The Press., 1915-12-29
A SCHEME
TO RUIN
A Story For
Christmas
By DONALD CHAMBERLIN

PenrOSe had been giving me encOur-
agement to be companionable with her,
and l had seen a good deal of her, but
l had no thought of marrying her be-
cause, in the first place, 1 never looked
upon her as a possible wife and, i'll
the second place, l was not in a posi-
ton to marry any one. At that Christ
mas merrymaking it was revealed to
me with certainty that she considered
me her own.
When had danced twice with Helen
to once with Maud Penrose, Maud
showed by flash in her eye as she
passed me in Helen's company that
was wrong. AS soon as L
was relieved of Helen l sought Maud
and asked her what was the trouble.
She reproached me bitterly for what
she called deserving her. l was young.
high strung and inexperienced with
women. | coolly informed her that l
could not have deserted her, for she
had never had any more right to me
than any other girl. This, to my sur
prise. seemed to give her great pain,
bet since l did not consider myself
DOullu W llCl bSN"ucC W. Ae'N
been IL good deal in each others COM
pany | did not see what l could do to
make her feel any better. Indeed, l
was impressed with the Importance of
breaking off our association at once.
This l did.
My meeting with Helen was followed
by something very different from what
had been between me and Maud. l
fell in love with her. l soon heard that
Maud was accusing me of having treat
ed her badly. and l was received cold
w by some of her friends. l never
asked any of them for the reason of
their GOODNESS or entered any defense
whatever in the matter of Maud's ac-
cuSatiOnS. A man is pOWerleSS against
woman in such a matteY, for his lips
are sealed, and she is likely to secure
the sympathy of those to whom she
tells her story.
Helen knew of all this. She believed
NV story. but told me that l should
not have become involved with any
woman | did not intend to marry She
had no acquaintance with Maud and
had no idea of what "a woman
scorned' may be capable. When Maud
sent her word that she i'll turn would
suffer from my pertidy it troubled her.
But she had the loyalty to me to re-
frain from telling me of the message.
Since Helen and | had met on a
Christmas evening we came to value
that anniversary. The first Christmas
after our marriage we invited our init
mate friends to dinner and dance.
When our first child was two years
old we brought him to the table on
Christmas day, and as other children
came we added them to our family
circle around the board.
Alas, if the first Christmas anniver-
saries of our married life were the
happiest there was one that was the
most miserable. That one l cannot to
this day think of without a shudder.
When the fifth Christmas after our
marriage approached | was away from
home but promised to return in time
to celebrate the day, as usual. y win
ter storm delayed my coming, and
reached my home only at the hour set
for the dinner What was my sur
prise to see the house dark. Instead
of the lights that l had expected il
every room not one appeared In a
wondering terror l opened the door
entered the hall and, turning on al
electric switch. listened for u sound
The house was surely deserted.
Going up to my wife's bedroom.
I.f IoS Ix- .1f,, lf1I,<
On the mantcl Was an envelope ad
dressed to me, but | perceived at !;
glance that it was not in my Wifc's
H. E,'writine. | took it up and f"uEI
tlHt i had been opened. Taking out
liz contents. | read Il letter ad, :. .sseU
TO re couchcu III loving terms. indi
Cat;u: That | vas living Il double life
iviling my affe lions between my
life and the writer
Here was an explanation CT the con
dition in which had found my home
The letter had come during my ab
| Sence. Helen had opened it and, coll
vinced of my perfidy. had taken the
children and gone away, that she nigh
not meet ME on my return.
bul TIE letter. II uuSC nave peel
written to one of the same name a.
myself and reached the wrong person
| certainly knew no such woman q.
the writer. who signed herself Alice
CHANGING again at the address, | SAW
that there was no street and no mum
without this. I being we'll known t.
the carrier.
| was much chagrined at this break
ing up Of my Christmas through :
mere mistake. and | was angry will
my wife for not having given me Il,
opportunity to rectify it, Where sh
had gone | knew not, but could doubt
less find out through members Of 4c
family. But my Christmas had beer
spoiled. There was no time to memo
the matter. I would go to my clul
and get my dinner. then would talk
steps. toward obtaining an explanation
from my wife.
At the club l took a table by my
self and dined alone. The more
thought about my wife's going ava
in this fashion the more disgruntled
was. When l had eaten a mere apol
ogy for a dinner l went to my desc
late home, sat down in the library an(
thought. My wifes action by this time
appeared to me little better than {
crime. 1 was tempted to let her alone
for awhile, that she might discover
herself the wrong she had committed
The long evening finally passed with
out my coming to any decision, and
| went to bed.
l did not expect much sleep, and
was not disappointed. When da.
| dawned l was awake and continued
my thinking. What Christmas
Then it occurred to me that l nigh
not find it easy to prove my innocence
Would it not be better to take N
steps toward convincing my wife tina
mistake had been made until l hat
ferreted out how the letter had beef
delivered to me? After weighing thi