The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-11-04
Married Life
the Second Year
BY MABEL HERBERT URNER.

BY MABEL HERBERT URNER.
Helen went into the writing room
and sat down before one Of the desks.
She took a sheet Of hotel paper from
the rack before her, and selected the
least rusty of the pens.
Mechanically she write the date, Au-
gust, 1911, on the dOttel line under the
imposing exaggerated picture OF the
hotel But her letter writing went no
further. Instead she drew aimless fig
ures on the back OF the blotter, while
she Kept an anxious gaze on the lobby
outside.
BY the big clock over the room
clerks desk il was Il quarter to eight.
And Warren had not come nor had he
telephoned nor sent her any message.
In the two weeks they had been at
the seashore, he had never before been
later than seven. And now she had
been waiting out on the veranda for
him until everybody had gone into
dinner.
Hasn't Mr.. Curtiss come YETI" Mrs.
Stevens had asked sOlicitOusly as she
passed.
mo, but I'm sure he'll be out on
the next train" answered Helen try
ing to conceal her anxiety.
But the next train had not brought
the deserted veranda she had sought
refuge in the writing room.
From the dining room at the end of
the corridor came the mingled noises
of a big restaurant-the hurry of wait
ers. clatter Of dishes, and the hum OF
many voices.
Even had Helen not shrank from
going to dinner alone, she knew that
she could eat nothing.
HELEN WORRIES.
What could have happened? Had he
been detained at the office surely he
would have telephoned. There was, of
course, always the possibility of a tie
up in the sub-way-but certainly not
for so long.
An accident? She tried resolutely to
put that thought from her. And yet, as
the minute hand of the big clock oyer
the room clerks desk moved on she
could think of nothing else.
"Oh, haven't you been to dinner?"
asked Mrs. Stevens, as she and her
husband came out of the dining room.
NO, | thought I'd wait for Mr.. Cur
It's"
"He hasn't telephoned or sent you
any word?"
Helen shook her head
And of course you don't know
Wnere TO Telephone!
mo, there would be no one at the
office now, and | wouldn't know where
else to phone"
well, if he doesn't come soon,"
said Mr. Stevens, land if | cane be of
any service"
"Oh. thank you" murmured Helen
But I'm sure he'll be here in few
moments now"
Although Mrs. Stevens urged her to
come out with them on the veranda
Helen now went upstairs. She wanted
to escape their questions and sympa-
thetic interest.
1t was not very new or mOdernly
appointed hotel, and there were no
telephones in the rooms. So she left
wCrd at the office that should any mes
sage come she would be in her room.
1t was a typical summer hotel room,
scantily and cheaply furnished. Were
it not for their trunks and handbags
it would have seemed more barren
still.
Helen walked aimlessly about, going
first to one window and then to anoth-
er Every few minutes she would open
the door to look down in the hall, but
only to see an occasional bell boy with
the inevitable pitcher of ice water, or
perhaps white-aproned maid with
her dangling keys.
HELEN is DlsCONSOLATE.
Once she left her door open and
walked the long length of the hall
past the red light with its fire escape
sign, to the window at the far end.
1t overlooked the side of the house
but by leaning out she caught a
glimpse OF the beach and the ocean.
How black The water was. There
was no moon and only the distant
lighthouse flashed out now and then
Helen turned away with shudder
That dark stretch of sea seemed only
to accentuate her fears.
What could have happened? For the
hundrcdth time she asked hersel
that And what could she do? How
much longer must she wait like this
Again she went down to the office
BY the clock over the desk it was now
twenty minutes after ten.
HAS there been no message-nt
telephone CALI"
The clerk shook his head. Nothing
as yet. Mrs. Curtis
Once more she went back to he
room. What should she do? Wha
could she doP Feverishly she walked
up and down-from one window to thu
other and out into tn. hall again. /
ccffee-stained. napkins
tray before one of the doors reminded
her that she had had no supper Blu
she knew she could not eat.
She would wait until eleven-jus
thirty minutes longer. And if by tina
time no messG>a had come-then sh
would go to the Stevens. She woul,
ask them what to do.
Visions of search parties, of detec
tives-of all that she had ever rea
of missing people, of strange disaI
pearances, flashed through her mind