The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-09-17

self ana went on with her story quietly
| and dlspassionately. with only an occa-
sional sob to punctuate II.
Orchard brought me down here.after
baby came--and got Mrs. Woods TO
take care OF me, She's good-hsarted
| sort. l think she's fond Of me. have
not seen Richard from the time he
| brought me here, ak months ago, l
haven't even spoken 70 ,o MN n un'l wh MI,
and l had money and good care-but
that wasn't what wanted.
Then this morning got desperate
ssspn S9 EcS SSEn 70 ,o S' him Gaf' ddna
want to hold him. I just wanted
name for the baby. II only he'd marry
me he could divorce me right AFTER
ward and accuse me Of anything he ne
only get name for baby. II ought to
be Richard conley. jr' It's lust baby
now.
Richard sounded nervous and worried.
| but he said he'd do the right thing.
could Just feel his father in back OF
him. always thought he would have
married me as soon as he knew ne
ought to--except that his father was
he eouldn't get along without his father
yet-and I guess he was afraid to try
| That's ALL"
Beatrice Makes q Promise.
I
have a friend nova friend who Ia
outside your trouble. looking at It
sauarely and honestly. instead Of in
side OF Il, Just feeling It and going
around In a hopeless, unreasoning cir
| Gle OF suffering. / am going to help
you-do you believe that?'
Yes, do believe It."
IT want you to give me a picture OF
| NkaN xs,il ha ma
greatest ally in helping YOU"
| And when I left a moment later the
girl who escorted me TO the door was
no longer sullen and bitter. but back
, Of all her sobbing she bore an air OF
hopeful strength.
| My country Jehu. doing over the
| reins, reused himself as we came out
| to the dusty roadway. As ! clambered
into my ramshackle eauipage I got q
queer glimpse of a tatterdemalion hui
man. A man emerged from the woods
4 which fianked Madge's little cottage
and peered toward the house. with a
| certain sinister air.
decided that he was the most evil
looking tramp l had ever seen-furtive
and yet shrewd of eye. loose Tipped and
yet strong Of jaw. He suggested Shiny
, unpleasantness to me. For second
| / was tempted to go back and tell
Madge-but decided that l could best
serve her by hurrying to the city.
Women are nervous enough In all con-
science, and no lover OF her fellow
women feels justified In bothering them
with any added nervous fears. IL l
could enlist the sympathies OF Margaret
Payne l would be doing far more for
Madge Minturn than merely lowering
| with my own interest.
And SO / passed the evil-looking man
by and gave him no further thought. On
moments such as these life itself often
depends. For Madge Minturn there was
more than life in the balance-the hor-
lightly was to play grave part In her
affairs.
Just before we reached the station
the other ramshackle. "one-hoss- shay
passed us. One passenger was bouncing
around with the same ill-at-easeness 1
was forced to betray. ] glimpsed a good
looking, well-groomed young fellow who
suggested some OF the same furtive
weakness i had seen on the face OF the
tramp.
told myself didn't like the natives
| OF Blue Governor yet Its visitors-but a
moment later ] passed the visitor did
like. II was Jimmie.
Mr.. Barton was riding ramshackle
bicycle which seemed to belong to ex-
actly the same vintage from which came
the city's carriages.
"Aii aboard the wreck cried Jimmie.
hailing me with Joy as he pedhled his
miserable two-wheeled monstrosity up
You're much moro friendly than the
other city chap I just passed" said I.
He pulled his hat over his eyes and
didn't nh :. give Hsua fellow traveller any hail
Jimmie laughed. mo. ! guess not
seeing as haouw' he probably surmised
that you had just come from visiting
| the lady toward whom he Is now bound
|. You see, the gentleman you
just met happens to be Ralph Coniey."
so Richard Conley had come to see his
baby! ] wondered II father-love would
impel him to give the child a name
stubborn determination I had gllmpsed
| In passing made me feel that must moi
trust to the better instincts In younl
Conley's nature. / knew that It would
be wisest to carry out my intention oil
seeing Margaret Payne.
A little while later a maid admitted
me to wonderful library OF ItaliaT
Renaissance period. At the side of 9
i stone .r fireplace sat young flower o
well-bred indifference which was mo-
particularly propitious fer Madge Min
Miss Payne, have come on a mis-
l
for me as II must be cruel for you. TRY
to be patient with me-you owe Il K
. yourself as we'll as to me to give me &
hearing" said /.
Beatrice Is Ordered Out.
And then I showed her the photo
graph Of Madge Minturn's baby. Miss
Payne looked at II coldly; there wa
no encouragement In her manner.
And when I began to talk to tell he
Madge Minturn's pathetic little story
-she did what she felt loyalty to Richard
, Cdnley demanded Of her-she fairly
! ordered me from the house.
And then as I told my story Margare
Payne ustened-at first with an air o
sneering superiority, then with a certain
} breathless, growing horror and finaIl.
,, with the manner OF one who ID to-
I, stunned to realize her own misery. sud
) denly the girl rallied; her pride. he
breeding and her innate fineness ros
to meet the needs OF this supreme mo
2 ment,
1T seems impossible that I SHOULD
be believing evil Of Richard and FOL
4 him TO he so weak is the most terribl,
y evil I can think OF
Y How could he have said he loved m,
Y while--whilc this was going on?