Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-03-28
The Daily Story
A CONSTANT EAN-BY ETHEL ANDREWS
Copyrighted 1918. by Associated Literary

the first part and occupy first place
Perhaps she acted on the principle ~
the bride who ms soon rs married pro-
ceeds to break up her husbands CON
neCuonS with the members Of his fam
lily and his intimate friends that she
may have no rivals. Another il.ustra-
ton is the uSurper who dcCapitateS the
princes of the blood who may stand in
his way A. any rate Margaret did
not propose that any corner of her huS-
bands heart should he long occupied
10y any one hut herself. What did she
do? What many women would con
slider walking right into the den of the
HoueSs.
Dear" she said to her husband one
day. Il see no reason why you should
not derive comfort from Lulu Beck-
with. Had | married Il widower l
would not have been jealous Of his
first wife. and l have no jealousy OF
one who has preceded me in your af-
feCtionS. So long as she occupies first
place there's no reason why she should
not come here occasionally to help me-
be a comfort to You. I've decided to
invite her 10 make us q visit"
Now, Redmond was enjoying the
comforts of n home. had got used TO
working in double harness and was de-
voted TO his profession. But we are
all contrary at times, and instead Of
replying as he felt. oh. let that alone
I'm all over it," he said. Don't you
think, dear, it would be unwise TO
Mrs. Redmond did not see anything
/ unwise in it at all. The status was
the same as It had been Miss Beck
with's parents were still looking for
husband for her of sufficient eminence
/ 10 match her projections. and there
/ was no reason why she should not en-
! JOY Stevens society occasionally and
! he hers.
/ There was something so decided in
the wife's manner as we'll as her
words that the husband made no other
reply than a scowl To tell the truth,
/ he thought his wife was trying to dis
cover whether or no he had recovered
/ from his affair with the lady in ques-
ton. What was his astOnishment
when a few days later Margaret show
ed him a note from Miss Beckwith ac-
cepting an invitation for a visit But
/ what was there to do? Only to let her
come.
The guest arrived Just before din
ner. II was six years since Steven
Redmond had seen her. She was then
eighteen. She was now twenty-fOur.
There was no great change in her APP
"a Gtil ny
I though she was very thin. While
what there was doomed like a pale
pink rose, there was not much OF it to
bloom. Somehow its delicacy was not
as effective with Redmond as II had
been There was evidence in it OF an
early decay. No intellectual change
appeared in the lady. but there had
been no intellectual development. A
certain childlikeness that had been de
liciousness six years ago was now in
sipid
Mrs. Redmond watched her husband
out Of the corner OF her eye as he sur
veyed his old love and saw at once
that the image he had set up in his
heart had tumbled off its pedestal and
been broken in pieces From the mo
ment she knew the place her rival had
occupied was vacant and she had but
to step inside she became especially
genial.
There IL status occupied by each
person that cannot he assumed or got
rid Of. Mrs Redmond was herself, and
Miss Beckwith was herself, and there
was a wide gap between their person
Z alf DnHV
shallow remarks OF the girl whom,
when he proposed to his wife, he had
said was his first and would be his
only true love. When the coffee was
brought on he said. "You and Lulu go
into the library and make yourselves
comfortable; I'm going TO smoke here"
you don't mind smoke. do you, Miss
Beckwith?" asked Mrs Redmond. 81
don't"
Miss Beckwith said she didn't mind
it at all. Since Mr.. Redmond would
not be permitted TO smoke alone he
went with them 10 the library.
The man who could never love but
one woman held out for three days,
showing by his actions that his love"
had become bore to him, but he was
unwilling to 90 back on himself and
confess that he had talked like a fool.
Three days of boredom were enough TO
bring ont the white flag, and lie capt.
ulated without single condition In
deed. he didn't care to do so At the
end Of the third day he said to his
I wife:
For heavens sake send her away
l. Mrs. Redmond threw her arms about
her husbands neck and said:
"Yon needn't explain. I've seen Il
all from the first moment you met her
here. Your cOnstancy does you credit,
and had # been based on something
more solid would have abided with
YOU" .
ut is based on rock. and there's
not the slightest danger Of its sliding
Of its foundation" he replied. with a
kiss
An excuse was made 70 end Miss
Reckwith's visit and she departed the
oeIt day.