The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1915-03-25
CHAPTER Ltv.
The WIFE.

neral OF ueT Ihtnek huu bibteI' uOHeQ
her mourning for a gown less somber
and more suites to the atmosphere OF
a sickroom. then relieved the nurse
In charge OF Alan.
He remained as he had been ever
since the falling OF the thunderbolt-
In absolute coma.
But be lived. and-or the physicians
lied-hust oon regain consciousness.
Kneelins beside his bedside Judith
prayed long and earnestly.
When she arose 10 was 10 answer
n tap upon the door. She admitted
Tom Barcus and suffered him TO lead
her into the recess OF the window,
where they conversed In guarded
tones IN spite OF the fact that the
subject Of their communications could
not possibly have heard them.
I've come to tell you something"
Barcus announced with characteristic
awkwardness, I've known Il for
three days-ever since the wedding,
In fact-and kept II 10 myself. NOT
knowing whether I ought TO tell you
yet. or not"
He paused. cycling her uncertainty,
u%nhappily.
81 am prepared" judith assured
him calmly.
You're nothing OF the sort" he
counteret. argumentative. You
couldn't be. It's the most amazing
thing imaginable. See here ="
"Well?"
You understand. don't you, that
Alan must never know that Rose wa
killed by that lightning stroke?"
What do you mean?"
u mean," the man foundered mis-
erably, you see, he loved her SOL
thought m sure II would be best
II you can bring yourself to ito let
him go on believing Il wasn't Rose
who was killed, but Judith. And that's
skating 30 close 70 the truth that Il
makes no difference: the Judith Alan
knew and the Judith | knew In the
beginning IL gone az completely as
though she and not Rose had been
killed"
After n long pause, the girl asked
him quietly: II understand. But 10
II possible YOU don't understand that,
II ! were 10 consent 70 this PROPOSE.
ton. lend myself to a deception which
must maintain through all my life
TO COMEDIAN would consider me bis
wife,"
Wei. bue-you see-you are his
wife. Oh. don't think I'm on m,
bat. I'm telling you the plain, unvar
nished truth. You are Alan's wife.
. No, listen 10 me. You remarc
Der that day In New York when YOU
substituted for Rose, when Alan tried
10 elope with her, and you went With
MN to Jersey City. and stood up to be
married by n preacher.guy named
Wright-and Marrophat broke In Just
AZ the critical moment and busted up
the party?"
'Well?' she demanded b~reathlessly.
barcus produced a folded yellow pa
yer from his coat pocket and prof.
fered u.
'Head that. II was handed 10 me
as best man, Just before the cere-
mohy. Seeing II was addressed 10
Alan and knowing he was in no frame
OF MIN 10 be bothered by kilograms,
! slipped It into my pocket and forgot
all about It temporarily. When |
came 70 find Il, | took the liberty OF
reading II. But read II for Yourself"
Inc typewriter lines of the long
message blurred and ran together nj.
mos, !ndecipherably In Judith's vision.
Non" the less. she contrived to grasp
she substance OF its meaning.
WHY DIDN'T YOU WIRE ME-
SOONER" It ran: MARRIAGE TO
ROSE IMPOSSIBLE. REV. MR..
WRIGHT INFORMED ME YOUR
MARRIAGE TO JUDITH LAST
WEEK HAD GONE TOO FAR WHEN
MARkOPHAT INTERRUPTED JU.
DlTH LEGALLY YOUR WIFE,
WOULD HAVE ADVISED YOU
SOONER HAD YOU LET Me KNOW
WHERE TO ADDRESS YOU. HOPE
TO HEAVEN THIS GETS TO YOU
BEFORE TOO LATE"
Tho message was signed with the
name OF A!an's confidential man OF
business IN Now York.
""'h Judlth looked up she was
hono In the room. but for the silent
patient on his couch.
Slowly, almost fearfully. she crept
20 his bedbido md stood looking down
INTO tho face OF her husband.
And wbIlc she looked Aian's lashes
hn''erod, HIS respiration quickened, q
faint color crcpt into his pallld cheeks
and HIS Dyes opened wide and
looked into hers.
HIS lips moved and breathed a word
OF recognition:
Judith"
with q low cry OF tenderness. the
srl sank to her knees and encircled
mis- head with her arms.
Judith" she whispered. hiding her
race In his bosom. judith is no
more :"
A pause; and then tho feeble voice;
Then, II | was mistaken, II You
aren't Judith. o must DO Rose-my
wifel"
She said steadily: II am your wife"