The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-12-05
Married Life
the Second Year
BY MAeED HERBERT URNER.

LOr some Christmas ldHCJ "oih, when
ecmo ne touched her on the arm.
as Alice Brooks whom Helen
49,. Wn for some time, though she
haQ ,.,'little of her in the last year.
ON won't you come over to the
Plaza ana have tea with me-" begged
Alice, when the ET&t greeting was
over
"I'6 IL = f3.' / helen, But I've
some IA o- e." DO yet and | must
get h~!4 -.
~. 4. 5pnH 20 this time
plea T. IN. | have been SO blue
some one
ooh, then III 20, of course. Only /
mustn't stay very long.
In the brighter light of the street
Helen noticed that even under her veil
AIice's face looked more haggard than
she had ever seen it. She was an I'M
usually pretty girl of the fair Dresden
china type, but now there were dark
lines under her eyes and even her lips
were pale.
Unmistakab bly, something was wrong.
But nothing was saiduntil they were
settled in a secluded corner OF the tea
room of the great hotel. When the or
der was given Alice took off her veil
and gloves, dropped her head on her
hand, and for several moments start
ed mOodily before her.
oh, I'm such a fool" she burst out
at last, such a consummate little
fool! Most women are-only they don't
often know it, but l do. That's what
makes it worse"
"Why my dear-What's the natter"
The matter? When woman has a
heartache and a throatache and can't
eat and sleep-what do you suppose is
the NATTER"
Helen smiled I'm afraid she's in
love"
And in love with a man that isn't
worth her little fnger-that's a cad
and a brute and a coward, too"
why Alice-What a fierce little
person."
We'll, it's true-all | say and more,
And yet | love him. I've loved him for
months and suppose I'll go on loving
him That's what a foolish woman al
ways does-isn't it,
Not always-if he's as bad as that.
But what is it, dear? Can you tell me
more-or would you rather not?'
ooh yes, | want to tell you-that's
why | begged you to come here. I've
been longing to" tell some one, and
there's no one | can trust"
"There's your mother" said Helen
gently.
Mother? Oh. wouldn't have moth
er know for worlds! I'd rather tell
anyone than mother You see he's
hes-Oh, don't you know who it is
haven't you guessed?"
Helen shook her head.
ALLEGES SECRET.
Haven't you heard my name con-
nected with any one in the last year,"
Helen hesitated.
oh. you have, you know you have!
Tell the truth"
Perhaps | did hear some vague ru-
NOR, but didn't believe it,"
We'll, it's true. I'm in love with
Dick Fairchild. But he isn't living with
his wife-he hadn't lived with her for
months before he met me. And they're
getting a divorce now"
But Alice, even if he were free
he isn't the man for you. He's so much
olderand he's such a man about town.
Why, dear, he wouldn't be true to
you a week"
"Oh, | know know all you can tell
me and more--but | love him.
And do you think he's serious? So
you think he really cares?"
Oh he says he does" bitterly. But
he lies to me about everything else
he may be lying about that too
Lies to you."
Yes, lies to me about everything.
Sometimes | think he doesn't know
how to tell the truth. It's gotten SO
now | can't believe anything he says
When he tells me he has an important
business appointment I'm always sure
he is going to take some woman to
dinner. Oh, it has happened so often
and Tuesday caught him-that's why
I'm SO wretched today"
Her voice broke. She paused a mo-
ment and then went on nervously
crumbling bit of toast HE 'phoned
me he was going to Philadelphia on
business, that he was at the station
then, and an hour later | saw him
lunching with Irene Voris! He didn't
see me and the next day I asked IL
he'd gone to Philadelphia. He said
he had and told me all about 1.-THE
most plausible tale When he was all
through, | said | knew he was lying
! had seen him at luncheon with Irene
Vorts!''
HIS REASON.
oh, what could he say"
He said his lying wasn't any worse
than m ytricking hi mimic it. That
the reason he didn't always tell me
the truth was because l was so in
sanely jealous. Then we had a dread
full quarrel-the worst we've ever had
| said If he could'n be true to me now
he wouldn't be after we were mar
ried. Oh. we were both furious-and II
ended by my saying never wanted to
see or hear from him again. And now
I'm utterly wretched.'
But, dear, can't you see that it's