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


alitE. and she wondered II tho work
that meant so much to her had been
only a casual incident In his busy life
! II was hard to keep her mind on the
typed words. This is the last night
that was the thought that obscssed
her. Kennedy thanked her for the
work and drew out his wallet. Much
as she needed tho money. she Away
shrank from his paying her With a
flushed embarrassed Thank you" Mar
| garet crushed the bills into her purse
/ AS Kennedy walked with her TO the
car he drew something from her of
her life at the boarding house. \ car
was waiting. and Margaret WAS almost
relieved that the parting was SO
abrupt WAS easier that way. I'm
sceingiy. she took the first empty scat
next 10 that occupied by Jimmy Dale.
II am not a cheap skate like your
friend" was his tormcntins remark.
Il Will blow YOU to a taxi"
Kennedy had turned to glance back
at the retreatinE car. lie saw Mar
garet hurriedly getting OF SO as TO
avoid man who spranE out after
her. Kennedy hurried up. and, with a
swift. firm grip on his collar. sent the
astonished fellow staggering against
lamp post Thoroughly covered,
Jimmy Dale SUNK off.
Margaret fearing the boarding house
gossip. refused to permit Kennedy 10
send her home In a taxi He followed
her into the next car. and they found
seats together.
Absorbed, neither OF them noticed an
anxious stirring among the passengers.
They were going down steep grade,
the motorman frantically working his
brake. trying to check the increasing
speed. Then terrific lurch as the
cable broke and the car shot down
the hill.
Kennedy. realizing the hopelcssness
OF escape. drawing Margaret within his
arms. waited FOR the final crash. Black
delirium followed, and when lie finally
crawled from the wreckaEe he dragged
Margaret with him. She was uncon-
sc!ous
Straining over her with an anguished
Margaret, Margaret" in blinded
flash. came the realization OF how much
she meant to him. Tie knew that he
lover her
In the narrow ballroom Margaret
faced her disheveled image in the
mirror. Her pallor was emphasized by
her loosened hair and the black streak
on her forehead
Still unncrved. She dropped on the
bed, her confused mind trying TO bring
order out Of the GREATNESS events of
the past hour. She still felt the encir-
c!ins strength OF kernedy's arms as
he held her y hot hush dyed her
pa!lor when she glanced al the folded
Slip she was nervously creasinG. Her
Nurse lost in the wreckaEe. Kennedy
had insisted on her taking this check.
only her urgent need had made her
finally consent 20 the loan, for II was
only az Il loan that she would accept il.
Too excited 70 sleep, She knelt by
the window until long after midnight.
For months she had been terrified by
the thought that no one in the great
ely cared. but nov, for the moment,
her desolation had fallen from her.
. The throbbinE consciousness OF Ken
nedy's nearness. the refuge OF his
strength, was still with her
Kennedy, hurrying home. was re
lieved that his wife was not waiting
UP for him. for just now he shrank
from the though OF being questioned
The sense OF Marsarets nearne... the
pulsating moments he held her In his
arms, shattered the quiet conservatism
Of his life.
( Mary was no, asleep. Hating herself
FOR her suspicious, she tried 10 vanish
them in sleep, Was che becoming
shrewish jealous wife? For some time
there had been a subtle withdrawal in
hi. attitude. lie was becoming daily
more absorbed and absent minded. She
tried 10 attribute them 10 his WORK
hut there WAS always the lurking Gear
that II was something more
In spite OF her almost sleeplcss night.
Mary at the brcakfas, table
dressed for Weekend trip TO their
houseboat when Kennedy came down
II was with increasing misgivinss that
Mary chung TO her husband as she
told him good by. she knew there
would tie no rest in this trip alone
Al the houseboat time hung heavy
on her hands 1t was the first time
that Mary had ever come down alone.
Always Horace had been with her But
now that he was coming only for he
week ends. the place seemed 10 have
taken on Il dreary emptiness
!, was with real pleasure that she
greeted Frank Norwood the energetic
editor 81 Elackwalys Magazine an old
friend o! the l<cnnedyS. on one OF her
infrequcnt excursions from the house
boat. lie was vacationing at the River
Bank Ina
A, they strolied 10 tn. hous.t,oa,
Norwood discussed his work lie had
couple OF manuscript.
rs pIcuy poor lot" Norwood
III cigarette "All sleep produccrs
except one-the one YOU have there.
It's a Corhing story. His wife and the
other Woman, b. Margaret Warner
Mary recognized the name az that
OF the GIL who helped Horace with hi.
articles She volunteered 30 read The
story. and Norwood gave his cager
consent
Thai morning Al brcakfas, Mhrgare,
was subjected 4" hofnbardncnt of
curious questions Sh. Mas saved the
embarrassment Of explanations by a
telephone call. u was Horace To
his solicitation rs 70 tho anercrcct.