The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1916-08-10

herself hoarse when Quincy withheld
morphine. She went from the begin
ming to the end in a breath. No pro-
test stopped her; nothing stopped her.
you ought to let me die.' she
walled. "What harm have I ever done
to anybody that you want to keep me
alive? Just look at my life! I only
married Roscoe to get away from
home, and look what II got me into!
/ wanted to have a good time
and how could /? Where's any good
time among these Sheridans? They
never even had wine on the table. |
thought | was marrying into n rich
family, where I'd meet attractive
people I'd read about, and travel, and
go TO d~ances-and, oh, my Lord! all
| got was these Sheridans! l did the
best | could; | just tried to live.
Things were just beginning to look
brighter, and then l saw how Edith
was getting him away from me. And
what could do? What can any WON
an do in my fix? l couldn't stand 1t! l
went to that icicle-that Vertrees girl
and she could have helped me q
little, and 1t wouldn't have hurt her.
Let her waitl" Sibyl's voice, hoarse
from babbling, became no more than
a husky whisper, though she strove
to make 1t louder. She struggled half
upright, and the nurse restrained her.
"Id get up out of this bed to show her
she can't do such things to me! l was
absolutely ladylike, and she walked
out and left me there alone! She'll
see! She started after Bibbs before
Jim's casket was fairly underground.
and she thinks she's landed that poor
loon-but she'll see! She'll see! And
Edith needn't have told what she told
Roscoe-it wouldn't have hurt her to
let me alone. And he told her l bored
him-telephoning him l wanted to see
him. He needn't have done 1t. He
neeGn't-needn't-" Her voice grew
fainter, for thai while, with exhaus-
ton, though she would go over 1t ell
again as o o as her strength returned.
She lay painting. Then, seeing her hus-
band standing disheveled in the door
way, Don't come In, Roscoe" h
murmured. 81 don't want to see you"
And as he turned away she added.
I'm kind of sorry for you, Roscoe"
Her antagonist, Edith, was not more
coherent In her own wailings, and she
had the advantage Of a mother for
listener. She had also the disadvan-
tage OF a mother for duenna, and Mrs.
Sheridan, under her husbands sharp
tutelage, proved an effective one.
Edith was reduced to telephoning
Lamhorn from shops whenever she
could juggle her mother into a momen-
tary distraction over a counter.
Edith was i~ncomparably more In
Her whole being was nothing but the
determination to hurdle everything
that separated her from him. She was
In a state that could be altered by
only the lightest and most delicate di-
plomacy of suggestion, but Sheridan,
fed her passion and fed 1t hourly fuel
| by opposing to 1t an intolerable force.
He swore she should cool, and thus set
her on fire.
Edith planned neatly. She fought
hard, every other evening, with her
father, and kept her bed between times
to let him see what his violence had
| done to her. Then, when the mere
sight of her set him to breathing fast.
| she said pitiabiy that she might bear
her trouble IL she went away; 1t was
impossible to be in the same town with
Lamhorn and not think always of him.
Perhaps in New York she might forget
a little. She had written to a school
friend. established quietly with an
aunt in apartments-and a month or
so of theaters and restaurants might
bring peace. Sheridan shouted with
relief; he gave her a coplous check,
and she left upon a Monday morning,
wearing vlolets with her mourning,
and having kissed everybody goodby
except Sibyl and Bibbs. She might
have kissed Bfbbs, but he failed to
realize that the day Of her departure
had arrived. and was surprised, on re-
turning from his zinc eater that eve
ming, to find her gone. ~ suppose
they'll be married there" he said, cas-
ually.
Sheridan, warming his stockinged
feet at the are, jumped UP, Tuning.
Either you go out o. here. or l will,
Bibbs.!' he snorted. 81 don't want to
be In the same room with the particu-
lar kind Of idiot you are! She's through
with that riffraff; all she needed was
to be kept away from him a few
weeks. and I kept her away, and 1t
did the business. For heavens sake,
go on out o. here"
Bibbs obeyed the gesture of a hand
stiil bandaged. And the black silk
sling was still round Sheridan's neck.
hut no word Of Gurney's and no excru-
ciating twinge OF pain could keep Sher-
|4aaa.s hand In the sling. The wounds.
slight enough originally. had become
infected the nrst time he had dislodged
fho baudaQea. and healing was long