The Washington herald., 1916-07-23

office desk reviewing some of the exer-
door of the once was flung open and a
man stamped noisily into the room un-
announced.
The stranger was burly and thick-set.
and his dark face seemed carven in
I perpetual scowl At sight of him Minna
sprang to her feet.
Mr.. Wilkins" said Tom, coldly, 1T is
/ my custom to meet visltors in the re-
ception room, not in here. II you came
to see your wife,"
! Yes" intervened Wilkins, speaking
| almost incoherentiy in his anger, II did
! come here to see my wife. came to see
you too. Look at this letter! got IT In
this mornings mail"
He slammed down upon the desk a
sheet OF paper on which. in a palpably
1 disguised hand were written the words:
| Some husbands are wise. They watch
their wives. Some husbands are fools
They let their wives get out of their
sight. II. you are wise you will take
your wife away from the olcott insti-
tute .N
"oNE WHO KNOWS"
| What is the meaning Of this?" de-
! manded Tom, tossing aside the anony-
nous note with an exclamation of con-
tempt
1T means you are trying to steal my
| wife from me-" fared Wilkins. 1T
means She"
Henry" pleaded Minna, in fright.
She clung TO Toms arm terrified as
her husband strobe toward them. None
| OF the three noted that Olive had come
| into the office drawn by the loud voice
Of Wilkins and that she was staring
wrathfully at Minna who still chung to
/ Tom.
Tom gently freed himself from Minnas
clasp and thrust her behind him as Will
kins bore down upon them
You are drunk or insane. Mr.. VIII
kins." said Tom. In either case"
In either case" beloved wilkins,
Tn going TO thrash the cur who stole
| my wife from me.
He made a bull-rush at Tom. The lat
| clumsy attack, and, with a quick half
arm jolt sent Wilkins sprawling on the
| rug.
Wilkins was up again at once and
! charged his nimbler foe. only to- find him.
| self deftly caught in double Nelson"
that left him powerless and choking,
Now then" a5ked Tom. will you 60.
or shall break your neck? leave the
choice entirely to you"
Before wilkins could sputter reply
Olive stepped forward from the door
| way Straight UP to the trembling Minnc
she came.
Leave this house at once" she order
ed. shrilly. DO you hear me? Co."
olive" cried Tom
"or l go"'
"IH go! III go" whimpered Mlnns
oh. am so sorry. Mr.. olcott. i"
60" repeated Olive. her face white,
her eyes burning with rage.
And you go, too Tom srowled TO
| wilkins. releasing him But II ever
again I hear OF you in-treating Minna
I'll break your neck and every bone in
Your body. Minna, I feel worse about
this than you can. II ever I can be Of
help to you"
The door closed on wilkins and his
unhappy wife in the midst OF Olcotts
apology. Tom whirled about upon Olive
What do you mean by ordering my
assistant out OF the house," he asked.
harshly.
Il did more than that" retorted Olive
as angry as he. Il wrote the letter that
brought her husband here"
| You? My wife," stammered Tom
| aghast. You sank to the dirty trick Of
writing an anonymous letter? IL can't
believe it"
Tt is less easy to believe" she ragged
!
| boast OF being so happy here with you
and that she would never 60 back And
you said to her: You know how much
l think of you" and you warned her not
to decide on anything she might be sorry
| for"
How DO you know that" snapped
Tom That talk occurred here in my
office. The door was shut"
| She shrugged her shoulders. To re-
strain the words of bitter resentment
that sprang from his heart, Tom turned
| away from her and began to rearrange
the room, after the disorder caused by
| the fight
The usually neat Office looked as II q
cyclone had struck it A chair had been
upset. The desk papers lay everywhere
A large picture, struck by the flying
shoulders of one Of the two battlers, had
fallen from its cord, and lay on the floor
its glass shattered
Tom stopped to pick up the chair And
his eyes fell upon the section of the wall
IN front Of which the displaced picture
had hung
rubber disk. Tom looked al II for a mo-
ment. then sputtered in unbeliev1ns hor-
ror:
! "A d!cta phone"
! Yes" assented Olive. anger sweeping
her now beyond all fear Of consequences
! A dictaphone. ! had 1t installed there
two days ago. when you were away It
connects with my room. And I heard
enough to
| And this is the woman I was crazy
enough to marry" goaned Tom "A wo-
man who sinks TO anonymous letters AMI
to spyins on me with a dtctaphon Good
Lord"
! If you were not guilty" she answered
Ivlciously. there would be no need"
IF you were not insane with causeless
Jealousy" he stormed. 'ft would never
have occurred to you to suspect me As
for guilt I can look my maker in the
| face and swear I have been true to YOU
in thought and word and deed You
know l am telling the truth when say
| 1t. Your heart tells you so, even if your
| lips deny ii. And even If l were the
beast you pretend to think am. my sin
would be as nothing to that of writing
anonymous letters and spying. No. nor
OF breaking of a solemn promise. a you
broke Your promise not to be Jealous
again. The green dragon has you by the
| throat. Olive. And he can never be
shaken off. I see that now"
Tom she faltered, convinced de-
spite her baser self, of the mans in
nocence.
| R1rs