The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1916-01-06
Deception
By RUTH GRAHAM
By RUTH GRAHAM

of England. Her brother. Hugh. SOL
der with the British army in Flanders.
had not written for some time, and
apprehension was felt that he had been
killed or wounded or was i'll. Mrs.
Adams was old, nearly blind, and her
daughters efforts to keep her up were
wearing on the poor girl dreadfully.
News had come of one Of the German
drives ON Calais, and the old lady was
dreading every moment to hear bad
news from her son.
One morning the news came, sure
enough. An officer of Hugh Adams
regiment rang the doorhell at her
home. Muriel, who was on the watch,
answered the summons, and Lieuten-
ant Arnold Brewer broke the news TO
her that her brother had been killed in
the late drive.
Perhaps it was that Brewers voice
was very like Hugh Adams; perhaps
the old lady, who was listening on the
floor above. wished that her son was
below. At any rate, she mistoek the
conner for Hugh and called out feebly:
MY boy, my boy! Come to your
nother!"
Muriel locked at the officer IN de-
SPAR. Brewer saw the situation and
resolved to stave off the critical mo-
ment. Mounting the stairs, he suffered
the poor mother to put her arms about
him and weep on his shoulder. Mu-
riei, who realized that the deception
would soon be exposed, ran up the
stairs and, separating the two, said:
There, there, mother. You are not
strong enough to bear this. Hugh, go
below. l will take mamma back to her
bed, and she may see you again later"
Brewer, who had shown signs Of
breaking down under exposure Ia the
trenches, had been given a three weeks
leave that he might recuperate. Hav-
ing been thus suddenly drawn into
deception, neither he nor Muriel could
see way cut Of it. Muriel in addi-
ton to her grief at the death Of her
brother, now had the burden Of keep
ing up a deception which, if revealed,
she feared would cause her mothers
death. After disposing of her mother,
when she had separated Brewer from
her, she went down stairs, and the
two held consultation as to what
to tell Mrs. Adams that Hugh was
obliged to report himself at certain
military station some distance from
the Adams home, that he had gone to
do so and could not get back till the
next day.
Before his return Muriel summoned
the doctor and informed him of the
situation He said that his patient
was at very low ebb, but he hoped
she would soon be stronger. He there
fore advised keeping up, If possible,
the deception till she was in better
condition to bear the shock. He vol
unteered to assist in this by telling
Mrs. Adams that he would not con-
sent to her receiving her son more
than once day and that only for
quiet and not excite herself
This helped matters very much, so
far as keeping up the deception was
concerned, for it would have been i'm
possible for Mrs. Adams and Brewer
TO be much together without an expo
sure. Unfortunately Mrs. Adams did
not improve. Indeed, she became
weaker every day. Lieutenant Brewer
was kept from his own home except
when an excuse could be invented for
his leaving the Adamses. But for this
he was not over sorry since he found
the playing of brother to Muriel Adams
very attractive. Then, too, Muriel
needed much comforting He longed
to take her in his arms, smooth her
hair and whisper encouraging words
in her ear.
The constant watching lest Mrs.
Adams should become possessed of
their secret also tended to draw them
together. Every day when Brewer Wis
tied Mrs Adams Muriel was with them
and contrived to render it unnecessary
that he should do much Of the talking,
fearing that her mother would discov-
er the deception from his voice. She
also coached him before the meeting
took place and led the conversation
into such channels as would be safe.
All these things drew the bonds be-
tween Brewer and Mural closer.
Meanwhile Mrs Adams was sinking
and the day for Brewers return to the
front was approaching. The departure
Of her supposed son affected the invalid
adversely and the leavetaking was
dreaded by all. The doctor and her
daughter united in begging her to let
the supposed Hugh go without q good
by. but she would not consent. For
two or three days before the day set
for the parting she was slowly sinking,
and when the hour came and he went
into the sickroom with Muriel she was
dying.
The two were kneeling beside her
bed when she said to them:
II cannot bear to leave you, my chill