Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1917-01-13

about this than you can. II ever
can be Of help to you"
The door closed on wilkins and his
unhappy wife in the midst Of Olcott's
apology. Tom whirled about upon
Olive
what do you mean by ordering my
| assistant out OF the housei" he asked,
harshly.
Il did more than thatw retorted
Olive, as angry as he. 81 wrote the
letter that brought her husband here"
You? My wife?' stammered Tom.
aghast. You sank to the dirty trick
of writing an anonymous letter. Il
cant believe it,"
1T is less easy 10 believe" she
ragged. than TO believe that that WON
an should boast Of being so happy
here with you and that she would
never go backY And you said to
her: You know how much | think OF
you" and you warned her not To de
eide on anything she might be sorry
for"
How do you know that?" snapped
Tom. THAT talk occurred here in my
Office. The door was shut"
The usually neat Office looked as if
cyclone had struck it. A chair had
been upset. The desk papers lay ev-
erywhere. A large picture, struck by
the flying shoulders of one of the two
battlers, had fallen from its cord, and
lay on the floor, its glass shattered.
Tom stopped to pick up the chair.
And his eyes fell upon the section of
the wall, in front Of which the dis
placed picture had hung.
Against the wall surface showed a
black rubber disk. Tom looked at il
for Il moment, then sputtered in unbe-
lieving horror:
"a dictaphone!"
"Yes!" assented Olive, anger sweep
ing her now beyond all fear of con
sequences. "a dictaphone. l had il
| installed there, two days ago, when
] you were away. 1t connects with my
room. AND l heard enough to"
"And this is the woman l was crazy
enough TO marry" groaned Tom. a
woman who sinks to anonymous let
ters and to spying on me with die
taphOnei Good Lord -
'If you were not guilty" she an
swered viciOusly, there would be nc
need"
IF you were not insane with cause
less jealousy" he stormed, at would
never have occurred to you to suspect
me. AS for guilt, l can look my Iuaker
| in the face and swear l have been
true to you in thought and word and
deed. You know l am telling the
| truth when I say It, The Green Ora
gon has you by the throat, Olive. And
ne can never be shaken off. l see that
now"
Tom" she faltered, convinced,
despite her baser self, Of the mans in
nOcence.
But it was too late. The injustice
to which he had been exposed had
sunk into Tom OlcOtt's very soul, driv-
ing out all gentler thoughts.
This Is the end ~ he said, abruptly.
Il have stood your jealous suspicion
for the last time. 1t has wrecked
our happiness, and I am not going to
let it wreck what remains Of my life"
what do you meanT
81 am going away" he replied. AT
once. The institute is yours, to do
what you choose with. And make
what you choose Of your life, now that
you've blighted mine. I'm through
with you"
He strobe out of the room. Snatch
ing up hat from the hall rack he
left the house.
For many minutes Tom Olcott
walked on, his brain afire with resent
ment. Then the rush OF cool air in his
face and the exercise of his brisk walk
combined gradually TO make him
calmer.
"She can't help It," he found him
self muttering. "It's born in her. L
1 must &C back. She needs me-"
Dusk had fallen when Tom re-en-
tered the house. He went at once to
the wing of the building which he re-
served for Olive and himself.
He tapped at the door of Olives
room. Receiving no answer he en-
tered. The room was dark. His hand
CROPPED for the electric button, and
pressure Of his finger flooded the
whole place with light.
On the bed lay Olive, very white,
very still. At her side was the phial
of heart-depressant-empty.
The Green Dragon had claimed his
own. 1t was easy to place the blame
on it but when it really comes to de-
cidiag Who's Guilty in similar cases
parents and teachers must also bear
their share Of the burden.
(END OF THIRTEENTH STORY.)
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