The midland journal., 1916-10-20
CHAPTER VIII.
poubIy a Villain.
slowly.

DoubIy a Villain.
Larry Redmond paused, dazed, and
dropped her hand, while he looked at
Ethel uncomprehendingly.
"Married?'' he stammered "No, no,
it can't be! You're playing some
camel It can't be true!"
"I'm secretly married." she con-
fessed.
He looked at her in amazement.
Secretly? But why-why?"
II can't explain, even to you, Larry
except that it's for my happiness to
keep it secret, now."
Bitter realization came to him then.
But he would not press her further.
And you're happy?" His eyes sought
hers sadly.
She could not keep back the whole
truth from him, no matter how much
she wished to. Larry Redmond's hon.
esty was too patent to make dissem-
bling an easy matter In his presence.
"Oh, yes, Larry! I was happy-un-
til you came back just now," she said.
'Then why did you marry himY' he
demanded. There was no anger in his
voice-only regret and wonder.
Because when you left was-des-
perate," she admitted.
"Your' he exclaimed, more than ever
at loss to understand her.
"Yes!" Ethel said. ST waited-wait-
ed for you until month ago. I'd
never heard from you-never heard of
you. thought you were dead. If
you'd been alive, felt that my love,
my wanting you so very much would
bring you back to me-"
Dear Godv' There was no mock
reverence in that soul-wrung wall.
straight from his Celtic heart.
"And all my money had gone. Oh!
1t doesn't matter now! And l came
here as governess to Sir Georges
daughter. He's been very helpful.
And this NANNY husband
came along. He seemed very fond Of
me" she smiled wanly-"quite des-
perately in love. / was wretched, mis-
cradle, lonely, and oh! SO tired! L
wanted someone to take care Of me.
And so, married"
"And it's all my fault" That was
like Larry Redmond-to condemn him
self instead Of her.
She could not bear to hear him up
braid himself.
'.Please, aren't we suffering enough
now?" she protested.
He made up his mind, then, that for
her sake he must put things in differ
ent light. And goading himself to his
duty, he sat down and looked at her
wearily.
"But you've got to realize" he be-
gan, you've got to realize that it's
best you shouldn't have married a
coward-and was tnat. Two months
ago nearly finished it ALL"
Larry" Ethel exclaimed In sudden
fear. The mere mention of such a
thing shocked her inexpressibly.
"Ah, yes! meant TOP he continued
ruthlessly. "And it was another man
almost stranger-who stopped me-"
"When was itT' Anxious as she
was, she could not forbear asking him
that. 1t seemed inconceivable that the
gey Larry she used to know should
ever have been near self-destruction.
'"rwo months ago" he said. And
he stopped abruptly then, as IL his
thoughts had momentarily taken him
far away. 1.-TWO months ago, in Ber-
lin," he resumed, pulling himself to-
gether by a visible effort at was one
Of those gorgeous, moonlight nights.
was thinking of you, my DEAR and
thinking how futile 1t all was. What
was the use? 1t was in one
of those little side streets off Inter den
Linden. l stood there behind tree
when suddenly this fellow came. UP
from behind and grabbed my re-
volver"
All at once his recital brought back
to Ethers mind another similar story.
In her agitation she could not at first
recall exactly where or under what
circumstances she had heard it. And
then. in flash, she remembered. Her
husband had told her a tale like that
only an hour before.
''In Berlin this was-not PARISH" she
asked him quickly.
"No-Berlin"
That's curious" she said. 81 heard
just such another story little while
ago."