Williams news., 1913-10-30
In the Second
 RowBac

l clock striking the hour made them both look up. He was first to speak. | As he drew from his pocket two slips of pasteboard, his words came in dull 1 even tones.
 Here are the theater tickets ! bought last week. If you care to go. We may as well pass the time there as in any other way" ] Before answering she closed her book and placed it carefully upon the table. She gavesno hint of haste nor ! of the response that passed through { her at his words. Since you have the tickets, yes" Just as she feared, he caught her ! wrist as she passed and held her in a firm grasp.
 Marian, what sense is there in this l stubbornness? You know that l do ! not care so much for the reason of your going as I do your not telling me-"
 She tried to free herself. That is l not true," she gasped. You want to know why I went there. I'd have told you, some time, if you'd trusted me-" But, Marian, I hear you've been go-
 
 nothing of it. You knew I'd hate a l thing like that Your informant ought to have found out more. Why not have him | try again? I'll never tell you. never. | No matter what happens, Ill-never | -tell-you."
 He dropped her hand at that, and she went on into the other room. When she returned she had all her
 emotions well in control. They reached their seats in the the ater just as the curtain went up. In the half light Marian removed her hat and coat, and tried to settle herself to gather the threads thrown out in the first act.
 Suddenly into the strained silence oi the audience came a voice. "She says she doesn't love him but she'll marry him.
 It was girls voice, and there was a familiar ring in it to Marian. "Did she say she'd marry him?" This time it was an older, more cautious voice Yes, but she does not love him." There was stir and a wavering tit ter among those within hearing. Marian sighed and wondered if ever again she should feel so much inter est in anything as one could hear in that girls voice. The play held noth. ing for her. She wondered how it was with James. To her the pretenss of enjoyment was becoming a bur. den and she wished that they had not
 come.
 "She says she does not love him. but
 he'll never know. Oh, it's awfully ex. citing!" Again Marian felt the stir in the audience, again she longed to see the play with the heart and eyes of
 the girl If she could keep her thoughts upon the actors she must for. get, for little while, her heartache. He says he's buttinski. Oh, he's the funniest"
 The curtain fell, the lights flashed up. Marian found herself in a state of painful bewilderment. Sometimes when she and James talked it over be- tween the acts, they could come to a better understanding of the play. She took cautious glance at her husband. He was sitting severely straight and still.
 Marian gave up all thought of following the play. An unexpect. ed tragedy had come into her own life, and nothing could blot it from her mind. Each moment she was be- Q coming more frightened at the out come of her quarrel. They could not
 go on like this.
 Hector says he'll stand by her tc
 the end, if he dies for it." It was the
 girls voice again in explanation.
 Marian felt a relaxation of her tense
 nerves. Oh, what time she should
 have had to keep James quiet if.
 She was back at the old worry again.
 It pressed harder. She began to be-
 lieve that she could not bear it much
 longer. She would have to tell James,
 but things could never be the same
 again. He had doubted her and he
 had been so cruel about it that he had
 forced her to tell
 Marian glanced at her husband. He
 cleared his throat and changed his po- sition. The voice in continued con-
 versation was tantalizingly familiar.
 Cautiously Marian moved her head.
 Just little way, and then
 "Oh, mamma, there's the lady that
 comes to Helen's, to give us the
 dancing lessons. Yes, the one right
 here in the silk dress, the shepherds
 check. Oh, she is just lovely:"
 That's her husband; Helen showed
 aim to me yesterday. He is awfully
 good looking"
 Marian moved closer to the chair
 next the aisle and whispered:
 II wanted to buy that Gibbons
 ,or your birthday, James, with my
 own money. I knew you wouldn't like
 my doing"
 Don't, dear," murmured James.
 He kept a firm hold of her hand,
 pressing it gently now and again. She
 knew that he was running her glove