The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-08

mad started the wheels of n emory, a
ohurning-he was still explainiu
poVerlshed circumstances and so!Ieitr 1.
ald. There was threat and MANAGE in
his tones. 1t was horriblel
1t seems to the normal mind that she
would have Immediately summoned an
officer and had her tormentor arrested.
but logic and the feminine brain are
sworn enemies and she pacified the rascal
by giving over the contents of her
pocketbook and making a rendezvous for
the next afternoon. He left sneering at
her weakness.
Her journey home was one of hor-
fors The after effect of the meeting
with her former lover had made heT.
Ill and she arrived at her cottage in the
care of friends. She was a nervous
wreck.
Her husband was hastily summoned
py telephone and on his arrival the
friends left the two together. He asked
no questions but expressed much SYM
pathy and regret at her sudden ILL
ness. She sought to speak and did
speak-too much. She made the fatal
blunder of stating that the shock she
had suffered was the result of meeting
someone in the cityi Her anxious at
tempts to recover from this statement
We're so laundering and evasive that
even her slow-thinking husband ar.
rived at the conclusion that something
was wrong and then questions flew
thick and fast The wife under the
strain of an accusing husband broke
down and told her story from the he
ginning up to the meeting that AFTER
noon. Her reward was the sweetest
kiss ever received by woman-it was
one of forgiveness.
Punishment had scared the heart OF
this woman enough and the husband
had no censure for her conduct-his
icta
Where is this man? She remembered
me name OF the cheap lodging house
her betrayer had mentioned and told
her huspahd-and then admonished him
not TO go and quarrel with him. o
woman, tickle creature of inconsis-
te1icles, thou art mystery
Hef husband gave no answer but left
the house abruptly The minutes flew
ana he did not return. She worried and
ifetted. About the house she wandered
from room to room. red-eyed from
weeping and often would step out into
the porch and look out into the night
and even call out hoarsely her hus-
bands name. Her hysteria as the hours
passed took the forms of prayers and
wild entreaties to the Almighty that
her husband be preserved from all
harnl-that he return to her. And at
the first ray of dawn she rushed out
with shawl about her frail shoulders
HnN Stdfttu Oh d ionS, dliIltSS IdHiDlo
that led nowhere. She finally returned
home. Her son was still there. She
clasped the astonished child tightly.
And then steps We're heard and az
she rushed to the door her husband
entered whistling. He said nothing but
removed his coast and started to wash
his hands. She noted dark smudge
on the right hand before a quick rub
with soap and water removed it.
"You-you-you-ah, you didn't
she started.
His answer was given in tolerant
crawl.
you had a very bad dream-a night
mare yesterday afternoon. You saw
tliings--a thing you'll never see again.
Fad dreams should be forgotten. Please
forget this one, and let's never speak
of it again as no one else will ever
r.mind us OF it-except your son, and
I can forgive that. You'll forget?
The answer came from the depehs
of tormented soul.
'I'll forgetr'
But have they?