Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1915-08-16
THE CODDESS!"
BY Charles Goddard and GOuverneur
Morris.
Copyrighted. 1915. by The Star Co.

There was no answer. lie raised
his voice a trihe.
DO you need the doctor. or don't
your"
This time she answered him:
i don't need any doctor, and you
can so TO hell"
Tommy shrugged his shoulders.
went 70 HIS own room. bolted the door
and prepared to read till supper time.
But he couldn't read. The new prob
lem which had suddenly risen in hts
life was too disturbing.
Presently he heard Mrs. Gunsdorf
stirring in her room. She came out,
and stopped in front Of his door.
Are you in there?"
"Yes."
What are you going to do7"
I'm thinking"
Are you going to tell on me?"
mo. I'm not going to DO that. But
| must find some other place to live"
Silence. Then Mrs. Gunsdorf:
Please don't. Won't Won
onen the door? We can talk better"
1t seemed such a confession Of COW
ardice not TO open the door, that Tom
my opened It, and they faced each
other across the threshold
1T was the liquor" she said. 'T'm
Ike that when ! drink. II you won't
90 away, I won't drink any more"
Her hair was disheveled and she had
been crying.
IF Gunsdorf found out why you
went away, he'd skin me alive. l
won't trouble you any more"
She looked very frightened and pa
thetic
Then you'd better fix yourself up"
said Tommy. You look as if-well
you look as If you'd make your hus-
band suspect something or other"
Il know. rye put my curling tongs
on TO heat I'll look all right when he
comes back"
There was a somewhat awkward 81
lence, which Mrs. Gunsdorf broke
Il know you despise me. But-oh
you wouldn't understand"
I'D try, If you told me-"
Would you forgive met / wouldn't
have done 1t. only, only feel about
you the way dog feels about her mas
ter, and-oh, can't you give me
chance2"
"A chance2"
'Td follow you 20 the ends OF the
earth; I'd slave for you, and when you
sickened Of me. I'd take my medi-
cine"
But, Mrs. Gunsdorf. you are a mar
ried woman"
That's no reason. That's an ex-
cuse. What does marriage matter TO
a woman like me?"
Il don't know; but I'm afraid it mat
ters q whole lot to a man like me.
I'm terribly sorry for you"
Sorrow never filled an empty
heart"
What do you want me to do2"
Il want you to cherish me when
you're In temper. and to kick me down
stairs when you're out I want"
Mrs Cunsdorf, I'm not that kind
OF a man. II you're sorry-I'm sorry
but really now, do be reasonable.
suppose I feel the same way about
somebody that you feel about me7'
70 was as II he had given her
detailed explanation. For she cried
IN q grim, desperate sort Of voice;
so that's It." and turned abruptly
and went back TO her own room. But
she had no sooner passed the thresh-
81 ttos eha al cd
For Gods sake, come quick, the
house is on fire"
Tommy darted after her, and per-
ceived that the alcohol lamp with
which she heated her curling tongs
had run over and set fire to some pa
pers in a scrap basket. It was the
work of a few seconds to subdue this
incipient confagration with water
from Mrs. Gunsdorf's wash pitcher,
and when he had reduced the paper
TO a wet blackened mass, and blown
out the alcohol lamp, he turned. and
found Mrs. Gunsdorf laughing at him.
Il don't know why you are laugh
ing" he said coldly; 'it might have
been serious"
She was between him and the door,
but she stepped aside and let him
pass.
What's the matter with this door?''
he asked, after a fruitless effort to
open II.
Its locked"
"Why?"
Because we've got to have our talk
out. And don't want you running
away from It."
do be reasonable. Mrs. Gunsdorf
Let me have the key. This won't dc
at all, you know. Where is the key?"
She smiled at him. half closed her
eyes, and held up her hands high
above her head, as people do at the
command of a highwayman.
''If you won't give me the key,
shall have to break the door down"
Yes, and I'll say you broke II
down. But rot from inside out. III
say you broke # down from outside
in"
you had better give me that key"
said Tommy.
She smiled inscrutably, for she had
hidden the key in a very safe place
1t was at the moment reposing in the
right-hand pocket Of Tommy'g OWL
jacket, into which she had dropped it,
while he was busy putting the fire
out.