The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1916-02-08
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A DELINQUENT HUSBAND
BY ERNE oLMsTsA0.


Beatrice Strengthened up from her |
darning and glanced across the living |
room table at her husband engrossed |
in the evening paper. Her appraisal |
was silent, but comprehensive. Elk
cept for a little thinning of the hair |
above the temples and the addition OF |
little flesh and eyeglasses, Fred was
the same ine-looking fellow she had |
married.
She sighed, then got up and went to |
a hall mirror and began an investiga-
tion of herself She felt pretty an
cient, with eight-year-old twins asleep |
upstairs It had been a long tine I
since she had given herself much |
thought, but now she looked search. |
ingly at each individual feature her
hair. her eyes, the curve Of her mouth |
and her smooth, yelvety checks. She |
gazed long and carefully, but finally |
turned away satisfied
Fred's magnetism-the thing that I
had caught and held her when she |
struggled against marriage and the |
loss of her freedom-unfortun |
had the same effect upon other women
that it had upon herself.
The effect had been slow. but sure, |
Fred had been spoiled and had got |
away from her.
Beatrice had never cared much or
resented all this. She was busy with |
home duties and her children, and she |
argued that Fred would come back TO
her when the children were older and |
she had more time. But now the chill.
dren were older and she had plenty OF
time-too much, but Fred had not |
come back.
II think I'll run over to the club, |
Bee Her husband came out of the I
living room and went for his hat. II |
| am not home by eleven, go to bed |
Good-by." He kissed her lightly on |
the cheek and went out.
She went TO her desk and took out 7
two letters The first was a business
letter inclosing a check for $500, her
own dividend that she received from
some family stock. The second was
from Evelyn Warren, in New York,
urging her to make them visit we
are in the midst Of merry whirl, 4
dearie," she wrote, so you'll have no
chance to be bored. Besides. Cecil /
Frampton is here and not married yet.
(He never got over losing you, Bee)
Two weeks away from that poky old
place will make new woman Of you.
Do come. Lovingly, Eva"
81 ot f.,sco
when do you think you will make
your business trip to New York? You
always go about this time, don't you?
"Yes. I've been thinking about it.
About the 25th, l suppose. Why?"
When you are away think I'll
take the children and-and go to Aunt
Martha's. She's been writing for us,
you know. In getting some new
clothes"
That's right. You won't get so
lonely" Time was when he would
have said: Cant you get Aunt Mar
tina to come and stay here with the
children so you can go with me? The
trip would do you good"
That day she filed in the date Of the
letter and mailed it, then betook her
self to the tailors and dressmakers in
a nearby city Time was short for
what she had to do.
Fred, too, made the preparations for
his trip East, and when he finally ar
rived in the great metropolis he was
received by certain pleasure-loying
set with wide-open arms. A few hours
with business men through the day
and long evenings Of dining, dancing,
theaters and cabarets.
Freddie" declared pretty Mrs
Huntleigh, you have saved my life
Toms niece is visiting us and we need /
an odd man for her. We have thou
sand things to do in the next two
weeks and I am going to expect you
to see us through So Freddie was
helping them out to the best OF his
ability.
One night at the theater, q party
came in late and occupied a tor quite
near them. AT the close Of the act
Fred leaned over to Isabelle. What I
do you think Of ii, Miss Murtland?
Good music, eh?" For answer she Z
merely nodded her head toward the I
newcomers. Il was wondering she |
said. who that stunning looking wom- |
an is talking to Cecil Frampton. They
are with the Warrens."
He followed her glance and started 1
with dismay For it was Beatrice
whom Isabelle Murtland had noticed
Beatrice, so bewilderingly beautiful
and looking so wonderfully happy and
animated that he had to look again to
be sure it was she. Beatrice did not
see him and he drew back into the
shadow of the box.
In the next week, he saw her four
times with Frampton and the War
rens, at different places Of amusement,
but he always managed some way to
remain unnoticed.
MY wifes the best looking woman
in New York" he cried, savagely one
evening. q don't know how she hap
pens to be here, but know she isn't !
going to flirt with that fool any long
or Avd bo ol4o1 ~, tbe XYyorro,,c ~, !