Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-07
The Daily Story
COPYING A HERoINE-BY HELEN ARMSBY
Copyrighted. 1919 by Associated Literary Bureau.

: long business trip. and the same even
ing. when Chenoworth was present,
told the latter that he would rely on
him, as he had done once before, to see
thSt Mrs. Hsthorne should not be left
to NOPE alone. Chenoworth again
promised to give all of his time TO the
lady she desired. though there was an
undercurrent of embarrassment hJ-
tween the trio that did not appear on
the surface.
When the husband departed he had
no idea of swerving from the plan
adopted by the heroine of the novel.
whose action his wife had so much adj
mired. In that case there was no at
tempt on the part of the wife TO spy
on her husband. She left him free TO
act in accordance with his own pleas
ure. and when he returned it was be.
cause he had discovered that he loved
his wife better than the other woman.
A man would not he apt to play such
n part, and Hathorne's original inten-
ton was turned awry by a desire TO
discover on his return the status be
tween his friend and his wife. Chero-
worth had been used TO complaining
that Sunday evening was the loneliest
TO him of all the evenings of the week.
and his calls at that time We're fire.
quent- Hathorne wrote that he would
return on Monday, at the same time
intending to walk into his house
about o o'clock Sunday evening. He
would contrive to enter without being
heard.
Arriving in the city. he started for
his home-brisk at first but soon slow.
ing his pace. AS he drew near the
house he almost stopped altogether.
His nature revolted from what he was
about to do. He was about to play the
spy on his wife and on his best friend.
He baked in his purpose.
Surprising these two had become at
tached to each other. were they not,
like all other human beings. amenabls
to what we call temptation? He
thought of the words in the Lords
Prayer, Lead us not into temptation"
Hathorne could go no further with
his reasoning. He felt that lie was not
immaculate, but was as liable to yield
to temptation as either his wife or
his friend What he would do be
would decide when n decision became
necessary. One thing he would not do
he would not demean himself by be-
coming a spy upon his wife and his
friend. Walking up to his front door,
he put the key in the lock. took plenty
of time scraping his boots on the rug
in the vestibule and was about to open
the inner door when it swung on its
hinges, and his wife threw her arms
around his neck with all the old time
fervor.
The embrace lasted some moments,
not a word being spoken. but each
knew that the same matter Influenced
both. When they entered the living
room Hathorne expected to see Cheno-
worth. He was not there. But Ha-
thorne made no comment on his abb
sence. He stammered an explanation
as to his coming a day earlier than he
had expected, but it is difficult for an
honest man to lie, and he had not
thought to frame an excuse before en-
tering.
Never mind the reason, dear" said
his wife, who with woman's keen in
tuition had OWNED the true one. You
intended to surprise me and Dick, but
you couldn't bring yourself to do it.
have tried you, dear, because 1 was
obliged TO do so in order to try your
friend To deceive one it was neces-
sary to deceive the other. Sit down
and listen to me-"
He seated himself, drew her down
on his lap and she continued:
"You remember our conversation
about the heroine in the novel who re-
her husband by leaving him
with her rival and Dicks singular
Well, 1 resolved to test
Dick to see whether he was as I'M
principled as he pretended. Fortunate
Iy you were called away
"No; went Intentionally to apply
your heroines device to you"
You don't mean it? Well, 1t helped
me amazingly in what was intending
o do. soon saw that you were Jealous,
put 1 didn't think 1t best to take you
nto my confidence, and it wouldn't be
or long. Since you have been away
his time have put severe test upon
Dick"
"And the result?" asked Hathorne
agerly.
HE is not at all the man he Is sup
POSED TO be and that he permits others
0 think him. / have proved to my
abstraction that he has high regard
or women and deep sympathy with
ne attempting to maintain her loyalty
o her husband"
''You have. eh? What did you try
o do with him?"
81 tried to make him love me.
ffered to run away with him before
our return"
"And what did he dor'
Filed. as IL Satan were pursuing
im,"
"And you consider that he did thia
ut Of reverence for your sexT
81 do; he told me So
1.-THE liar! He acted through loyalty
D me-"