Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1915-03-23

Inc Do9 was Sprihqin9 FOR his hroat
as He Fell.
! walked from the room and, going to
the house phone in the hall, called to
| the kitchen.
Has Mrs. Willard returnedY she in
| quired of the maid who answered.
Not yet
do you know where to reach her?'
ANY one down at the cottages will
hunt her up and give her your mes
sage"
ASK her to come home Immediately Y,
please. Tell her it is quite important"
She walked back to the boudOir and
glanced in at the door. The two stat
ues were as she had left them At the
sound Of her footstep Bouncer wagged
the tip of his tail, but not for one fleet
ing instant did he remove his fiery
eyes from the pale gray eyes of Bert
Willard.
Mrs. Willard, hurrying up the stairs
within a few moments, found June in
the landing alcove, white. shivering as
if with cold.
I'm sorry, Mrs. Willard, but 1 am
going at once" she said before the CID
er woman had even a chance to speak.
"Why, child'-Mrs. Wizards flce
was full of concern. but as she sta ed
at June her brows knotted and flush
crept into her cheeks-"w hat-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 lad
happened. For the first time In her
married life she gave way to anger
"You BEAST" she cried, her cheeks
scarlet and her eyes flashing. This is
the last l warned you to leave this
girl alone! l hate you! l could see
you torn to shreds! Go on, Bouncerw
The collie crouched at June's feet.
The man rose cautiously
'You forget" husked the man. I'VE
have bargain f~U
Mrs. Willard lowered her eyes for a
moment.
ut is broken she suddenly fiared.
"You have paid me well, and l have
served you well. But we were not to
interfere with each others life. You
have interfered with mine am
through
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 a 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 snarlad.
Mrs. Willard sprang to the door and
closed 1t IN his face. and Willard laugh
ed mockingly.
HE Is a beastw 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 III.
n riONEY! June was face to face
IM with another angle OF that eter-
nal problem, which, 1t seemed
- TO her. had complicated the en-
tire relationship of men and women.
Mrs. Willard had plainly sold herself,
and the price is never great enoug for
any woman who has done that. Always
in June's rapidly widening observ alton
the man gave and the woman received,
and her very dependence made the
question of matrimony one of essential
barter and sale. 1t was wrong 1T de-
stgoyed the very source and foult Of
love. Was there no remedy? .fune.
shaken though she was by her painful
experience of the morning, was
strengthened In her own resolve. The
answer to the problem was independ
ence even though she suffered III the
attainment OF 1t, even though Ned
suffered. Their love would be all the
stronger for 1t. and it would be pure al
ways.
Could she have seen Ned at thai mo-
ment all her theories and all her de-
auctions would have taken swift fight.
and she would have bathed will 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 MS hands. They were
quivering 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. Re limped
awkwardly for half a 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 70 he !
found an obscure roadhouse, ard he |
strobe In at the saloon door.
While ordering a ~bracer' for bis 4
shattered nerves he saw his two cap /
tors sitting at table. He rushed mad 1
ly at them and knocked them beth 10 /
the floor. Dashing out OF the pla,,e. he 4
saw their auto. He jumped in. pressed
the starting button anG sped away.
The house of Mrs. Willard was tIosed 4
and locked when Ned arrived there st
. O'clock In the afternoon.
II <h- -. r&&--- Tr1n 81 NJ vi