The Ely miner., 1916-01-28

ing as she struggled to arrive at an
explanation ali too plausible that would
sustain and REINFORCE her horrible
suspicious of yesterday.
The fear that she herself would
be placed in a questionable posi-
ton in the eyes of her husband
had outwe:ghel her fears for his
fidelity to her. Her trip to her mother,
and her mothers reproach for her lack
of faith had resolved her to tell all
and stake her future happiness on his
belief in her in the face Of obviously
incriminating circumstances. Now
that she had whipped her covering
courage to a desperate, brave stand,
and had made ready to stand or fall
on the strength of his love for her
now came this filthy gossipy scandal
monger with a tale which, if 1t were
true-and it was only too plausible
would reawaken in her her initial
doubt of his fidelity, strengthened and
indorsed hundred fold.
vi.
In awakening that morning, Norris
was again visited with his dread of the
previous day, that Ethel should hear
of Myra's installment in his cottage
before he had an opportunity to tell
her This troubled him so, that he ate
no breakfast, but hurried to his office,
trusting the exactions of his business
to take his mind from the annoying
thought. He had violent headache
by eleven o'clock, and attributing it to
the fact that he had neglected his
breakfast, went to an early lunch.
That was why, when Ethel called him
at 1880, he was out. His lunch gave
him immediate relief,
He bought an extra from a news
boy, folded it carelessly under his
threw the sheet on his desk it fell
face upward, and the words "Attor-
ney's Wife Is Correspondent in Di-
vorce Suit" staring at him in big
black type stretched clear across the
page. Maybe it was someone he
knew He took the sheet up and care
fully read the sub-headings: Mrs.
Willard Fall (Fall!' he gasped
charges she found Mrs. Ray Norris
and Mr.. Fall embracing
The sheet fell from his nerveless
fingers and he swallowed hard few
times to moisten his throat and mouth,
which had become suddenly dry. Then
came reaction from his nerveless un-
realization; he felt weak shaking
throughout this whole body, and was
conscious of his heart pulsing in great,
uneven jumps. The monstrousness,
the bold assurance of that staring type
was incredible. 1t was hideous, foul.
His wife and Fall! Why, they hardly
knew one another!
The one event that distinguished
the last few days from year of
happy, uneventful marriage was Eth
els insistent, hysterical demand to
send Myra Foster away from his Of
fice In explanation she had ex-
pressed an unwilling doubt "a doubt
nevertheless) that his relations with
the girl were all that they should be.
He knew his relations with Myra Fos-
ter were simple, honest, businesslike,
and that thought, combined with his
wife's suspicion, suggested to him in
sidiously, but certainly, that her sus,
picion of him might be but blind
for her relations with Fall Good God
what a hideous thought! He picked
up his phone receiver, clicked the
hook nervously many times, and after
| what seemed an unusual wait, was
connected with his home.
Hello, Mrs. Norris, please. This is
Mr.. Norris
Mrs. Norris is not in, sir She left
full an hour and half ago, and left
word she had gone to the beach cot
tage. Yes. Good-by.'
She had gone to the beach!-a place
he could never prevail on her to visit!
Why? Had she heard of Myra Foster
being there? He knew gossip could
travel as fast, and faster, than that
But, if she were using his relations
with Myra Foster as a blind to cover
her own affairs (this damnabie
thought kept persisting), if she were,
was it possible that she would have
the temerity to seize on Myra's pres.
ence in the cottage as justification
of a suspicion she knew to be false?
He cursed himself for his vile suspi-
cions But she had gone to the beach
If not for that, then for what?
The thought of Fall then entered
his mind and took his whole attention,
and he glanced hastily, searchingly
across the court to see whether he
was in his office. If this frightful
thing were true His lips met in a
long, hard seam as he unlocked the
bottom drawer of his desk and with
out looking hastily withdrew some
thing and slipped it into his pocket.
He rose, desperate, and leaving his Of
fee, crossed to Falls.
Fall was not there He questioned
the porter.
when will Fall be in?"
81 don't know, Mr.. Fall left word he
had gone to the beach, but didn't leave
no message when he'd be back again.
Ray started, shocked at the advice
that Fall had gone to the beach. He
said "all right" in a preoccupied voice
that seemed even to him not to have
emanated from his own throat, and
walked unsteadily away, "a sorta
quiet, wild look" as the porter after.
wards told, ION his face" 1t was all
very clear to him now-her subtle
trickery under the mask of injured