The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1917-02-10

her husband with Mamie Beck, the two
walking slowly, in earnest CONVERSE
ton. They were on the opposite side
of the street, and they did not see her.
She found herself following them. 1t
was not n fine thing to do, not eve
very decent or honorable. But was she
not his wife? That seemed to her to
excuse it all.
She saw them enter Mamie Beck's
home. This then was the solutionl
He did care for this other woman
He was tired of her so soon Not
yet married five months, and 1t was
all over, the happiness, the love upon
which she had built such wonderful
castles of delight
She did not go to the shop. What
was the use? He might not eve come
home TO dinner. She went back, flung
herself down, and wept and sobbed as
never had she done before.
After a time she heard his latchkey
in the door. She rose quickly and tried
to. battle away the traces of her tears.
She did not NEAR he should see how
she had suffered, or that she had seen
him with Mamie Beck.
She met her husband with an icy
reserve that left him very little oppor-
tunity for attempts at reconciliation.
The next morning, having thawed a
little, he met her more than half way.
But as fate or some other psychology
ical factor would have it, that very day
she again saw Harry with Mamie Beck.
They stood outside of a shop, and
oh horrorsl she saw him hand her
money. There was no installing 1t for
Mamie opened her purse and put 1t in,
and both laughed heartily as they
parted.
That evening Harry met his wife
more affectionately than ever. He had
a nice little surprise for her, and he
opened q parcel he had brought in.
He proudly displayed a purple shirt
waist about two years out of date, a
pair of cheap, yellow silk stockings
several sizes too large, and a petticoat
built for a miss of fourteen.
He tried to preserve a strictly neu-
trail exterior as he noted the look Of
dismay with which Annabel surveyed
the articles.
81 got them so cheap, dear, I
couldn't resist buying them. l hope
you like the things. l had an awful
time getting them, there was such a
mob of women. But you see l did
think of you! !"
Harry Hartei You know / never
yueor DurDIn - prind AnDohpl
"Oh, don't your" he responded with
carefully assumed innocent surprise.
And these stockings! Do you think
l wear a number nine shoef"
"They are a triie large, aren't they?'
"a man never knows about such
things. Please don't buy anything
more"
1t was Harte's turn to put on the
hurt air, which he did with all due
elaboration. Annabel certainly was de-
void of a sense of humor. Neverthe-
less about two days later he appeared
before his astonished wife withha pair
of diversified gloves, and a hat of the
vintage of 1910, which he told Annabel
he had bought for her for next to
nothing.
This was the last straw. Annabel
overlooked with Indignation.
II see it all :" she stormed. You
want TO make a perfect fright OF me so
people will sympathize with you for
being tied up to such a trump, and so
you can get a divorce and marry
Mamie Beck !"
Iortns- fogn nxnwaSgn1 tttap HpSnnfr
this time not all assumed. His trump
card had failed.
"Well, l thought I was pleasing
you" he said disconsolately. II sup
pose if you had married Tom Bennett
you'd have liked what he bought for
you"
His retort was so nearly Identical
with her own on a previous occasion
that suddenly a light seemed TO break
In on her.
Did he really care for her? But
what about Mamie Beck, and what she
had seer with her own eyes?
Look here !" she cried. "You never
bought such atrocious things as these
You couldn't have found them in a
days journey! You just got someone
to do it."
Eyes, l did"
"Was 1t Mamie Beck?"
"Yes."
"And you went and told her every.
thing!"
Listen, dear! 1t was all accidental.
We met on the street, she saw how
miserable 1 looked, she drew 1t out of
me, she only wanted us both to be
happy again."
"Oh!"
The exclamation was dry and doubt
full.
Look here, Annabel! Everything
she said and did was for"
"For my good"
Something like that missing sense of
humor began to twitch the corners of
her mouth.
"Well-I guess she was right" said
Annabel. ASK her to dinner tomor-
row. It's no more bargain counters for
me, honey-if you'll swear off"
The compact was not signed in
words, but something much more ex-
pressive.