The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-12-15
CHATTER x.

CHAR len ~
sNllat Took You to~Lons 5ranch7"
%7TRICKI1AND looked at her
with anxiety.
l=Es5sssa Aren't you we1l. dear7
l@zsk9 Doris said you weren't feel
ing Vel today
May forced a little laugh.
..That child gets such queer notions
in her little head. 1 was trfhe ex-
cited about your homecoming; that was
all. It's the first time we've been sep
arated.''
yes, and the. last, let us hope The
words were spoken with the emphasis
of lover.
May.
why, it's scarcely time. There'll be
some things to buy.
i've can get almost everything we
need when we arrive"
"StilI, there are always odds and
ends when you're breaking up house
keeping
~That won't take long-a day or
two
you'll need a travelling dress
''Tli buy one ready made said May.
II kn9w you've been looking already.
Doris said you were shopping yester
day" said Strickland.
So Doris, thought May, has been tell
ing her daddy already seLaek of the
things which she was directed not to
reveal How much more had the child
told7 But May disclosed nothing of
her agitation to her husband as she re-
piled:
Eyes; was looking for a. travelling
dress, but I couldn't get anything to
suit me-
Strickland rose from his chair and
went over to the table on which Doris
had deposited the travelling bag.
wait minute he said. I've been
doing little shopping myself" And
he took from the bag, a package which
ue handed to his wife
For me?" said May.
yes"
The gift pleased the woman, but in
her mind was still uppermost the de-
sire to get away from New York.
stOh, Robert, I'll be so glad to get
away I'll start packing tomorrow
Here entered into the lives of Robert
and May Strickland and of their child
Doris and of Joan and Gerald Trask
and OF their children and Of Stanley
Glover and OF others person of whom
none OF them knew up to that mo
nfent He was a humble instrument
OF Providence, man of lowly station.
He did not know that he was to play
a part In a mighty tragedy. Yet his
intervention. to play the part of the
fates such as was assigned to- those.
mystic women by the ancient Greek
tragedians, warped the courses of the
earthly lives of many persons. His
coming into the existences OF the
StrickIands was announced by the
maid Bertha, who entered and said:
There's Mr. Burke here to see
you, Mrs Strickland
strickland turned to May
ssWho's Mr. BrkeS
4sW1y, don't know
TELL h1m to come in. Bertha said
Strickland
There entered into the room a man
of medium height, stockfly built, with
an honest, open countenance which
tesr1ned plainly to his Irish extraction.
He was dressed very obviously in his
Sunday suit, and he seemed not quite
mt eMse nm the dnery- But the coat
aEsa trousers were dusty and bore
Mew cinderz5 telling the careful obserr
@r that he had recently Travelled in
railroad train HIS first remark was
addressed to May
.sAre yen Mrs. Robert Strickland,
mnm9"
Yes
II DON'T IKE to bother you, naum''-
sit down. Mr.. Burke said Strick-
land, indicating the sofa.
Thank ron, sir. found a purse
that belongs to you. mum. / Think
II strickIand's face had been turned
at that moment toward his wife, in
stead Of to the stranger in his home,
he could not have failed TO note the
agitation I'm her face and manner 1t
was with a tremendous effort that she
Gained herself and said to her hus-
band-
@Robert dear. your dinner win be
ready now; you'd better go in before
it gets cold"
Il can wait few minutes said
Robert
Perhaps Mr.. Burke win excuse you
she persisted
-T11 only take a minute, mum, said
Burke. I've come all the way from
Long Branch
Have you lost purse. May?" ask
ed Strickland.
May tried to speak without concern.
As-Thy, no; I don't think SOL
Are you sure, mum y asked Burke.
positive she replied
where did you find the purse, Mr..
Burkeg asked Strickland
ION the platform of a railroad sta
ton at Long Branch last night. I'm
the news agent there"
Long Branch? Then it can't be
yours, May r. said Strickland.
Certainly not. Mr.. Burke has evil
IDENTIFY made a mistake
The woman's positive note brought