The Washington herald., 1916-06-11

was treading he came face to face with
policeman. A distant street lamps glow
fell on both their faces.
Hugh scott!' gasped the policeman,
seizing him.
Well" sighed Hugh. helplessly
sick of hiding out / couldn't keep away
any longer. Arrest me. IL you like. I
won't resist"
"Arres. your echoed the policeman,
with big laugh. That I'd "a done,
gladly enough. the day I looked up and
saw you In the window of Turnbulrs Of
nee. Rut it's all off. Dye mean to say
You haven't hesrd?'.
"Heard?" muttered Hugh Heard
what? ! don't understand"
You're stringip' me-" said the police
man, doubtfully: adding, with an access
OF the odd excitement that had marked
his first glimpse OF Hugh tonight. But
keep forgettin'. You're dead. Least
wise. we
That's what I wanted the police to
think" replied Hugh. 1T put them of
my track. / left a suicide note and
waded into the river I waded out again,
half mile beyond. Since then I've been
trampins It. But what was II You asked
me IL ia heard?"
About the bonds, of course. Your boss
was havin' some OF the old furniture
ripped out OF his office last week. They
pulled desk away from the wall. And
there was the package OF bonds on the
floor behind IT, Turnbull notified the
chief and"
Hugh Scott did not wait to hear any
more. With the joyous yell Of school
boy newly let out from study, he bolted
down the street at a dead run.
He was safe He was exonerated, He
was free to take up his old place in life!
Above all, he was free to return to the
wife he adored. the wife whose charm
had dragged him back to his home city,
at the risk Of going to Jail!
Later there would be plenty Of time
for resentment at the Injustice which
had for three months made him a fugi-
tive outcast. Later. too, there would be
time to curse weak cowardice that had
made him fee like a felon, instead Of
standing his ground and, declaring his
irnocence.
But, for the present, there was no room
in his heart for any other emotion than
an almost delirious happiness. And he
ran the harder as he drew near the Turn
bull house.
Marjorie" he chauted TO himself as
he ran. Marjorie! Marjorie is waiting
for me-
A prim and white-capped maid answer
ed his summons at the Turnbull door.
At sight OF the supposedly dead Hugh,
she creamed in terror and tried to slam
the door in his face.
But he pushed his eager way past her,
into the house. crying:
Marjorie, Marjorie,'
Mrs. Hardy, hearing the maids shrek
of terror, had come out into the hall. In
blank fear she gazed on the returned
wanderer. But she was a woman of
chilled-steel nerve. And, on the in
slant. she realized what had occurred.
Where's Marjorie?" demanded Hugh.
breathless. Where's my wife,"
II don't know where your wife is" re-
turned Mrs. Hardy. puzzled a. the query.
II didn't even know you had one. But
Marjorie isn't living here any more. She
is at"
Not living here" he exclaimed. Why
not? Where is she? /"
She is at her husbands house OF
course" said Mrs. Hardy Where else
would she be? Though, for that matter.
she might as well have stayed here, for
all the home life she has. He and she
have suites Of rooms at opposite ends Of
the house, and"
Married." said Hugh. dazedly. Mar
ried to whom"
why. to Henry. Three months ago.
Oh. forgot 1t was after you'd gone.
The same day. but
She paused. stricken into momentsry
silence by the awful look that distorted
Hugh Scott's features. Murder-stark
Imurder-glared from his bloodshot eyes.
He tried to speak; choked. and wheel
ing. staggered out of the houe, holding
his hands in front of him as though he
had been smitten with blindness.
Mrs. Hardy for once lost her cold
poise. Trembling, she ran to Cyrus Turn
bulls study and burst in upon the doing
old man.
Mr. Turnbull." she called, shaking
her employer roughly by the shoulder.
Wake up, Something terrible has hap
pened. Hugh Scott is alive. And he's
started for his brothers house TO kill
him and Marjorie Come. let US hurry
and go TO them!
Red rage in his heart. Hugh Scott
reeled out into the street. One great
purpose obsessed his soul-revenge on the
man who had stolen his wife.
To his fury-distorted mind. the whole
mystery was clear. Henry, he told him
self. had trumped up this bond-theft
charge to get him out of the way and
to discredit him in Marjories eyes. so as
to leave for himself a clear field to win
the girl.
True. such a course was wholly un-
like anything Hugh had known Henry
to pursue. And the hate-crazed man
unWlllnglY touno hlmself remembering a
thousand kindnesses the older brother
had showered upon him,
Momentary Contrition gripped him, at
memory of Henry's tender affection to-
ward him in other days. His heart al
most softened at the thought. But he
drove the gentler impulse fercely from
his mind and forced himself to think only
of the unforgivable wrong done him.
IF Marjorie really cared for him" he
muttered, with a half-sob, Il would not
interfere. I love her enough to sacrifice
myself for her happiness. I would give
my life to make her happy But she
doesn't care for him. She can't. He has
tricked her into this-as he has tricked
me. And he must pay! He shall pay!
I've always sworn I'd some day make up
to him for the million good turns he has
done me. But now there's nothing to re-
ward him for. but this one crowning in
jury Yes, he shall pay!"
In Henry Scott's new home an hour be-
fore Henry himself had sat writing at
his library table. In earlier days he had
pictured a home like this and just such
peaceful busy evenings But In those
visions Marjorie had always been sitting
beside him with her book or her needle
work ready to smile back at him when
ever his eyes should stray from his task
to her dear face.