The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1911-01-14
CHAPTER III.
] Miaht Have Known u.

Inc minute l naO consented re-
,gretted 1t. After all. what were jim
my's troubles to me? Why should l
help him impose on an unsuspecting
elderly woman? And 1t was only put
ting OF discovery anyhow. Sooner or
later, she would learn of the divorce,
-and-Just at that instant my eyes fell
on Mr. Harbison-Tom HARRISON, as
Anne called him. He was looking on
with an amused. halfpuzzled smile.
while people were rushing around hid.
ing the roulette wheel and things of
which Miss Caruthers might disap-
prove, and Betty Mercer was on her
knees winding up a toy bear that Max
! had brought her. What would he
think? 1t was evident that he thought
badly of US already-that he was con-
temptuously amused. and then to
have to ask him to lend himself to the
deception!
With a gasp l hurled myself after
Jimmy. only to hear a strange voice
in the hall and to know that l was too
late. was In for 1t, whatever was
coming. 1t was Aunt Selma who was
coming-along the hall. followed by
Jim, who was hopping his face and
trying not to notice the paralyzed 81
1ence in the library.
Aunt Selma met me in the doorway.
To my frantic eyes she seemed to
tower above US by at least a foot. and
beside her Jimmy was a red. perspir-
ing cherub.
Here she is." Jimmy said, from be-
hind a temporary eclipse of black
cloak and travelling bag. He was on
top of the situation now, and he was
mendaciously cheerful. He had not
said, Here is my wife" That would
have been a lie. No, Jimmy merely
said, Here she is" II Aunt Selma
chose to think me Bella, was 1t not
her responsibility? And II chose to
accept the situation, was it not mine?
Dallas Brown came forward gravely
as Aunt Selma folded over and kissed
me. and surreptitiously patted me
with one hand while he held out the
other to Miss Caruthers. l loathed
him.
We always expect something un-
usual from James, Miss Caruthers."
|, he said. with his best manner. but
"this-this is beyond our widest
dreams"
Well, it's too awful to linger over.
Anne took her upstairs and into
Bella's bedroom. It was a fancy of
Jim's to leave that room just as Bella
had left 1t, dusty dance cards and IA
vors hanging around and pair OF dis
carded slippers under the bed. don't
think 1t had been swept since Bella
left It. believe in sentiment, but l
like 1t brushed and busted and the
cobwebs on Of 1t, and when Aunt Sc
lima put down her bonnet, 1t stirred
UP a gray white cloud that made her
cough. She did not say anything, but
she looked around the room grimly,
and saw her run her finger over
the back Of a chair before she let
Hannah, the maid. put her cloak on 1t.
Anne looked frightened. She ran
into Bella's bath and wet the end of
. towel and when Hannah was chang
ing Aunt Selina's collar-her conces-
sion to evening dress-Anne wiped
on the obvious places on the furniture.
Whats that young woman's
name?" she asked me sharply, when
Anne had taken the towel out to hide
It.
Anne Brown. Mrs. Dallas Brown"
replied meekly. Every one replied
meekly to Aunt Selma.
Does she live here?"
"oh, no." said airily. "They are
here to dinner, she and her husband.
They are old friends Of Jim's-and
mine"
Seems to have . good eye for
dirt" said Aunt Selma. and went ON
fastening her brooch. When she was