News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1914-06-17

God! I'd like to haul him through
every court in the country. The scoun-
drel!
~ don't like to hear you talk like
that about him, Rob-" Mary remon-
strated. Hes been pretty good
friend to you
well, perhaps" Hayes tried to
calm herself for her sake. Hes all
right, l suppose"
81 dunno that he is" Mary's mood
was variable. when l think of that
divorce"
SHADES coming down here today,
aunty. He declares you're here under
his very eyes, and he's determined
that you shall go away, and desert
| him and give him the opportunity to
| divorce you. He says the whole coun-
try will know of the trouble unless
you go away. That's what he said
over the phone"
We'll, I'll stay right here. l can't
get over it, Rob-" and her voice quiz
! cred in spite of herself. 81 can't get
/ over the suddenness of it; his want
ing that divorce happened just like
! that" and she snapped her fingers to
illustrate her meaning. Before that
he never thought of it. It's curious"
she paused, thoughtfully; do you
know that sometimes when l get to
thinking about it-I-something comes
over me, an idea that-shut that out
side door, Rob-" she commanded be-
fore she would continue. 81 wonder
if there isn't-I declare I'm ashamed
to say it-but | wonder if it could be
possible that there's-some woman"
she finally managed to get the word
out.
"Auntie!" 1t was not necessary for
Hayes to feign surprise, for, although
he knew the situation, he had been
confident that such thought had
never entered Mary SHADES pure-mind-
ed thoughts.
The pent-up emotion of days broke,
and Mary sank sobbing into a chair,
burying her face in her hands. With
the expression of the thought that
heretofore she had never admitted
even to herself, her self-control van
ished and she cried out desperately:
We'll, what do you think he wanted
that divorce for so suddenly"
People usually do get divorced
when they can't get on, don't they?"
Hayes was willing to lie to shield her
from the knowledge that he knew
would be the bitterest part of all the
wormwood that she had already tasted.
Sometimes l wonder" Mary con-
tinued, refectively, sometimes Pm
almost positive that-No! Slade isn't
that sort of man. My husband isn't
that sort of a man, Rob-"
mo, of course he isn't"
You didn't know what I was going
to say" she objected
Eyes, l did. About women"
HE never noticed any other wom-
an" she told herself positively.
NO." Hayes agreed.
you haven't heard of anything like
that, have your" she questioned.
mo, no, haven't" Hayes was find
ing the cross-examination extremely
trying, convinced as he was that Mary
must be saved from the knowledge of
Katherine at any cost. "If there were
anything, you'd hear it. Don't worry"
Robert" and she looked at him in
tently. would you tell me if"
No. I would mott" asserted Hayes
vigorously. Haven't you got enough
trouble now?"
But, Robert, you are my friend,
aren't you? You ought to-"
He was saved from any further
questions along that unwelcome line
by the sound of the doorbell and a
moment later Merritt opened the door
ceremony.
"WelI!" Hayes was far from cor
dial.
81 beg your pardon for entering so |
abruptly" Merritt was the same old |
suave, goodfellow, Pm-your-
friendMerritt, "but was bound to see |
Mrs. Slade. I'm for the Slade family
but I'm for all the Slade family, so | |
hope you won't make a stranger of !
me-"
Mary was politely Indifferent and
Hayes, with back turned, was tapping
his foot uneasily on the floor. Alto
gether not the warmest welcome a
man ever received.
"This man is likely to publish any
thing you may say, auntie," Hayes
warned over his shoulder
ooh, come now, Hayes" objected
Merritt, I'm here on perfectly
friendly visit. l well remember this
little place." and he looked about. Il