, 1916-04-06

well. Again the fates decreed that the
Long Branch newsdealer should Cross
her life. Strickland said:
But Burke said there was no one
there
Burke
YES" said Robert, lat the Hender.
son place address. The house he went
to. BE said he found only an old
housekeeper."
"Oh, yes, 1 remember" sal May,
and she forced to her face, for a feet
ing moment, a ghastly attempt at a
smile They said they were going to
remove her to the hospital today. But
Robert, your dinner won't be at to
eat"
Never mind about It I'm not hun
CRY. Just be patient with me a few
minutes more"
He rose from his seat at the table
and crossed the room to the sofa,
wherein he seated himself. For a Sec
ond he said nothing, while the wife
stood waiting for the next question In
the severe examination. Perhaps she
hoped that 1t was over. Blu her nerves
were not in condition to stand an add
ed strain OF even a second. They
would not permit her to be silent while
Robert sat there meditat1ng. So she
asked:
What are you thinking about. Rob
ert?"
I'D like to see that letter from Miss
Green" said Strickland.
81 can't show 1t to you." said May.
1T contains some personal matter that
she wouldn't want any one but me to
know about"
But she didn't write the letter her
self"
mo, her mother wrote It for her"
Again the words OF the husband
who. II seemed to the agonized wife.
was acting the part Of the grand in
quisitor. anne slowly:
"In other words" he said very de
uberately. your friend whom you
haven't seen for years chooses a mo
ment when she is critically I'll to get
her mother to write to you concerning
matters which your husband daren't
know anything about. Is that correctY'
! This time there was just a CLEAN of
l oChduet III E1dys ofNC 10 sue ltpiltu.
"Yes, but there's nothing strange
about it."
perhaps not. Still, I'd like to see
the letter. 1 don't want to read it /
only want to look at 1t"
"Why do you want to see it?"
Il want to know why. II you had a
letter containing your friends address,
you went to the trouble of copying it
on another piece of paper"
"Who said | copied it on another
piece Of paperg' There was a ring of
well simulated Indignation in May
Strickland's tone.
And once again the fateful Burke ap-
pears.
Burke" said Robert. He said the
purse contained the Henderson place
address on a piece of paper"
May could not answer for a moment.
When she did reply It was stammer.
ingly.
"Oh, that was because-I did that
to-
Now came the moment when Strtck-
lands suspicion Of his wife that had
been gathering and growing and de
veloping as fast and as thick as the
smoke rose from the jar which held
the genie found open expression. His
voice was thick and hoarse. as though
the long use had hurt his vocal chords.
But 1t was not mere physical distress
that harshened his next words. 1t was
mental stress and tension. Something
reluctant, something h a told of heart
ache also, spoke when he said:
MAY, you are hiding something
from me-"
Don't say that, Robert she ex-
claimed. why should l hide anything
from your
II don't know. But you are. never
theless. What is 1t, MayT'
There is nothing, dear-nothing.'
well, then, l can't see why you have
any great objection to showing me the
letter"
Il have destroyed it. l never keep
letters"
Then why didn't you say in the first
place that you destroyed itf'
Because you didn't give me a
chance. You're cross examining me
as though l were a criminal. Ny
heads whirling like a top. can
stand it much longer"
The deep lying tenderness of a bus
band who loves his wife sincerely
spoke in Strickland's voice. but added
to 1t there was the desire to know
that would not be denied
MAY. dear. | don't want to hurt you.
Won't you tell me what's troubling
your We've never had secrets from