The citizen., 1914-09-25

| system has way of doing such
things. Good disciples OF the creed
do not write checks or even certifi-
Gates of deposit unless the figures are
for fabulous sums. And they do not
ask receipts.
Also. Brand knew the lure OF ready
money. While he felt reasonably cer-
tain that the spider had stepped bold
ly into the web, he was too good a
business man to not consider possi-
hilities. He knew that at heart Jane
was loyal wife. Her quick revulsion
when he had proposed stopping for
/ refreshments revealed this. She
might be weary of her irksome and
humdrum life, but she was not weary
Of her husband. Nor had she lost ma
terially, he thought, any of those finer
feelings Of real woman. That Il
cannot have you interfere" had
ranked and hurt, but the wound
would heal. There was always the
chance that her husbands presence,
his devotion, his innocent trust would
strike the chord of genuine sympathy
that existed between them and bring
a penitent confessor to his feet. She
was willing to worship at Mammon's
altar, but eventually her husband
must kneel beside her. Brand knew.
He knew a pigmy and he knew a
worthy foe. The burglar prowling in
the night knows the watchdog is
loyal. He does not try cajolery with
a soft whistle or kind words. He Of
fers something more substantial-a
bone with good gristle and bit OF
meat.
That was Brands bait-the bone,
the gristle and not too much meat.
Not enough to surfeit: just enough to
gnaw on and leave the taste for more.
Maybe, later when the taste haG
grown, when the bone seemed an un-
necessary adjunct to the meat-well,
time would tell.
With her hundred dollars tucked
away In q safe place Jane sat down
with pencil and paper to enumerate
and dilate upon its purchasing power.
There were SO many things that she
wanted and actually needed, yet she
knew she must be guarded in her Sc
lections. Everything she bought
would have to be accounted for as hav-
ing been obtained through savings
from her weekly allowance. And this
would preclude the purchase of any
thing elaborate; anything that to the
layman's eye would reveal its costli-
ness. She must spread the money
around here and there in compara-
lively small amounts.
But there must be a dress. That
she would not be denied. She would
have one made; her first tailored suit.
1t would take two or three weeks to
get it and this would give her time to
prepare for its arrival, Bob was no
connoisseur on women's clothes and
besides he never pressed her for de-
tails about her expenditures. He knew
that she had wonderful taste and
judgment though she had small oppor-
tunity for exercising it.
She took up the morning paper and
scanned the ads. Lingerie. That was
one solution. Men never could under
stand the cost of such bits of finery
and how often she had longed for
some of it. One Of the stores, too. was
advertising a special sale of broad
cloth motoring coats with silk moire
lining. Wouldn't that be grand for
her business jaunts with Brand? But
the price, sixty-eight fifty. Tha! would
never do. She would have to hide it
as she had the hat and IL Bob ever
discovered 1t even his innocent credul-
ity would be tasked to imagine that 1t
was the fruit of household economy.
There were handsome silver purses
with vanity cases. One of the kind
she had wanted for year. That
would do for one thing. 1t was small
and to a man would mean very little
even If 1t was reduced from fifteen
dollars to thirteen ninety-eight Some
tan suede ties to go with the new
dress. Yes, they would be just the
thing for the suit was going to be
brown. She had worn that little old,
blue serge, refined it, changed the col
lar and altered it generally until she
hated it and never wanted to see
piece of blue cloth again. The ties
we're six dollars, but she would have
them, anyway. Bob wouldn't know
whether they cost six or two. They
were just what she wanted, too. She
hated high shoes, although for Staten
island, and with winter coming, they
were far more practical
CTo BE CONTINUED)
Pier Pile His Sepulcher7