, 1911-10-26

Robert IL Robert. ana 1 am 1, just as
we were when we pledged our troth.
And vet could have killed him to-
night. To kill a man because he hap
pens to be himself is scarcely reason
able or sane. With this weakness. in
.hcrcut In his nature. he'l have need
of me. And the children want me.
I'm Indispensable to all of them. !
must take my life in my W hands.
No one can help me now. 1t will be
amusing to ana it, an excitement"
She rose. but her knees shook in an
imhecile sort of way. b laughed a
bit sharply out into the dark.
I'm my mother all over again, |
see. Ny Young mother died of this
sort of thing. | believe" She put her
hand ont TO touch n tiny jutting spur
twinklinC silver in the new moons
rays and shlvered. But I'll not die
of It: | shall fill ont. The fall from a
fools Paradise hurts-oh. II hurts-but
II doesn't kill us in these days"
Closing the balcony door softly. she
entered the nursery. h children
were fast asleep in their cots. She
touched them ~curiously to see If their
soft. warm flesh would thrill her as it
used to do.
Poor little helpless souls! You will
need me. won't yOu?" she said broken
ly, crou"hing down Mt their side.
Robert Junior stirred.
"rhe roof-it has n lazy time" he
murmured in his sleep.
Anna smoothed his soft hair and
tremhled.
Dear little SON. she said, didn't
mother tell you the roof couldn't help
being where IT is. 1t was made like
that. And the wnlls-they ave to
hold it up. No. they do not have
much fun"
Mr.. Marshfeld Craven, the confiden-
tial friend and legal adviser of the
president of the Gotham Trust com
panv. clustered into the presidents IL
brary In his home mp the Hudson, near
Ossiniug. He had come from New
York early thar afternoon and had
much to do before the presidents ar
rival on the go express.
In hurried. whipping fashion. this
drawer was opened. then that. Papers
and documents were hastily strewn
here. thcrc and every where. Unopcn-
ed envelopes which dunncd for atten-
ton were quickly torn open and
thrown into the wastcbasket or on the
floor. rs the chance might be. All Of
which proved Il sore trial TO Mrs
Mason, the presidents hOusekeeper.
who was In the last stages of .'tidyinG
up the library.
As usual. when Craven was busting
with work he noticed nothing Of his
surroundings. He pulled ont his
watch. Fifteen minutes. yes,
"See If you can rattle off this letter
in time for the next post. Miss Ora
ham. Take it directly on the ma
chine he said. plying his fingers
through his thin, gray hair. And he
began to dictate.
But there was no confirming click
of the typewriter. Craven turned over
his shoulder toward the secrctary's
desk and looked above the rim of his
glasses.
"Bless my SOUL" he exclaimed, IF
| hadn't clean forgotten the bird had
flown. Humph. Mrs. Mason he said
suddenly. addressing the housekeeper,
who stood mutcly busting a generous
pipe rack. what in the world induced
Miss Graham to give up her job any
how? She's been here over Il year.
She's given entire satisfaction; had
her stipend raised twice; always treat
ed considcratcly-the deuce If ! "A
make it OUT"
Mrs. Mason suspended her feather
buster and smiled systematically.
"Shc said her health was bad and
she wanted n rest"
Health bad? Fiddlesticks!" grunt-
ed Craven. she had cheeks like Bald
win apples and walked like india rub,
ber."
We'll. for my part. Mr.. Craven. I'll
be perfectly frank. I'm going to give
up my position. too, only l don't in
tend to lie nbout it. Pm going be-
Ito be Continued.D