Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-05-27

one small attained window.
The hrst glimpse OF the mail that
had bsen thrust under the door brought
TO her throat tho sick clutchinG that
always came with a rejected manu-
script Inside WAS the usual slip
without even a personal line to take
away tho sting.
would she have the heart to send
Il out again? She had put into IT her
best work, for she had written about
tho things abe knew. 1t was story
Of = sordid boarding -house-the life
she waa living. Having woven into It
her own struggles. her heartachins
LONELINESS, her starved ambition. she
had called II The Woman Alone"
She was still turning broodinsly
through the manuscript when there
came tho clamorous clang OF the din
ner bell. How she loathed the long
table crowded with Garrulous boarders!
There was no escape. and she started
down to the basement The entrance
Of AIrs. Devlin cut short the complaints
OF her boardcrs. who n moment before
had been demanding something differ
ant once In while
Jimmy Dale. fresh young shipping
clerk. whose seat was beside Mar
sarsts. annoyed her by obnoxious at
tsntisns throughout tho meal, and Mar
Garst Was glad to rush off without her
dessert. HurryinE UP. she closed the
transom over her door TO shut out the
sounds of disturbance downstairs.
That same evening, several miles
across the city. Mary Kennedy stood
before her eilver-strewn dressing table
examining the faint lines under her
eyes.
There was IN her hear, the dread
chill that comes 10 every woman with
the hru signs OF fading youth. She
tried TO comfort herself with the
thought that youth meant less TO her
than TO most women. for she had so
much in her home and Horace.
Yet this very reinsurance brought
more poignant worry For months
Horace had been becoming more alb
stracted. more absorbed IN his work
and less interested IN her and the
home. II was the price of his success
that she mus; pay.
Horace's heavy step on the stairs.
Eagerly she ran out 10 meet him
Anxious eol!c!tude Was rewarded with
kiss given absent!y. Horace pleaded
he ma. dead sired, and asked May 10
hurry up dinner. Al table Horace was
unusually loquacious. He told his wife
how Doyle. lawyer. disbarred through
his efforts because ne collected 500
from magazine for MarEare, Warner
and kept II. was vowing all sort. OF
Vengeance
Il do wish. dear. sou would be more
careful" was her plea
An echo Q. the proceedings came
with letter from the Star requesting
Kennedy 10 write series OF articles
on the abuses in the courts through
unscrupulous attorneys II had always
been kennedy's ambition TO write and
in this offer Mary saw an opportunity
TO bring them nearer. arres,;nE his
growing abstraction. Reluctantly IIor-
ace promised 10 send type writer
home, so tina, she might copy The
articles.
Another week and they were wei,
into the work Accustomed 30 his Of
ace stenoEraphe., ne was at first
amused, then impatient at her many
errors. He nugEested regular stem
oGrapher At tho house but did not
press the point when he saw her hurt
disappointment But that same even
Ing in getting reference hook from
an upper shelf, she slipped on the
library ladder. ana in catching herself
sprained her wrist
Reluctantly she conceded TO stem
okrapher. *. l.
Remember. ring" Markar., Warner and
her statement that she was often
forced to do typnE, Kennedy decided
10 secure her services. lie phoned her
and she gladly accepted his offer OF
evening work The next evening Ken
nedy greeted her cordially, sensing her
embarrassment and trying TO put her
at ease. The work went easily and
well and an arrangement OF three even
inss week was agreed upon
Tonight she was TOO happy 10 rebel
At the sordidness of her home sur
round!nKs. In tho six months since
MarRare, had come 20 New York there
had been many days OF bitter dis
eeuraEement only pride and grim de
termination goaded her on in her am
hilton TO be famous writer. Her
work with kennedy came as an allevi-
st!ng respite from the worries Of the
weekly hills
kennedy's pride IN his new work
knew no bounds when the star com
P'iWehNeu MIN 'u lIlS liSl STllE4F. NUT
Mary's enthusiasm was somewhat
forced. Instead or bringing them nearer
as shs had hoped, the work wa. only
widening their enlargement;
That I, was most unw!se for any
wife 10 depend solely upon her nus
hand for happiness. she knew and We,
that Is what she had done.
When Ktnnedy's practice was stil!
limited. the house work with only on.
maid. had taken most OF her time but
now with a more pretentious house and
trained servants work was organ.
tzed that There was !i,,!e left FOR hei
10 do.
For Margaret and Kennedy. the WORT
progressed smoothly. but Mary Wa
disturbed. when she spoke 10 hin
about HIS custom OF taking Miss War
Eer TO the car.
at seems only an ordinary courtes.
sncs she works SO late was the cur