The Washington times., 1912-07-03
THE TIMES DAILY SERIAL STORY
THE PRINCE OF PRETENSE
STEPHEN CHALMERS
tcopyriEht, The Frank A. Munssy Col

have just said. But-but-I thought you
knew, Tom"
His eyes slowly turned from her face.
nit know that the moment his gaze
was averted hers leaped upward, and a
pair OF yearning, maternal eyes fingered
on his gray-templed head.
She loved him-loved him with all the
strength of her great womanhood. And
now she knew that he loved her. oh,
IL only IL could be! II only she could
marry him, for his sake, for her own
sake, for Peggy's. sake! 1t would be a
solution of-the difficulty.
Peggy's secret was safe with her and
one other. The one other was the man
who, Janet knew, would come back
when his brain cleared. Janet had taken
take care of Fitzwilliam. Apparently
he had done SO already. He would not
have acted as his bruised face suggest
ed he had If he did not love Peggy
Janet were only Pegsy's mother-in-law
everything would be we'll, and the dead
past would bury its dead. And honest
Tom Wallace would be spared. He
One tfing Janet was thankful for.
There was no future calamity to be
reckoned with. II only Kilby would
find the necessary bigness in his hear {
to forgive the woman and be content
that he had punished the man, all
would be well. Janet did not blame 1T
tie Peggy. She blamed a law, man
made for man, framed to condonc
mans sraiity and punish, apparently,
terness
still dreaming, Janet?" said the doc
tors voice. She awoke to find him re-
garding her again. Come; be your
SELF" he said kindly, unoffendingly.
Come out of your shell, Janet, or iii
be thinking that what men Eay of YOU
is true. and that you are consulting the
Becoming earnest and grave, he CON
II admit there are times when I don't
understand you myselfSI haven't tried
to, Janet. and I never listened to what
Others thought was the answer to the
want you. this once, to open your
heart-open your mind-to me, even II
you find you can't open your arrls.
Tom" said Janet, abruptly, IT can't
marry you. thought you knew that.
would II could, but I can't"
Il see" said Wallace. after consult
ing the fire. IT'S true about that hus-
1T Is true about that husband" said
alive, don't know"
Wallace. gave all his attention to the
fire. He waited for Janet to speak fur
ther. There was nothing that he could
ask with propriety.
In little while Janet began to tell
story. 1t was a story that staggered
skeletons and revelstions Of nobility or
weakness In human nature. AS she
proceeded. he left the fire and gave his
undivided attention to Janet. And
every word made him love. respect, and
honor her more. Here was great
woman, indeed!
They Will have told you, perhapsS'
she said. that 1 was called The Belle
OF Inverlachie: married an artist
good CATCH as the village women
put it.
II am not going to tell you the de-
tails. Tom. l was fattered; ! was a
were happy. Then poverty came. and
love flew out of the window. It never
was real love. He was good-lookfng, a
gentleman, so-called, and romantic.
was young and pretty, and dissatisfied
my own kind.
Il couldn't keep house. I had never
cooked a thing in my life, and I never
scrubbed floor or washed a saucer.
Inverclachie-was rather weIl-to-do.
That was what spoiled me. She had
notions about real gentility.
To make a long story short, be-
Dicks lack Of the practical or the con-
sistent, or Of moral strength as a hus-
band. our home was-a tragedy.
He drank lot, and his drinking
became habit. The slightest quarrel
was the signal for a debauch on his
part. and that led to genuine differ
ences. 1t was the endless chain Of cause
and effect. And always his threat, was
| that II things did not improve before
very long, he would join the soldiers" /"
Wallace smiled in spite of himself. He
wondered, on the instant why, in Scot
| land at least, miserable married men
ALWAYS threatened to "join the soldiers. -
tinued Janet quietly. Anyhow, after he
had sold everything he could lay hands
on, and drunk himself to the point
where he could hardly lift a cup to his
| mouth of a morning, he disappeared
Whether he is dead or alive, don't
know, doctor. have never heard from
| him."
A Continuation Of This story VIII
be Found In T0norPoxxsa