El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-12-14
In Which Helen Is Made the
COnfidant Of a Most IN
happy Love Affair.

Ellen was bending over the no
ton counter, matching a spool
of blue silk for some Christmas
fancy work, when some one touched
her on the arm
1t was Alice Brooks, whom Helen
had known for a long while, though
she had seen little of her in the last
year.
ooh. won't you come over to the
Plaza and have tea with me?' begged
Alice. when the first greeting was
over.
I'd love to-" said Helen. "but I've
some shopping to do yet and 1 must
get home early"
Let your shopping go this time
please do Oh, I've been so blue and
wretehed ali day. must talk to some
onet'
Helen hesitated.
DO COME wouldn't insist If
didn't really need you"
.Oh then III go. Of course. Only
mustn't stay very long.
In the brighter light of the street
Helen noticed that even under her veil
AIice's face looked more haggard than
she had ever seen it. She was an IN
usually pretty girl Of the fair Dresden
china type, but now there were dark
lines under her eyes and even her lips
We're pale.
Enthusiastically something was wrong.
But nothing was said until they We're
settled in a secluded corner of the tea
room Of the great hotel When the
order was given Alice took off her veil
and gloves, dropped her head on heE
hand and for several moments stared
modify before her.
oh I'm such a fool, she burst our
at last. such a consummate little fOoll
Most women are only they don't oLten
know it but 1 do. That's what makes
IL worse.
"Why, my dear-whats the matters!
The matter? When woman has
heartache and a thrOatache and can't
eat and can't sleep-what do you sup
pose is the matterZ
Helen smiled. I'm afraid she's in
And in love with a man that isn't /
worth her little finger-that's cad and
a brute and a coward, toOE
why Alice what fierce little per-
'Weu it's true-au say and more !
And yet I love him! I've loved him for
months, and suppose III go on loving
him. That's what foolish woman al
ways dOes-isn't itZ
mot aIways-if he's as bad as that.
But what is IL. dear? Can't you tell me [
ooh, yes, I want TO tell you-thars |
why I begged you to come here. I've !
been longing TO tell some one, and /
there's no one 1 can trust
There's your mother" said Helen ]
Mother? Oh, I wouldn't have mother /
know for worlds. I'd rather tell any /
one than mother. You see he's-he's-
you guessedZ
Helen shook her head
Alice's Secret.
Haven't you heard my name con-
nected with any one in the last year?'
Helen hesitated.
perhaps I did hear some vague ru-
NOR but 7 didn't believe It"
'FWell, it's true. I'm in love with
Dick Fairchild. But he isn't living with
MS wife-he hadn't lived with her for
months before he met me. And they're
getting a divorce now
But, Alice. even If he was free-he
sn't the man for you. He's so much
older and he's such man about town.
Why, dear he wouldn't be true to you
4 week"
ooh, 1 know know, all you can
tell me and more-but I love himr
And do you think he's seriOus2 Do
-ou think he really cares for your
ooh. he says he does" bitterly. But
he lies to me about everything else
ne may be lying about that, too"
Lies to youi"
yes. lies to me about everything
Sometimes I think he doesn't know
how to tell the truth. It's got so
now 7 can't believe anything he says.
When he tells me he has an important
business appointment, I'm almost sure
ne is going to take some woman TO
Inner. Oh, il has happened so often.
md Tuesday I caught him-that's why
IN so wretched today"
Her voice broke, she paused 4 mo-
han H-Nr
,rumbllng n bit OF toast "He phoned
ne he was going to Philadelphia on
business that he was at the station
-hen-and an hour later 7 saw him