The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-08-08
Page of
Interest
WlENAMANMARRES
lhenOelhumw fhepyS EvNDHSwds made
DY fhM ROBERTS RINEIART
Author d IlEQR1hR SIaaAg 'nENNN lOWRlN
Author Of 1lEtR1NAR SINRGAy .p'TlE

who had taken Jim's place In the
studio. She started out braveiy
enough. but In minute we heard
! her flying back. Anne grew perfectly
white.
/ He's lying on the upper stairsl"
Betty cried, and we all ran out. 1t
was quite true. Dai was lying on
the stairs in a bath robe. with one
of Jim's Indian war clubs In his hand.
And he was sound asleep.
He looked somewhat embarrassed
mhan- he-T reused and WITS stand
ing around. He said he was going to
play q practical joke on somebody
and fell asleep In the middle Of 1t.
And Anne said he wast't even an in
tellgent liar, and went back to bed
in temper. But Betty came in with
me, and we sat and looked at each
other and didn't say much. The sit
uation was beyond us.
The doctor let Jim out the next day.
there having been nothing the matter
with him but a stomach rash. But
Jim was changed: he mooned around
Bella, of course, as before, but he
was distracted at times. and all that
day-Sunday--he wandered OF by
himself, and one would come across
him Unexpectedly in the basement or
along some of the unused back halls.
Aunt Selma held service that morn
ing. Jim said that ne always had a
prayer book. but that he couldn't find
anything with so many people In the
house. SO Aunt Selma read some re-
ifgious poetry out Of the newspapers.
and gave us valuable talk on De-
ception. versus Honesty. with me as
the illustration.
Almost everybody took a nap after
luncheon. i stayed In the den and
read IbseH. and felt very mournfai.
And after Hedda had shot herself.
lay down on the divan and cried
little--over Hedda; she was young and
1t mas such tragic ending--and then
l fell asleep.
When Weakened Mr.. HARRISON was
standing by the table. and he held
my book in his hands. In view of the
armed neutrality between US. ex-
pected 10 see him bow to me CURLY,
turn on his heel and leave the room.
Indeed. considering his state Of mind
the night before, | should hardly have
been surprised IL he had thrown He'd
da at my head (This Is not a pun.
detest him.) But instead. when he
heard me move he glanced over at
ME and even smiled little.
She wasn't worth it," he said. in
dicatfng the book.
worth what"
"Your tears You were crying over
1t, weren't you?"
she was very unhappy / assert
ed indifferemtIy. She was married
and she loved some one else"
do you really think she did :" he
asked. And even so. was that
reason?"
The other man cared for her; he
As- -
But he knew that she was mar
ried," he said virtuously, and then
he caught my eye ami he saw the
analogy instantly. for he colored hot
iy and put down the book. ---
Most men argue that way" I said.
They argue by the book, and--they
do as they like"
He picked up Japanese ivory pa
per weight from the table. and stood
balancing 1t across his finger.
"Yoa} are perfectly right" he said
at last. Il deserve 1t all My griev-
ance Is at myself. Your~-your beau
were unhappy, put me--beside my
self 1t Is not an excuse; II 10
weak explanation. ! Win not forget
myself again.
He was as abject as any one could
have wished. IL was my minute OF
triumph, but / cannot pretend that
! was happy Evidently II had been
only a passing impulse. II he HAD
really cared. now that he knew
was free. he would have forgotten
himself again at once. Then a new
explanation occurred to me. Sup !
pose Ii had been Bella all the time, 1
and the real shock had been to find |
that she had been married.
The fault of the situation was real |
ly mine.'' / said magnanimousiy; Il !
quite blame myself. Only. you must |
believe one thing You never fur |
nished us any amusement" / looked |
at him sidewise. The discovery that |
Bella and Jim were once married |
must have been great shock.
1t was a SURPRISE" he replied ev. |
emily. His voice and his eyes were |
He returned my glance |
It was infuriating TO have I
gone half way 90 meet him. al had. |
and then to find him intrenched In /
his lf-sufficiency again. l got UP.
1T Is unfortunate that our ac-
auaintance has begun so unfavorably," |
l remarked, preparing to pass him. /
Under other circumstances we might |
have been friends" al ~
ITO Be Continued.s "a