Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1917-05-25

gered him out OF all reason, and he
began harsh remonstrance. But he
halted when she cried:
"Wait! I must tell you something
Ed. It's all over, and has been for q
long time. We're going to end it,"
END it?"
eve can't go on living together. Why
should WEI"
80? Divorce? Is that it?"
Alaire nodded.
"Well, I'll be d-d!' Ed was dunn.
founded. isn't this rather sudden %
he managed to inquire.
"Oh, no. You've suggested it more
than once"
Il thought you didn't believe in di.
vOrces-couldn't stomach 'em? What's
happened?"
Il have changed my mind.'
"Humph! People don't change their
minds in a minute" he cried angrily.
rs there some other man?"
Now Ed Austin had no faintest idea
that his wife would answer in the afiir.
native, for he had long ago learned to
put implicit confidence in her, and her
life had been so open that he could
not imagine that it held a double in
terest. Therefore her reply struck him
speechless.
"Yes Ed" she said quietly. "There
is another man."
1iI-n 10
had never lied to him.
Eds mouth opened; his redeemed
eyes protruded. ''Well--" he stam-
mered. "Well" Then after moment /:
"Who is it, the greaser or the cow
boy?" He laughed loudly, disagree
ably. "It must be one or the other for
you haven't seen any men except them.
Another man! Well, you're cool about
it,"
II am glad you know the truth"
Muttering to himself, Ed made O.
short excursion around the room, then
paused before his wife with a sheer on
his lips. did it ever occur to you that
l might object?" he demanded.
Alaire eyed him scornfully. "What
right have you to objectY
Ed could not restrain a malevolent
CLEAN of curiosity. "Say, who is it?
Amt entitled to know that much? 2"
AS Alaire remained silent, he let his
eyes rove over her with kind of angry
appreciation. you're pretty enough to
stampede any man." he admitted.
eyes, and you've got money, too. Til
bet it's the Ranger. HUH We're
tarred with the same stick"
"YOu don't really believe that" she
told him, sharply.
"Why not? You've had enough op-
portunity. 1 don't see anything of you.
Well. | was fool to trust YOU
Alaire's eyes were very dark and
very bright as she said: II wonder how
have managed to live with you as
long as have. knew you were weak,
nasty-so I was prepared for some
thing like this. But 1 never thought
you were downright criminal until"
Criminal? Rotp'
"How about that Guzman affair?
You can't go much lower, Ed, and you
can't keep me here with YOU
81 can't keep you, chr: he growled.
swell, perhaps not. 1 suppose you've
got enough on me to secure a divorce,
but 1 can air some of your dirty linen.
Oh, don't look like that! / mean it
Didn't you spend night with David
Law?" He leered at her unpleasantly,
then followed step as she drew back.
s'Don't you touch mel" she cried.
A flush was deepening Eds purple
cheeks; his voice was peculiarly bru.
tai and throaty as he said: "The de.
cree isn't entered yet, and so long as
you are Mrs. Austin have rights. Yes
and intend to exercise them. You've
made me jealous, and" He made to
encircle her with his arms, and was
half successful, but when Alaire felt
the heat of his breath in her face, a
sick loathing sprang up within her.
and, setting her back against the wall
she sent him reeling. Whether she
struck him or merely pushed him away,
she never knew, for during the instant
of their struggle she was blind with in.
dignation and fury. Profiting by her
advantage, she lodged past him, fed to
her room, and locked herself in.
She heard him muttering profanely
heard him approach her chamber more
than once, then retire uncertainty, but
she knew him too well to be afraid.
Later that night she wrote two let
ters-one to Judge Ellsworth, the other
to Dave Law.
Jose Sanchez rode to the Morales
house feeling some concern over the
summons that took him thither. He
wondered what could have induced
General Longorio to forsake his many
important duties in order to make the
long trip from NuevO Pueblo; surely
it could be due to no lack of zeal on
his (Jose's) part. No! The horse
breaker fattered himself that he had
made a very good spy indeed; that he
had been Longorio's eyes and ears SO
far as circumstances permitted. Nor
did he feel that he had been lax in
making his reports, for through Rosa
he had written the general several