Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-09-26

"You are dear, JOIN" she sighed.
"YouIl comet"
"In a minute" said sho with vehe
mence, a genuine American girl once
more.
"Just as soon as those pesky work.
men are out of the place, III drop you
a line, " said I, immeasureably exalted
"But 1 draw the line at noblemen.
"Don't worry" she said, setting her
nice little white teeth. 81 draw it too
Never again! Never!'
1t occurred to me that here was an
excellent opening for bit of mission
ary work. Very pointedly said to
her; 81 fancy you are willing to admit
now that she wasn't such simpleton
for leaving him."
She went so far as to shudder, all the
time regarding me with dilated eyes
''I can't imagine anything more dread.
full than being that man S wife, John. F"
"Then why won't you admit that
) you are sorry for her9 Why won't you
be little just to herF"
She looked at me sharply. "Do you
know herr"
"Not by long shot," replied has
tily, and with considerable truthful
ness.
"Why are you so keen to have me
take sides with her?"
"Because 1 did the instant 1 saw
, that internal cad"
She pursed her lips. 1t was hard for
her to surrender.
"Out with it, Elsie" commanded.
} "You know you'v been wrong about
that poor little girl. I can tell by the
look in your eyes that you have
, switched over completely in the last
four days, and so has Betty Billy"
"I can t forgive her for marrying him
in tho first place." she said stubbornly
"But think she was justified in leav-
ing him. AS L know him now, l don't
sec how she endured it as long as she
did. Yes, l am sorry for her. She is a
dear girl and she has had a-a-'
r "I1l say it, my dear: a hell of a
time"
I "Thank you."
"And 1 daresay you now think she
did right in taking the child, too"
persisted.
"I-I hope she gets safely away with
little Rosemary, back to Gods coun
try as we are prone to call it. Oh, by
the way, John, don t see why I should
feel bound to keep that wretch s secret
any longer. He has treated us like
dogs. He doesn't deserve"
"Hold on! You re not thinking OF
telling me his name, are you9"
"Don't you want to know itP DON Y
you care to hear that you've been en-.
tertaining the most talked of, the most
interesting"
l "No, I don II"
"Don't you care to hear who it was
that he married and how many millions
} he got from"
l "No, dom It."
; "And why not2''
"Well," said I, judicially, "in the
first place like the mystery of it all
In the second place, I don't want to
T know anything more about this fellow
, than I already know. He is enough OF
, horror to me, as it is, God knows
, without giving a name t. him. 1 pre-
fer to think of him as Mr.. Pless. If you
don't mind, Elsie, III try to eradicate
him thoroughly from my system as
Pless before take him on in any other
form of evil. No, 1 don't want to know
his name at present, nor do care a
hang who it was he married. Silly no
. ton, suppose, but I mean what ]
say"
She looked at me in wonder for a
moment and then shook her head as If
considering me quite hopeless. "You
are an odd thing, John. God left some
thing out when He fashioned you I'm
just dying to tell you all about them,
and you won't let me. "
els she prettyi" l asked, yielding a
little.
, "she is lovely. We've been really
! II. laLof,,1 obo,L bor pa+t,, and 7