Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-20
The Daily Story
THE TALEBEARER-BY GEN EVIEVE HOWE
copyrighted 1919. Associated Literary Bureau.


ture any such information given his
wife. He had no respect for tale
bearer. be the person man or woman.
and did not propose to enter a defense
against such n person 10 his own wife.
He dfned alone. telling the maid that
his wife had gone to visit her mother
and her return was uncertain. Then.
lighting n cigar. he strolled away to
his club.
Mrs. Waters. though she could not
conceal from her mother that there
was trouble on her mind. resoluteiy de-
clined 10 tell why she had come Her
husband usually returned TO his home
about 8 o'clock in the afternoon, and
an hour more would be required for Il
telegram denying the charge to reach
her.
No telegram arrived within that time
or double that time. Indeed, no mes
sage whatever arrived that night. Mrs.
Waters. not having slept any, went
downstairs in the morning expecting
that the postman would bring her
letter. The postman's whistle and ring
were heard. as usual. but no letter from
Fred.
The trouble that had been brought
about by the information 'she ought
to know" had increased and multiplied
overnight. First. her husband. IL in
nocent of the charge. would surely
have denied at once. Surely he must
be guilty. Then came titful flashes OF
terror lest something had happened to
him the night before and he had not
reached home at all. Perhaps he had
been run over by an automobile.
Heavens. Could it be that he was ly-
ing mangled and bleeding in a hospi-
tai? If he had not been killed a tele-
phone would have been sent to her mt
home. But she was not ut home. and
no one there knew where she was.
The contingency, though remote, was
appalling.
There are two powerful agents-the
one silence. the other nonresistance.
Both these seized upon Bertha Waters.
Her scheme OF withdrawing as "A disni-
fed wife should withdraw from II hus-
band who had been proved unfaithful
had been a failure. She. could not
stand this anxiety for another day or
even another half day. She must re-
turn.
She arrived at home at midday. The
first. question she asked her maid was
whether her husband had been at
home and been given her note. An
swered in the affirmative. she did not
demean herself by asking how he had
received the note. but she did ask
whether he had slept at home. She
was informed that he had, and the
maid did not mention that he had
looked especially gloomy or had been
heard pacing the floor at midnight. On
the whole, his wife could not discover
that he had been especially moved.
She began to dread facing him after
what had occurred. She concluded to
call him up by telephone at his Office
and hear what he had TO say. This
was the brief dialogue between them:
Did you get my note?"
"Yes"
'I suppose since you have not de-
MED that the information is true it Is
true"
I'm not in the habit of denying the
stories of talebearers, especially to my
own wife"
do you call Mrs. Timberlake tale
bearer because she has told me what
she considered 1 ought to known"
lido"
us her story true or untrue7'
81 decline to answer"
WHY"
Because when she told you the
story it was your duty to have asked
her TO leave your house"
There was no reply to this for some
time when Mrs. Waters asked If he
would be home to dinner. He replied
that he would. provided no mention
would be made OF Mrs. Undertake or
her story. After slight hesitation
the promise was given; there was
click and Mrs. Waters. leaving the
telephone, was obliged to content her
self till , o'clock. when her husband
would be home. She had made up her
mind from his action that there was
nothing I'm Mrs. Undertakes story.
and her anger began slowly TO rise
lgainst that lady as a blood red sun
climbs the eastern sky on the morning
Of a hot day.
The Waterses dined together some
what coolly. and after dinner the hus-
band voluntarily denied the charge
hat had been made against him. Be
ore retiring Mrs. Waters called up
irs. Timberlake on the phone
MY husband informs me that he
Doesn't know any woman OF the name
# Mainwaring."
"Oh. he doesnt?" incredulously.
NO. he doesn't
I'm so glad there's nothing in II.
it was a mistake"
II think It was"
"Goodby."
"Goodby."
Since then the Waterses and the
do not speak as they
ass by.