El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-07-06
The HeraId's
Daily Shsrt Stery
The Woman Who "Came Back !"

That's bad. Both of them are
cranks. It'll take woman to get
the interview. Well want the regular
sob story Of her heart"
And Miss Coleman has gone to Kan
sas City on that poisoning stunt"
walled the city editor. Wen have
to wire her to come back. Mrs. Adkins
may not recover consciousness until
she gets here But In the meantime
what the devel's to be done? You
don't suppose Miss Patchen or Mrs.
Foster dismissed the feminine friIlers
of the staff from consideration with
a contemptuous snort Then his eyes
rested for a moment upon the bench
Of the mosquito fleet where Mrs.
Hackett had sat during the whole col
lOquy, motionless as ever, but with
burning eyes fixed on the speakers and
ears sharpened to hear every word.
AS she met the managing editors
eyes, she sprang TO her feet and rushed
toward him. her hands clasped in en-
treaty. For Gods sake let me try,
Charlie" she pleaded, while the city
editor stared in undisguised amaze
ment. I'll get it, and I won't throw
you down You can trust me"
Foster looked at her for a moment,
then he turned to his subordinate.
You needn't wire for Miss Coleman
he said. I'm going TO send Mrs.
Hackett.'
But" the city editor began to
expostulate.
fTl take the responsibility" The
managing EDITORS tone was final.
Come. Mrs. Hackett."
You know what this means to me
and the paper If you fail me, Madge,"
said Foster when they faced each other
In his office.
Il won't fail you" The words rang
with prophecy.
'sThen, here'-Foster wrote some
figures and signed his name on a slip
Of paper. Take this down and get 1t
cashed and before you go to the hotel
get yourself an outfit. You know what
kind Of clothes you ought to have. If
you win out on the story I'll give you
the price OF them as a bonus. If you
lose"
Il won't lose," said Madge Hackett
But you know I may not be able
TO telephone till L get ii. You won't
think"
Use your own judgment" said Fos-
ter. Il trust you"
You can she rejoined as she walked
out Of the door.
1t was nearly. midnight when she
came in again. There had been no
word from her since she left till her
telephone Is minutes before saying that
she had secured the Interview. Billings.
who had watched the door OF the Ad-
kins suite all day, in response to fran
tic inquiries from the city editor, said
she had not been at the rooms at ALL
and that the sob squad from the
other papers had been denied admit
tance.
She's simply framed up a fake. and
never been near the, place." said the
city editor to the man at the next desk.
but If the boss wants to swallow it,
that's his lookout; at least the other
sheets haven't got anything either. But
great guns, what's this7''
A woman in a nurses uniform was
speaking to the boy at the door, Star
Ing in wide-eyed wonder at her few
hurried words, he let her pass through
the gate. the city editor recognizing
the Cinderella of the office, but as
transformed as was her original of
old Eyes flashing, color coming and
going in her cheeks, she looked as If
life abundant and invigorating had
been breathed into her
mo wonder Billings didn't recognize
her" the city editor said to himself.
and then aloud, You got in with that
rig?'
Yes" Mrs. Hacketts tone was ju-
bilant
You couldn't have put it over Muir
phy?"
'Dr. Murphy knew about it," replied
Mrs. Hackett softly. How many words
do you want?"
Murphy let you in?"-the city editor
was frank in his establishment. well.
I'll be-excuse me, what have you
gotT'
she says she did it in self defence.
and she told me all about her life with
her husband ever since their mar
riage"
''Mr. Foster is out to supper now
but he told me to tell you to let your
story run the limit If you got the in
terview at all Pardon me, you have
done this work before?"
"A little of IT." said Mrs. Hackett.
enigmatically, as she went to her desk.
"a little of it, snorted the city edi-
tor as the first pages of her story came
to the desk a little while later I'D
like TO know who that woman is any,
way. She's been some big card some
where. This story is one tangerine
and the woman who wrote it has writ
ten a thousand others or I'll miss my
guess"
It was when the last page OF the
story had been handed in that the head
called the city editor to him.
You are due an explanation he
said. Il was compelled to keep you
in the dark, but I hope I know there
is no longer any need for it. Do you
remember the name of Margaret Mer-
rington?"
I knew it," exclaimed the other man.
Not her name of course, but I knew
when the story came in that she had
been the goods somewhere But Mar
garet Merrington, the highest priced
woman In the profession-nobody ever
heard Of her after she married-what's
the answer"
TITS a mighty sad answer" said
the managing editor. "She was hap
PLY married and had three children.
Then her husband and two of her chill
dren died within year. and she herself
was desperately i'll for months Her
malady had as an accompaniment such
terrible pain that the physicians kept
her piled with morphine, not dreaming
she could recover. Result-the NOR
phine habit-a terrible case She has
fought against it for years. 1 was