El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-11-13
CHAPTER XXI.

T WAS only half past five-less than
two hours since Marian Farley had
- told me that my husband had found
his mate in Lenore Wallis. In a wild
rage OF jealousy, in a tumult Of unwil-
Iingness to be pitied, in a mad desire to
strike back after any fashion, and to
prove to Peter, myself and the world
that though he no longer desired me, ]
had not lost all charm Tor men, I had
rushed TO the telephone and recklessly
though deliberately made an appoint
ment to meet Judge Snow. Once 1 had
fought off his advances. Now I was
inviting them
Slowly I walked hOmeward- I meant
TO put on my most attractive gown, and
my most alluring hat For a moment 1
was kin with all the desperate, de-
serted women in the world. who. when
love goes, rush to meet a tawdry sub
stitute. I walked 10 the edge OF the
precipice and looked over.
I was going to sacrifice my good
name rather than have the world look
at me pltyingly. / told myself ABOUT
dying game. Nothing mattered now
not my love for Peter nor my children
nor the parents who had always been
so proud OF me Then queer thing
out OF a gaudy limousine stepped
bepainted and bejeweled woman in
whose hard eyes there lay the marks Of
the leElOnS OF the lost 1 4QOAe4 at nrL
for a moment She stood for one tnlnS
in Womanhood. for another.
And quietly and tely-knoW-
ing that 1 was woman enough TO face
the agony had made for myself in life,
7 walked TO another telephone and
Droke my engagement with Judge
Snow.
I knew now that whatever life
brought me, I would face it. II fight
meant a victory I could thank God for
that. But at least I must always make
the fight I might have been unworthy
Of all who loved me and all 1 loved
but I could not be unworthy OF my NO
manhood. Something had come down 20
me through the ages; something /
must reserve and keep sacred.
I did not know there was anything
melodramatic in my actions ] knew
only that I had expressed myseI. ana
that in expression 1 had found relief.
Connie Begins to Realize.
Straight home 10 the nursery ] went
and holding my babies in my arms II
came over me suddenly that Lenore
had done much for them. too. She had
helped save Peterkin- She had brought
Dorothy through her baby delicacy TO
sturdy childhood. They loved Lenore
too-but nothing could take them from
me They were my babies suddenly
! became a mother in deeper sense
than suffering that they might come
into the world had made me-
For once in my life forgot myself
For once in my life my thought was all
for the thing IL was right and kind TO
do. / loved Peter than as 7 had
never loved him before. and / went to
offer him his freedom
He was alone in his office holding
letter in his shaking hand on his lips
was the Queerest expression had ever
seen there. Even in my strange eXalta-
ton Of feeling il seemed to ne that he
looked like primitive man deprived OF
what belonged TO him.
Peter" I said. Il know about you
and LenOre. I don't blame you at all.
I haven't been a good wife. I've come
TO offer you your freedOm-but let me
have my babies"
I bit my lips to steady them II
cried he might pity me so much that
he would offer TO give up LenOre- 7
suppose / got a certain satisfaction
from feeling very noble and good. In