New Britain herald., 1917-05-10


 through Mrs. Stewart.
 where is your husband '' Dr.. Petit demanded. and there was that in his voice which told me that he was putting an iron hand upon his own emotions.
 Now the stock answer which Lillian and I returned to all inquiries l of this sort was 'In San Francisco | upon q big commissoin." It was upon l my lips. but some influence stronger than any wNl made me change it to the truth.
 ''I do not know'', I said faintly. "He 1 left the city very abruptly several weeks ago. sending word in letter | to Mrs. Underwood that he would never see me again."
 Dr. Petit muttered something that l I knew was a bitter anathema against | Ddcky, and. then folded his arms 1 tightly across his chest as if he would keep in any further comment. But I ! had no time to pay any attention to him. for Katherine Sonnot was utter | ing words that bewildered and terri- lied mo. "Oli What Is It?" ooh. how terrible!" she said. '.Jack will be grievedi He had 50 hoped to find you happy together when he came home.'
 Was the girls brain turned. won- dered. because of grief for my brother cousins death? had known before I secured the chance for her to go to France that she was roman tically interested in tho man who had been her brothers comrade, although she had never seen him. And from Jacks letters to Mrs. Stewart I had learned of their meeting in the French hospital, and of the acquaintance which promised to ripen--which evidently had ripened-into love. I looked at her searchingly. She showed no evidence of any brain dis turbance. And then spoke. hardly able to get the words out for the wild trembling of my whole body: 'Jack grteved!" I said. Why. Jack is dead. We had the notice of his death weeks ago from his friend, Paul Caillaril.''
 I saw them all look at me as if frightened. Dr. Petit reached me
 first and put something under my nostrils which vitalixed my wander ing senses. strengthened myself and cried out peremptorily:
 What Is 1t, oh, what is it?'' saw Katherine look at Dr. Petit
 as if for permission, and the young physician's lips form the' words ''Tell her." '.No, dear, Jack Is not dead." she said softly. ''He was missing for some time, and was brought into our hospital terribly wounded, but he IS very much alive now, and will be here in New York in two weeks. felt the pungent reviviher m pr. Pettit's hand steal under my nostriis again, but pushed 1t aside and sat up.
 What pr. Petit Asked. sI am not at all faint. said abruptly, and then to Katherine Son. not: "Please say that over again. slowly"
 She repeated her words slowly. "1 should have waited to come over with
 him." she added. flor he is still quite weak, but Dr. Braithwaite had to business in New York for the hos- to come on earlier"
 So 1t was true, then. this miracle of Jack, the brother-cousin on whom I had depended all my life. and still , in the same world with me! Some of the terrible burden I had been l bearing since Dicky's disappearance slipped away for me. If any one in l the world could solve the mystery of 1 Dicky's actions 1t would be Jack Bickett.
 Dr. Pettits voice broke into my reverie. saw that Lillian and Kath-
 crime Sonnot were deep in conversa-
 ton. The young physician and were
 far enough away from them SO that
 there was no possibility of his low
 tones being heard.--He bent over my
 chair, and his eyes were burning with
 a light that terrified me.
 s"Tell me-, he commanded. ''do you
 want your husband back again
 Take your time in answering. I must
 know"
 There was something in his voice that compelled obedience. I leaned
 back in my chair and shut my eyes while I looked at the question he had put to me fairly and squarely.