Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1911-03-09
Too Amiable
By DOROTHEA HALE
Copyright, 1910, by American Press
Association.

Laura, dear, | am so glad you hav
come. If any one else had called this
morning | should haze been not at
home.'"
What a convenient expression. not
at home! It's like kings and presi.
dents. who can speak officially Or as
private individuals, and it isn't y lie.
But what's troubling YOU"
George"
George: Has he been giving way
to that violent temper again?"
Quite the reverse. He has sudden
ly turned amiable."
There's nothing bad about that"
NO. nothing bad, except that I'm
not used to it. l don't care how a
man treats me so long as | under
stand how to meet him. George has
always been impulsive. irritable. quick
spoken. He's keeping something from
me. On Wednesdays he goes out at 8
o'clock in the evening and comes back
between 8 and half past. I've tried
my best to get out Of him where he
goes, but he won't tell me. He just
palavers over me. calls mo his little
darling jokes about woman's curios-
ity. but ! get nothing out of him."
You suspect"
mo especial woman"
But yet you know she exists"
"Of course"
"Have you looked on the shoulder of
his coat for powder? Lots Of men
have been caught that way. The wo-
man puts her head down there. and
they all use powder. You're sure to
find it on his coat"
II haven't noticed any. Besides. l
can't understand this self control. A
man who is in love with another wom-
an isn't usually very saintlike in his
treatment Of his wife"
"There you're wrong. George. feel
ing that he is untrue to you. keeps his
self control to prevent his giving him
self away. A man who Is doing that
must be very guarded. The feelings
control the tongue. and the tongue is
liable to betray him at any moment"
II know George better than that. !
twitted him about going out at s
o'clock to visit a sweetheart. and he
laughed at me. He may have the
sweetheart. but that is not the hour at
which he spends time with her. He
isn't rome long enough"
why don't you shadow him when
he goes out in the EVENING""
"The only reason I haven't done it is
that I don't like to do such a thing
George has always trusted me implicit,
ly. and don't like to commit an over'
act in my distrust of him"
"You silly thing. You don't know
these men. They wouldn't hesitate
any one of them. to put Il professional
detective on his wife And vet you
hesitate to walk at a safe distance he.
hind George Just to see that he isn't
getting into mischief. Why. its Your
duty to watch him Men are like chill
dren when wnmen get hold of then
and need Il nurse. Would you trust lit
tie Georgia to take care of himself
Come. get some stiffening into you
I'll help you. I'll come around this
evening at 3 O'Clock and lie in wal
for George when he goes out. keeping
him in sight till you come out after
him. Then we two will follow hin
and solve this mystery
We'll. | don't like to do it ant
couldn't do it by myself. but since yor
are going with me | suppose I can
Come nj five minutes before s. c.
down under the Stoop and wait till 70,
hear George going out. Follow him
and l will catch up with you. ! have
often seen him start. and he Away!
goes west. So l can't fail to 20 tn,
right way"
That evening the two women pu
this plan into execution. George wen
out unsuspectingly. his wife's frient
was under the stoop. and his wifi
came Out within a minute after b,
had left the house. He walked lei
surely UP the street. turned several cor
ners and finally mounted the steps O
a house that was perfectly familiar t
his wife.
"Oh. heavens" she exclaimed. he
going into DR.. Fuller's. He has som
terrible disease. Pm going in to fin,
out what it is"
Better wait till you have him a
home. when you can talk with hin
calmly"
Il can't wait. I'm frightened t
death. Oh. what can be the matter?'
The husband had entered the hous
and was in the Doctors private roon
for receiving patients when there wa
a pull at the bell. Another patient. i
was supposed, entered and withou
waiting for her turn pushed her wa.
into the and fell upon her bus
bands neck. moaning:
"Oh. George. What is this terribl
disease from which you are; suffering
Why have you hidden it from fpe?"
George smiled a sickly smile at tn,
doctor. who interposed:
"YOI1r NV door ~ bo