The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1916-12-14

In your body. Minna, I feel worse
about this than you Gait. II ever I
can be Of help to you"
The door closed on wilkins and his
unhappy wife In the midst Of Olcott's
apology. Tom whirled about upon
Olive.
what do you mean by ordering my
assistant out Of the house?" he asked,
harshly.
II did more than that" retorted
Olive, as angry as he. II wrote the
letter that brought her husband here"
you? My wife| stammered Tom.
aghast. "You sank to the dirty trick
Of writing an anonymous letter. IL
can't believe it."
ut is less easy to believe" she
ragged, "than to believe that that wom-
an should boast Of being so happy
here with you and hat she would
never 90 backr And you said TO
her: You know how much / think Of
you! and you warned her not to de-
eide on anything she might be sorry
for
"How do you know that1" snapped
Tom. THAT talk occurred here in my
office. The door was shut"
The usually neat Office looked ns IL
a cyclone had struck 1t. A chair had
been upset. The desk papers lay ev-
crywhere. A large picture, struck by
the flying shoulders Of one of the two
battlers, had fallen from its cord, and
lay on the floor, its glass shattered.
Tom stopped to pick up the chair.
And his eyes fell upon the section of
the wall, in front of which the dis
placed picture had hung.
Against the wall surface showed q
black rubber disk. Tom looked at II
for a moment, then sputtered in unbe-
lleving horror:
"a dictaphone :"
Eyes" assented Olive, anger sweep
ing her now beyond all fear of con-
sequences. "A dictaphone. I had ii
installed there. two days ago, when
you were away. 1t connects with my
room. And l heard enough to-
"And this Is the woman I was crazy
enough to marry!' groaned Tom. "A
woman who sinks to anonymous let
tiers and to spying on me with a die.
tGphone! Good Lord!"
IF you were not guilty" she on
swered v~iciously, there would be 40
need
IF you were not insane with cause
less Jealousy" he stormed, 'it would
never have occurred to you to suspect
me. As for guilt, / can look my maker
in the face and swear I have been
true to you in thought and word and
deed. You know I am telling the
truth when I say 1t. The Green ORA
gon has you by the throat, Olive. And
he can never be shaken of. / see That
now
"Tom" she faltered, convinced,
despite her baser self, Of the mans in.
nocence.
But 1t was too late. The Injustice
to which he had been exposed had
sunk into Tom Olcott's very soul, driv-
ing out all gentler thoughts.
'This is the end !" he said, abruptly.
II have stood your Jealous suspicion
for the last time. 1t has wrecked
our happiness, and I am not going to
let 1T wreck what remains Of my life."
What do you meanf
Il am going away" he replied. AT
once. The institute is yours, to do
what you choose with. And make
what you choose Of your life, now that
vnn'vA h1iOhfnA NINA T,n, 4hr1,.l
with you"
He strobe out Of the room. Snatch
Ing up q hat from the hall rack he
left the house.
For many minutes Tom Olcott
walked on, his brain aire with resent.
ment. Then the rush Of cool air in his
face and the exercise Of his brisk walk
combined gradually to make him
calmer.
"She can't help It," he found him.
self muttering. "It's born in her. l.
I must 60 back. She needs me-"
Dusk had fallen when Tom re-en-
tered the house. He went at once to
the wing Of tho building which he re-
served for Olive and himself.
He tapped at the door Of Olives
room. Receiving no answer he en-.
tered. The room was dark. His hand
CROPPED for the electric button. and q
pressure Of his finger flooded the
whole place with light,
On the bed Lay Olive. very white
very still. At her side was the phial
Of heart-depressant-empty.
The Green Dragon had claimed his
own. 1t was easy to place the blame
on 1t but when II really omes TO de-
Gliding Who's Guilty In similar casu
parents and teachers must also bsaa
their share OF the burden. 3
tElsD on TE1H1IUETH UrORYl