with him and they became en-
gagged. AS she grew more sophisticat-
GU u q Nv III vi IHt1T yOul0IuI
infatuation. Underwood was without
fortune, his future uncertain. While
in this uncertain state of mind she
met Mr.. Jeffries, then a widower. at
a reception. The banker was attract
ed to her and being a business man
he did things quickly. He proposed
and was accepted. all in the brief
time of-five minutes. Robert Under
wood and the romance of her girlhood
were sacrificed without question when
it came to reaching a prompt decision.
She wrote Underwood a brief letter
Of farewell, telling him that the action
she had taken was really for the best
interests of them both. Underwood
made no reply and for months did not
attempt to go nea her. Then he met
her in public. There was a r%econcilia-
ton. He exerted the old spell-on the
married woman. Cold and Indifferent
to her husband, Alicia found it anus
ing to have her old lover paying her
court and the danger of discovery only
gave the intrigue additional zest and
charm. She did not lead Underwood
to believe that he could induce her to
forget her duty to Mr.. Jeffries, but
she was foolish enough to encourage
a dangerous intimacy. She thought
she was strong enough to be able to
call a halt whenever she would be so
disposed, but as is often the case she
overestimated her powers. The in
timacy grew. Underwood became
holder. claiming n obtaining special
privileges. He soon realized that he
had the upper hand and he traded on
1t. Under her patronage he was In
vited everywhere. He practically lived
on her friends. He borrowed their
money INT cheated them at cards.
His real character was soon known to
all. but no n dared expose him for
fear of offending the influential Mrs.
Jeffries. Realizing this. Underwood
continued his ~depredations until he
became a sort of social highwayman.
He had no legitimate source of in
come, but he took a suite of apart
ments at the expensive Astruria and
on credit furnished them so gorgeous
ly that they became the talk of the
town. The magazines and newspa-
pers devoted columns to the magnifi-
cence of their furnishings and the art
treasures they contained. Art deal
ers all over the country offered him
liberal commissions If he would dis
pose Of expensive objets dart to his
friends. He entered in business rela-
ton with several firms md soon his
rooms became a veritable bazaar for
art curios of all kinds. Mrs. Jeffries'
friends paid exorbitant prices for
some of the stun and Underwood
pnpLataG Tho ppnnau forrattin- - -
our to the owners for the sums they
brought. The dealers demanded resti.
tuition or a settlement and Underwood.
dreading exposure, had to hustle
around to raise enough money to
make up the deficiency in order to
avoid prosecution. In this way he
lived from day to day borrowing from
Peter to settle with Paul. and on one
or two occasions he had not been
ashamed to borrow from Mrs. Jeffries
herself.
Alicia lent the money more because
she feared ridicule than from any real
desire to oblige Underwood. She had
long since become Disguised with him..
h mans real character was now
plainly revealed to her. He vas an
ad%venturer, little better than a com-
mon crook. She congratulated her.
self on her narrow escape. Suppose
she had married him-the horror of
1t! Yet the next instant she was
filled with CONSERVATION. She had
allowed him to become so intimate
that 1t was difficult to break of with
him all at once. She realized that
with a man of that character the in
evitable must come. There would be
a d~isgraceful scandal. She would be
mixed up in it her husbands eye
would be opened to her folly. 1t might
ruin her entire life. She must end 1t
how-once for all. She had already
given him to understand that their
must cease. Now he must