Cut Bank pioneer press. [volume] (Cut Bank, Mont.) 1909-current, 1915-02-05
oopyrasht. las lprOlication Rights Reservedl BY David Belasco.

only one who tells you all the truth.
Everyone else is afraid of you.
Don't let them fiatter you," she
said, with more maternal than wifely
solicitude. They can. l found that
out. Father! You're an awful fool
with your money. You never had but
one real friend. That's me. You'll
find it out"
I'm look out" Slade promised, and
there was a note of relief in his tone
at her change of attitude.
do you want me to go away from
our house right off," Mary asked, as
If the idea of actual leaving had just
occurred to her.
"Oh!" Slade hesitated. The details
did seem rather cold-blooded. But
it'll be better when it's all settled"
All right" Mary's voice was pa
tient and colorless. I'D like to feel
! was goin' where you wanted me to
go-wherever 'tis-and-doin' what
yer wanted me to"
Thank you, Mary" and the surface
p~oliteness seemed strangely out Of
place from this man who was turning
the wife of his youth adrift. "Of
course it'll be arranged that you get
the best Of the divorce. I'll attend to
that, You simply leave 1t to me-"
"A divorce" interrupted Mary. Her
eyes widened with a~mazement, and
she came up to him, her mouth open
with surprise. "A divorce?"
"A divorce-why. yes-a separation
what's the di~fference?" Slade was
STOPPING now to deceive the little
woman, who was herself the soul of
truth and honor.
"What?" the gasped.
"A separation is the same thing as
a divorce" and he lied shamefully.
"Is it?"
1T will be done quietly" he went
or
why, Dan Slade!" She could not
believe her ears. Give up your name?
Why, you might as we'll ask me to
give up my eyes. I've got it now
you're looking for a younger. You
can't have a divorce, DAM" All her
tears were dry now and a new fiber
in her voice.
81 will have it," stormed Slade, en-
ragged because her mood had changed
at the word divorce" Just when he
had been congratulating himself that
the difficulty was all nicely adjusted
That's all there is to it. / will have
it,"
Anything else, Dan. Anything else
not a divorce. You mustn't ask me
to take the name I've carried all these
years and throw 1t away. I'm giving
in, but leave my name. I'm givin
up everything else"
you might as we'll stop!" he warned
her threateningly. You're goins
now, tonight, the first train East to
morrow. Go where you like, see whar
you like, do what you like, spend what
you like. To what you have I'll ado
a million more, but I'm going to have
this done in my WI way"
"Oh, Dan!" she shrank from hil
wrath. "Tm going home"
mo, you're not, until this thing il
settled. My minds made up. l dom
want to quarrel with you, and l SHOULD
if you fought me-"
81 won't let you. You can't do it.
II can't do it, eh?" The word cam
was like a red rag to a bull. He stoot
over her with darkening face ant
shaking fist. Don't you know bette
than to stand there and tell me that
Have / got to hear it from you
Haven't you seen what happened t.
man, woman and child, all of EN-, WIN
ever told me that to my face? II
do 1t! I'll do 1t now, by God!" and b
strobe angrily up and down the room
The angrier her husband became
the calmer and more determined wa
Mary Slade.
"Dan," she began very gently, bu
firmly, you're stubborn, but you ain
a bit more stubborn than / am whe,
I'm right, and now / am.
! you can go ahead. Do all you like
, but this time you won't conquer, BIZ
cause I'm going to fight you, father
I'm going to fight you, DAN"
Then with head proudly erect, sh
> walked to the door, threw 1t open an
cried, just a bit Historically in spit
, Of her effort to keep her voice steady