The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1912-08-23

with a long list Of honorary
pallbearers, a picked corps Of
city firemen in uniform ranged around
the casket, and enough money wasted
in floral pillows and sheaves of wheat
tied with purple ribbon to have given
all the hungry children in town a
square meal.
Amid all this state Margery moved.
stricken and isolated. She went to the
cemetery with Edith, Miss Letitia hay
ing sent message that, having never
broken her neck to see the man living,
she wasn't going to Dc it to see him
dead. The music was very fine and the
eulogy spoke Of this patriot who had
served his country so long and so we'll.
Following the flag" Fred commented
under his breath, "as long as there was
an appropriation attached to it,
And when it was all over we went
back to Fred's until the Fleming house
could be put into order again.
Mrs. Butler arrived that day, which
made Fred suspicious that Edith's plan
to bring her far antedated his consent.
But she was there when we got home
from the funeral, and after one glimpse
at her thin face and hollow eyes l
begged Edith to keep her away from
Margery. for that day at least.
Mrs. Butler was exhausted by her
journey and retired to her room almost
Immediately. watched her slender
figure 60 up the stairs. and with her
black trailing gown and colorless face
she. was an embodiment Of all that is
lonely and helpless Fred closed the
door behind her and stood looking at
Edith and me.
Il tell you. honey" he declared. that
brought into cheerful home is sutfi-
cient cause for divorce. Isn't it, Jack p
Isle Is ILL.," Edith maintained vail
antly. "She is my cousin, too, which
gives her some claim on me. and my
guest. which gives her more'
From somewhere above there came a
sudden crash, followed by the an
nouncement made by scared house
maid that Mrs. Butler had tainted.
Mrs Butler was really i'll. and Mar
gerry insisted on looking after her. 1t
was an odd coincidence, the widow of
one state t:Rasurer and the orphaned
daughter OF his successor. Both men
had died violent deaths. in each case
when boiling under the political lid
had threatened to blow it of.
The boys were allowed to have their
dinner with the family that evening in
honor Of Mrs. Buffers arrival. and it
was Il riotous meal. Nargery got back
n little of her color. AS l sat across
from her and watched her expressions
| change from sadness to resignation
and even gradually to amusement at
the boys antics. I wondered just bow
much she knew or suspected that she
refused to tell me.
| was firmly embarked on the case
ow. and l tortured myself with one
idea. Suppose I should find Wardrop
guilty and | should find eXtanuatirg
'rrllmStanceS. what would I dO-pub
lish the truth. see him hanged or i'm
prisoDed ana break Margerys heart or
| keep back the truth. let her marry him
and try to t"rSet !'..t had had
hand in the whole wre;t led business?
Prove Wardrop innocent, l reasoned
with myself, get to the bottom of this
thing. and then-it would be man and
man. fair field and no favor. sup
pose my proper attitude romantically
taken was to consider Margery's en-
gagement ring an indissoluble barrier
| But this was not romance. l was fight
ing for my life happiness, and as to
the ring-well, am of the opinion that
If a man really loves a woman and
thinks he can make her happy he will
tell her so if she Is strung with en-
gagement rings to the ends Of her fin
gers. Dangerous doctrine? Well, this
IS not propaganda.
Tuesday found US all more normal.
Margery went with me along the hall
when started for the Office.