The Harrison times., 1916-10-28
MORE THAN A HOME
BY EDITH KENYON.

tonight" be pronounced medltatiyely.
\ faint flush warmed her cheeks.
1T is your hair" he said again. You
haven't crimp or curl. And that dark
gown, plain around the neck-you look
five years older. / don't like It ell
ther."
She spoke her answer firmly al
though her redneSs deepened. Il think
Mr., Halden likes it," she said.
"HaldenT he echoed. Lord 1t is
for Halden?'
81 think" she answered, 81 ought 70
dress to please Mr.. Halden if can
lie would not like-hiS wife to look
so much younger than himself"
"His-wifeW
"He has asked me to marry him, and
have made up my mind that l will"
"Do you care for him?" They had
scoffed humorously at love; they had
even proved TO their own satisfaction
that there was in reality no such thing.
NO" she answered him, II am not
afraid to tell you, my friend-no, nor
ashamed. | am going to marry Mr..
Halden because IL want a home
don't want this always" The room
was agreeable, but it was conspicu-
OuSly clearinghouse parlOr.
"NlrS. DentOn-yOu met her, you
knOw-has sent for me to come to BOS-
ton and take a position her husband
has waiting for me. 1t is a better one,
and l should have gone, but-Mr. Hal
den," she hesitated, had spoken"
"You mentioned that" he remarked
tartly.
He felt bafIied. He suffered from an
unreasonable but burning spleen.
But" he cried with energy, "Halden!
If there must be victim, why Of all
men HaldenW
Because he wants to be the vic
tim" she returned.
probably he thinks he does. Most
men have SpaSmS of mental alteration,
and this is Halden's. Julia, you would
never take advantage of it? Julia, you
couldn't.
ooh, you might not make him much
more miserable than any other woman
would. But, Julia, do you know how
Halden puts in his time? Why, loung-
ing around the club and absorbing the
news and refreshing liquids; going to
an occasional stag dinner, and getting
new cures for his gOut-Or neuralgia, is
it? That" Perry said, "is what Hal
den does, and he's done it till it is
habit with him, like eating and breath
ing. 1t would be a smaller undertake
ing to throw a steam engine off its
Aud what would it result for Halden?
Misery"
She threw back her head and
laughed.
Don't laugh, 1 mean it," he said
sharply and for a space his eyes looked
into hers. The long look burned its
way through the something that had
interposed ever between them--the
tlimSy barrier which their ignorance
and their heedlessness had reared.
Julia" he faltered. The door bell
rang.
at is Mr.. Halden," she said, with
trembling lips. Must you gO?"
Nine days later, sitting in his Office
in the heavy gloom and the dullnesS
which for the past week had held him,
Perry received a letter. 1t was from
Julia Lamont, and it was brief.
81 am going to Boston this after
noon. Good-by,"
"Good-by" he muttered, fiereely
scOwling. But all his apathy had fled
on the instant. She was going to Bos
ton. What did that mean? He sprang
to his feet. She was going that af-
ternoon. shell take the boat" he
hazarded. 1t was already past five. He
seized his hat and called taxi which
drove him to West Warren street swift.
ly. She was there.
'I told you good-by in my note"
she remarked.
He saw with JOY that her hair was
wayy. "Where is Halden?" he demand
ed. ..
He is cruising around the lake with
Mr.. Crane,' she answered Il
thought over what you said, and /
saw" she affirmed, not in humility,
but in rigor Of pride, that it is true.
1t would have been a mistake: from
The first feared it., And almost think
he agreed with me- in his heart. so,
after all, am not going to have u
home. | am going to Boston" She
smiled bravely.
"ThOse are miSstatements,' he an
swered, "both."
"What do you meanp
"YOu will have a home and you will
not 60 to Boston" he returned though
he spoke to the back Of her head,
abruptly ayerted. "As | reckon it, we
have been fools for four years, and
that is long enough julia ..
She faced him with valiant resist
ance. 81 WON'T consider IT, she de.
cl0red ut is mental alteration !
should be cruel to take advantage OF
iJ.mhuman," '''
d.