The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1912-04-20
In the Second
Row Back

The ominous tinkle of the little
clock striking the hour made them
both look up. He was first to speak.
As he drew from his pocket two slips
of pasteboard, his words came in dull
even tones.
Here are the theater tickets I
bought last week. If you care to go,
we may as well pass the time there as
in any other way"
Before answering she closed her
book and placed it carefully upon the
table. She gave no hint of haste nor
of the response that passed through
her at his words.
'Since you have the tickets, yes"
Just as she feared, he caught her
wrist as she passed and held her In
firm grasp.
Marian, what sense Is there in this
stubbornness? You know that ! do
not care so much for the reason OF
your going as / do your not telling
me-"
She tried to free, herself. "That Is
not true" she gasped. You want to
know why / went there. I'd have told
you, some time. II you'd trusted me-"
But. Marian, l hear you've been go
ing there for a month, and I've known
nothing Of 1t. You knew I'd hate q
thing like that"
Your informant ought to have
found out more. Why not have him
try again? I'll never tell you. never.
No matter what happens, Tll-never
-tell-you."
He dropped her hand at that. and
she went on into the other room
When she returned she had all her
emotions well In control.
They reached their seats In the the
alter Just as the curtain went up. In
the half light Marian yemcved her hat
and coat, and tried to settle herself to
gather the threads thrown out in the
first act.
Suddenly into the strained silence Of
the audience came a voice. "She says
she doesn't love him but she'll marry
him."
1t was girls voice. and there was
familiar ring In it to Marian. did
she say she'd marry himr' This time
it was an older, more cautious voice.
Yes, but she does not love him."
There was q stir and wavering tit
ter among those within hearing.
Marian sighed and wondered II ever
again she should feel so much inter-
est in anything as one could hear In
that girls voice. The play held moth
ing for her. She wondered how 1t was
with James. To her the pretense
Of enjoyment was becoming bur-
den and she wished that they had not
come.
"She says she does not love him. but
he'll never know. Oh, it's awfully ex-
citing!" Again Marian felt the stir In
the audience, again she longed to see
the play with the heart and eyes Of
the girl. II she could keep her
thoughts upon the actors she must for
get, for little while, her heartache.
"He says he's buttinski. oh, he's
the funniest"
The curtain fell, the lights flashed
up. Marian found herself In state of
painful bewilderment. Sometimes
when she and James talked 1t over be-
tween the acts, they could come to
better understanding of the play. She
took cautious glance at her husband.
He was sitting severely straight and
still.
Marian gave up all thought Of
following the play. An unexpect-
ed tragedy had come into her own
life, and nothing could blot it from
her mind. Each moment she was be-
coming more frightened at the out
come of her quarrel. They could not
go on like this.
Hector says he'll stand by her to
the end. II he dies for it." It was the
girls voice again in explanation.
Marian felt relaxation of her tense
nerves. oh, what time she should
have had to keep James quiet If.
She was back at the old worry again.
1t pressed harder. She began to be-
lieve that she could not bear it much
longer. She would have to tell James,
but things could never be the same
again. He had doubted her and he
had been SO cruel about it that he had
forced her to tell.
Marian glanced at her husband. He
cleared his throat and changed his POI
sition. The voice in continued con-
versation was tantalizingly familiar.
Cautiously Marian moved her head.
Just little way, and then
"Oh, mamma, there's the lady that
comes to Helen's to give us the
dancing lessons. Yes, the one right
check. Oh. she Is Just lovely!"