The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1915-08-06
THE DANGER OF
ACHANCE WORD

Il say. Jean. can you come to the
studio to tea this afternoon?"
II should like to. Have you any
thing special to show me?"
YES" answered Fothergill. Z tall,
dark-haired man with strong yet
kindly face. Il want your opinion and
advice on my new picture"
"Oh, John. don't talk nonsense!"
exclaimed Miss Glenister. "As II my
opinion was worth anything
To Judge Fothergill's expression.
Jean Glenister's opinion meant good
deal to him, even II she was not IN ex-
pert critic.
when will you Gomez"
Whenever you like. Half-past
three?"
Make it half.past four. Bertram
will probably be there by that time.
priety?" asked the girl merrily. 1T
really looks AZ II you were expecting
some one else whom you do not wish
me to meet?"
well, as q matter of fact. am.
Don't ask me to explain now"
II have q good mind to come early
to see who 1t is"
NO." he said AZ he turned quickly
to her, don't. there's q good girl! It
| would be doing me an awful bad
turn" .
"Of course" answered Jean. You
need not be afraid Of my intruding
where I'm not wanted"
He did not notice her modification;
he only kissed her and hurried away.
Jean and Fothergill had been en-
gagged for more than six months. but
she had known him since she had
come, nearly four years ago, to keep
house for her brother Bertram.
Bertram Glenister was an artist,
too, and he and John shared a fine
studio in Chelsea.
At twenty minutes to i've John
was sitting in the studio over coy
fire.
Jean Is going to pay mo out by
being late" he thought. Never mind,
my good news will make up to her
for delay. wish there wasn't such
fog!"
He rose and pulled the curtains
closer across the window. At that
moment the door was opened, but the
exclamation of welcome died on his
lips The visitor was not Jean. In
the doorway stood tall, gaunt wom-
an, whose face must once have been
beautiful, although it now bore
traces of both want and excess.
"Dimples!" gasped Fothergill.
"Yet, 1t is me. Where Is Bertram?"
HE is not here now. But where
have you been all this time!"
Never mind where I've been. Ber-
tram will help me, even II he won't
forgive me. When will he be IMP
Il don't know. He may not come
at all tonight. You can't stay here.
Give me your address and l will tell
him."
mo" said the woman. 1--WE found
you, and / amt going to be put of
like that. l stay!"
They were standing with their
backs to the door, and neither noticed
that it had opened silently as the
woman spoke.
But you can't stay; I live here
now!" protested Fothergill.
"Oh, know all about you'll" was the
sharp reply. II made it my business
to find out before l came. You don't
teach me nothing! Since when, may
ask, can a wife not come to her hus-
bands rooms when she wants to see
him? Even you can't deny me the name
of wife!"
An inarticulate sound from the en-.
trance made them both start and turn.
There stood Jean, white to the lips.
She tried to speak, but her voice
would not obey her.
"Ah, see," said the woman, II see
why l must go! I'm what you call a
spoil sport. Eth, my dear?"
Eyes. you must go, and at once!"
said Fothergill
Excuse me. Mr.. REHABILITATION
had regained control of her voice-'it
is l who had better go. This-person
has evidently better right here than
l."
Jean! You don't mean that!
You don't believe"
IF any one had told me such a story
I should certainly not have believed
it," said the girl coldly.
Are you ready to think the worst
from a few words which you have
overheard" demanded Forthergill.
81 am sorry that I overheard any
thing" answered the girl proudly.
The evidence OF my own eyes and
eyes must believe"
Then, Miss Glenister, agree that
you had better 60"
Fothergill opened the door and
bowed with formal politeness. With
out another word she passed out.
The woman had remained motion
less, watching with interest
lis that his sister," she asked.
Yes"
why didn't you tell her who l
was?"
she knows nothing about you; she
wouldn't have believed. It's a pity
your ideas weren't always so correct
After the way you treated Bertram
you are scarcely the person to-"
stop! l know all about it; You
didn't want me to marry him, and you
was right. I've never brought him
nothing but shame and misery. but
spite of it all I loved him in my own
way. l wanted to see him again that
bad. an it was a choice of coming
here or the river. I wish I'd chosen
the river"
The sight Of woman, even a wo-
man he disliked, in such genuine dis.
tress banished Fothergilrs anger.
"Dimples. don't talk like that" he