The Dermott news., 1914-07-23
CHAPTER V.

@ildermeut. II was the same this
morning as Il had been each success
awe morning since Dams departure.
She could not bring herself to the real
lzation of the fact that Dan had not
come home-apparently did not intend
10 come home.
She had waited up the night he had
gone to the club. Just as she had
waited up every night of their married
life, no matter where her husband
was or how late he might be coming
home, As the night hours heightened
into day she was forced to the con.
clusion that Dan meant TO stay away
for the night. That he wouldn't be
home at all through the day never oc-
CURED to her. She reasoned that a
nights sleep would clear his mind
and hat he would have recovered
from hts -tantrum" the next day. But
Dan didn't run In" that day nor the
naxt The days had become weeks.
yet neither by telephone nor letter had
he sent as much az a word.
Finally Mary had mustered up her
courage and t%eiephoned his club. II
took courage for Mary to use the tele
phone on any occasion. She was afraid
of the sound OF her own voice the mo-
ment she began to talk into the trans
mfttsr. This time she feared Dams
dispieasure and his possible harsh
o Mr.. Slade was out. had left no
message, they did not know when he
would return. was the disappointing
result as she hung the receiver on the
hook.
This morning. as the maid served
her breakfast, she resolved to try
again. The situation was getting un-
hearable. II was bad enough to live
IN the great house and be surrounded
by servants with Dan there. Without
him she felt like a prisoner Of state
and looked on the servants a. SO many
t~aiiers.
Leaving her breakfast practically
uutasted, Mary again ventured to the
telephone. With taltering voice she
repeated the number. "One-three-nine
four" with beating heart she inquired
for Mr.. Slade:" with sinking courage
she received the answer that Mr.. Slade
had gone out. leaving no message.
Again and again during the day she
repeated the call. only to receive a
similar reply. The possibility OF her
husband having left such a message
20 be delivered to her, whether he was
there or not never occurred to the
truthful. supplemented little M
But Slade did not want to be reached
by her. and II An untruth, more or
less. we're necessary. the telephone
boy was easily bribed.
Meanwhile Slade WAS eagerly look
man to waver, he did not once look
back 3 the wife he had so coolly de-
serted. He was being dined and ban
quoted and feted. being everywhere
hailed as the candidate for governor.
He was smiling the first reath OF fu-
tire glories with eenes delight. This
was the sort OF thing that made a mar
feel big This was the sort of life to
Bead-with men bowling and salaaming
all around him. He walked with a frmer
tread. His shoulders were thrown
back a DIT more arrogantly. His chest
WAS more noticeab.e as he walked
down the street.
The innate conceit and seif-esteem
of the man made him overlook the fact
that the party needed a rch man. He
WAS quite satisfied that he war being
boosted by Strickland and the others
because OF his brains. hts unusual abil-
fty. his oratory and his power TO lead
men- He was happier than he had
been for years. Every day the new
life looked brighter and the old less
desirable.
II he gave a thought to Mary It was
. passing one. Mary was comfort
able" She had everything that money
could buy. The servants would be TAX
ing good care OF her. OF course. or
the lump in Mary's throat as she sat
ct the lonely breakfast table and as
she went through the still more lone
some ordeal of h formal dinner, he
SNnsw nothing. OF the woman's aching
v neart and her eyes bright with unshed
tears as she tried to keep up before
~ - VOL oao u DAAAcCc " hht
absence, Slade was heartlessly OBJ
ltvious Or perhaps II was self-esteem
again, that made him unable to fee
for hsr--tbe self esteem OF the sue
c-ssful man who feels no wounds
when lighting for what he wants, and
neither knows nor cares that others
feel them He had a heart, but II was
u-pleasantly like Pharaoh's
Blu of Katherine St~rickland's stat
uesoue beauty and her cosmopolitan
he was delightfully."- aware
During the weeks since he had left
home Siade had been calling regu
larry at the Strickland home. partly tC
consult with the senator and partly
for the purpose OF posing for the bus
which Katherine was modelling. Al
they sat hour after hour. he posinE
comfortably, she working deftly ane