The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1917-08-10

then: "How did you find out about 1t,
Roddy? Who told your
mo one" he said, in voice I'M
naturally level and dry. 81 went to
see the show on the recommendation
of country client, and there she was
on the stage"
"Oh" cried Frederica-a muf1ed,
barely audible cry of passionate SYM
patty. Then: you've seen her off
the stage-talked with herr"
81 didn't ask her to explain" said
Rodney. 81 asked her to come home
and she wouldn't"
"Oh, it's wicked" she cried. cts
the most abominably selfish thing I
ever heard of ~
pull up, Freddyr' he said. Rather
gently, though, for him. There's no
good going on like that. And besides
E. You were saying Harriet would
do anything in the world for me. Well,
there's something you can do. You're
the only person l know who can"
Her answer was to come around be-
hind his chair, put her cheek down
beside his, and reach for his hands.
Lets get away from this miserable
breakfast table," she said. "Come up
to where live, where we can be safe
ly by ourselves; then tell me about
it."
In front of her boudoir fire, look
ing down on her as she sat in her flow
cred wing chair an enormously dis
tended rug-covered pillow beside her
knees waiting for him to drop down
on when he felt like it, he began
rather cautiously to tell her what he
wanted.
'Tll tell you the reason why I've
come to you" he began, "and then
you'll see. Do you remember nearly two
years ago, the night got wet coming
here to dinner-the night you were
going to marry me off to Her
mione Woodruff? We had long talk
afterward, and you said, speaking of
the chances people took getting mar
ried, that it wasn't me you worried
about, but the girl, whoever she might
be, who married me-"
The little gesture she made admit
ted the recollection, but denied its
relevancy. She'd have said something
to that effect, but he prevented her.
mo" he insisted, sit wasn't just
talk. There was something in it. At
terward, when we were engaged, two
or three times, you gave me tips about
things. And since we've been married
Well, somehow, I've had the
, feeling that you were on her side
that you saw things her way-things
that 1 didn't see."
, Little things" she protested; ''lit
, tie tiny things that couldn't possibl!
I matter-things that any woman woult
be on another woman's side, as yol
! say, about"
, But she contradicted this statemen
r. at once. "Oh, did love herl" she sal
fiercely. mot just because she love
you, but because thought she was a
together adorable. 1 couldn't help
And of course that's what makes N
so perfectly furious now-that 81
should have done thing like this
you"
"AlI right" he said. "Never mil
about that. This is what want you
/ do. want you to go to see her, and
want you to ask her, in the first plaC
to try to forgive me-"
"What forT' Frederick demanded.
81 want you to tell her." he went o
''that it's impossible that she should
more Mortified at the thing did, than
am myself. want you to ask her, wha
ever she thinks my deserts are, to
just one thing for me, and that is
let me take her out of that perfect
hideous place. 1 don't ask anythin
else but that. She can make any tern
she likes. She can live where or no
she likes. Only-not like that. Ma,
be it's a deserved punishment, but
can't stand it."
There was the Capitalization I
what little thinking he had managed
do in the two purgatorial days he
spent in a down-state hotel-in the il
tervals of fighting off the memory I
the dull, frozen agony he'd seen
Roses face as he left her.
Frederick, naturally, was mystifie
''That's absurd, of course, Roddy," 81
said gently. "You haven't done an
thing to Rose to be forgiven for"
you'll just have to take my VOL
for it," he said shortly. I'm n
ed exaggerating."
cy ''But, Roddy" she persisted. 'YC
a must be sensible. oh, it's no wonde
ed You're all worn out. You look as
you hadn't slept for nights. What
ng you were angry and lost your temp
er and hurt her feelings? Heaven
en- Weren't you entitled to, after VIII
she'd done? And when she'd left "
to find it out like that?"
81 tell you, you don't know the fiji
thing about it."
81 don't suppose you-beat her,
in you"
1t was too infuriating, having hi
tut meek like thisl
list His reply was barely audible: