The Climax-Madisonian. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1914-1917, 1915-03-24

The Dog Was sprinsins For His Throat
as He Fell.
the tip of his tail, but not for one Meet
Ing instant did he remove his fiery
eyes from the pale gray eyes of Bert
Willard
Mrs. Willard, hurrying up the stairs
within few moments, found June in
the landing aleoye. white, shfvering as
if with cold
I'm sorry, Mrs. Willard, but I am
going at once," she said before the old
er woman had even a chance to speak
"Why. child'-1Irs. Wizards face
was full of concern, but as she stared
at June her brows knotted and a flush
crept into her ks-"what-what is
the matter?'' she faltered
June was already halfway up the
stairs. She turned. Mrs. Willard, with
out word, followed her. Side by side
the two women stood looking at the
man and the dog. Mrs. Willard need
ed no explanation to tell her what had
happened. For the first time in her
married life she gave way to anger.
scarlet and her eyes flashing "This is
the last. l warned you to leave this
girl alone! 1 hate you! 1 could see
you torn to shredsi Go on. Bouncerl''
The collie crouched at June's feet.
The man rose cautiously.
You forgetr' husked the man. 1--WE
have a bargainr'
Mrs. Willard lowered her eyes for a
moment.
at is brokenr' she suddenly Jared
you have paid me well, and have
served you well. But we were not to
interfere with each others life. You
have interfered with mine am
throughP'
She stripped her hands of her rings
and threw them at him. She swept
from the room, followed by June and
Bouncer. They heard the man tele-
phOning for his racer at nearby ga
rage, and while Mrs. Willard was still
packing her clothing her husband came
along the hall. He stopped at the door.
81 don't think you will find that your
new line of work will pay you as well
as being my wife," the man snarled.
Mrs. Willard sprang to the door and
closed it in his face. and Willard laugh
ed mocllingly.
He is beastr' said Mrs. Willard
and sat down as if she wished to
say something more. There was the
sound of wheels at the door. Mrs
Willard suddenly buried her face In her
hands and cried.
CHAPTER Ill.
Honey! June was face to face
i've with another angle of that eter
nal problem. which, it seemed
NJ to her, had complicated the en-
tire relationship of men and women
Mrs. Willard had plainly sold herself,
and the price is never great enough for
any woman who has done that. Always
in June's rapidly widening observation
the man gave and the woman received,
and her very dependence made the
question of matrimony one of essential
barter and sale. 1t was wrongi 1t de-
stroyed the very source and fount of
love. Was there no remedy? June,
shaken though she was by her painful
experience of the morning. was
strengthened in her own resolve. The
answer 10 the problem was independ-
ence even though she suffered in the
attainment of it, even though Ned
suffered. Their love would be all the
stronger for it. and it would be pure al
ways.
Could she have seen Ned at that mo-
ment all her theories and all her de
auctions would have taken swift fight,
and she would have bathed with her
tears the swollen wrist which he had
just freed from the rough rope that
had bound it.
Slowly and with infinite pain Ned
finally freed his hands. They were
quiyering. as. with mighty effort, he
raised them to the back of his head
and fumbled with the knot which held
his gag in place. 1t seemed ages be-
fore he was able to remove that tight
bandage. He removed the tight thongs
from around his ankles. He limped
awkwardly for half mile. bent and
stopped like an old man, but exercise
restored him. and by the time he found
a road he was his vigorous self again
and full Of the logged determination
which had led him so far In the pursuit
Of his runaway bride.
Down the highway a mile or so he
found an obscure roadhouse, and he
strobe in at the saloon door,
While ordering a sbracer'' for his
shattered nerves he saw his two cap
tors sitting at table. He rushed mad
~ at them and Knocked them both to
the floor. Dashing out of the place, he
saw their auto. He jumped in, pressed
the starting button and sped away
The house of Mrs. Willard was closed
and locked when Ned arrived there at
2 o'clock in the afternoon.
In the meantime June and Mrs VII
lard and Bouncer were snugly en-
sconced In a pleasant hotel downtown.
and before her at the writing table
Mrs. Willard held open bank book.
Its figures represented the price she
had received for the sale of her ten
best years. and she had spent an hour
In the debate OF whether to give up
her earnings. June had been taken
into that debate. but she had been able
to offer no argument on either side.
She had realized at last a great and
saddening truth-that every woman,s
problem must be for. herself alone.
Marie meantime. with Cdicer Dowd
as interpreter, had teiepisoned every
where for news Of Ned Warner, but
without result; then in despair she tel
ephoned the Willard house to excuse
her absence to June. That, number
| did not answer after repeated trials.