El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-12-13
Married Life the First Year
Mabel Herbert Urner On "Her Strategy

of her room. She was reading. A pill
>of magazines lay on the couch beside
! her.
why, dear. you are early She
| dropped her book and came forward
with a smile of greeting.
Yes" He did not look toward her.
But surely the dinner is. not over
you left before it was over?"
Yes"
Why, Will, what is it-what is the
matter? Are you ill?'
Tip" he laughed harshly. ooh, no;
I'm not ILL., 1 will leave that to you
and the fainting. 1 have no desire to
vie with you for histronic honors.
viii, What do you mean?"
His Wife Faints.
VERY much what 1 have said A DR..
Branford was at the dinner. He told
a very interesting story Of a young
woman who came to him to learn the
symptoms of fainting and how they
could be assumed AS he delicately ex-
pressed it, Some man was in for a
lively dancer
He did not see her sudden pallor. He
had walked over to the window and
street below
And you thought tensely.
l Mo- knew"
There was no cry, no warning Of any
kind. Only the sound of a fall. He
turned. Instinctively he sprang toward
her Then he drew back with a sharp
laugh.
Don't you think you are OVERRIDING
it q little? Cod What a fool you must
take me to be-"
Without another glance toward her
l.s -7- srrcr
the door after him. But the door failed
to latch and swung slowly open again.
He turned to close it; his eyes fell IN
willingly on the motionless figure on
the floor.
She was so still There was some
thing about the half-closed hand that
lay against the dark red Of the rug.
Compelled by an impulse he
could not resist, ne drew closer, stopped
over and half lifted the slight, limp
form. The head fell back, the white
ness of her face sent a cold fear
through his heart.
Edith, Edith
He laid her down on the couch and
knelt beside her.
Edith" The anguish of fear was in
his voice. Frantically he chafed her
hands and kissed her white face and
lips
Marie, Marier' He called out the
name of his wifes maid. And then, re-
Numbering that Marie slept on the
fourth floor, he sprang to the bell and
down to the library. Not waiting to
turn on the lights, he found the tele-
phone in the dark. In a moment he had
the club and was asking for DR..
Branford- Another moment and the
doctor was at the phone.
He Calls the Physician.
This is Carlyle-Wil1 Carlyle. have
just reached home. My wife has tainted.
1 can't arouse her. DR.. Mcdonald, our
family physician, lives in Harlem; you
can get here quicker. Can you come at
once? - West Fifty-fourth."
He was back again kneeling by the
still motionless figure, again kissing
her lips, her hair, and calling. to her en-
The maid came down now,
frightened, half dressed. Together
they worked o&er her. Then the front
door bell rang sharply
1.-The doctor-Marie.
The girl flew to the door. Hurried
steps on the stairs, and DR.. Branford
was bending over the couch Carlyle
did not see the startled look that cross
ed the doctors face when he examined
his patient; he saw only the deft skill !
full hands as they felt her pulse, her
heart loosened her clothing, raised her /
head, threw up the window and drew |
the couch close to it. Then a glisten- 3
ing hyperdemic shone in the light and
slight red spot was left on her arm. I,
its whiteness.
A quiyering breath, and her eyes
opened. Their dazed glance fell on the /
face Of the doctor who was bending ST. /
ently over her. Then they closed again. |
In an instant her brain was clear and |
active. All her mental faculties re- |
'ponded swiftly to her need. The facts
stood before her clearly. For the first
lime in her life she had really tainted!
She did not stop to wonder at the psy-
biological conditions that had brought
t about. It had saved herl It had
rushed the doubts in Wills mind and
made him send for DR.. Branford in an
Lgony of fear and remorse.
The Situation Was Hers.
Something almost like triumph swept
through her. The situation was hers,
nd the desire to make the most of it
vas swift and irresis tible. There are