The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-02-23

=
orSble. And what followed - the
crowded hall. the pretty table rroups
drinking and applauding; the mob OF
| STUDENTS standing to sing and cheer
| themselves hoarse-it all took It's
| place among Ernest's most cherished
| nfst experiences In fact, he had 10
reinforce his determination TO leave
Dy recalling how his mother would
| worry II he stayed And In addition
there was Mr.. Ventry's regret, his dis
gust his despair to contend with. In
the end. Ernest had metaphorically TO
tear himself away from Miss Tracey's
cooed pleadingS, and. literally from
Mr.. Ventry's OBTAINING clutch. He
FOUND himself In the South Station ten
minutes ahead Of time.
AS he walked back and forth walt
ing for his train TO be made up he
time that evening. Now. IL was Mrs
Ventry.
"oh, Ernest" she said. Pm 30 glad
to see you'll"
Even to Ernest's unsensitive percep-
ion II was evident that something had
happened. Mrs. Ventry's whole APP
pearance proclaimed emotional Gre.
burned.
Come into the waiting-room a mo-
ment' Ernest, she said Immediately
Il have something to tell you" But
before she reached that haven. before
Ernest could speak. In fact. The
whole things up" she burst out, I've
just left my husbandI"
For moment Ernest did not un-
derstand. He opened his mouth to
say, why. you couldn't have done
when she followed II by a statement
even more astonishing.
I called him up this afternoon
from Manchester and told him I was
going TO leave him. told him !
should never see him again as long
as lived I've stood great deal
you know how he neglects me. But
lately I've been thinking of it for
months, but today I made up my
Ernest's head rocked. His thoughts
whirled- Mr.. Ventry had told him
that he had tried all the afternoon TO
get Mrs. Nentry on the wire. And
yet Mrs. Ventry had just said--
Suddenly-it was like the sudden burst
! of an electric light-Ernest had a
moment of mental illumination.
Mr. Nentry was trying to keep his
wife and her sister apart.
Mrs. Nentry was still talking. I'm
going TO New York on the midnight
to stay at the Hotel Hamblen Prom
| Use me. Ernest, that you will never
| tell anybody that you met me here to-
| night wouldn't have anybody in
haywood know this for the world. ."
! do promise 20
Afterward. even the unanaIytic Err
nest remembered how lightly he prom
| sed.
7 don't know what I'm going to
| do TO Kill time until then" she went
on. absently.
But Ernest was still thinking over
! this tangled situation from hts owl
inside View. suddenly. following that
: wonderful illumination. came an idea
] IN 70 a Isar~ faFl .ror -
put it through? He would put II
through.
Mrs. Ventry," he said. soberIy, will
| you come to the Pop Concert with
me?" For the first time in their &C
! QuaintanSe he looked without flush
| ing straight into her eyes.
Mrs. Nentry stared at him a mo-
ment. For an inSta Mt her face shad-
/ owed. EFT tn. Ernest" she said; then
she laughed that ripping laugh which
Phoebe so much admired. I'D love
TO go. What a ripping idea. Ernest"
But Ernests only reelection was
that now he must lose the 10 train.
| He rushed Mrs Nentry to the elevated.
The noise OF the train discouraged
| conversation. Ernest was glad. He
| was turning over many things I'm his
mind. 1t occurred TO him that. after
| all. he had attempted a rather big feat
| in social engineering. At Symphony
| Hall he spent the last two dollars OF
| The strains OF the closing march had
begun. Mrs. Ventry followed in his
J broad SIN ouldered wake. as he made
/ straight for Mr.. Ventry's table. That
4 gentleman still sat, now cross be-
tween Silenus and PdnchinelIo
hunched attentively in the direction Of
his pretty companion. He looked up
What the-how'd you get here -
Mr.. Ventry snRrled. In a flash. Ernest
perceived that Mr.. Ventry's jovial
mood had gone stale. He did not faI-
ter. however. He stepped aside. u
met Mrs. Ventry in the station and
I've brought her here to see her sis
ter" he said.
Ernest saw Mr.. Ventry's Jaw drop:
saw Miss Tracey@arise as II at the on
| haywood a little after the next
morning. Since he had no money to
40 to a hotel he spent the night walk
ing the streets and lounging about the
station.
He moved with almost his usual
energy. But his face was white and
many lines. not OF fatigue, snarled his
forehead. He walked with the ut
most quiet up the concrete path to
the house. He did not even try the
front door. He walked around to the
back of the house and made some
Finally he removed his shoes, climbed
over the shed. made the laborious
passage of the sloping roof and
crawled through the bathroom win
dow. All this ne accomplished in a
curious half-hearted way, as If he
dreaded to enter. And when, just in
side. the ghoSt-sha Pc OF q woman CON
fronted him. ne did not even start