Middletown transcript., 1917-07-07

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.
It'll 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 1 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 it's
relevancy. Shed have said something
to that effect, but he prevented her
"No," he insisted, ut 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
4. Well, somehow, I've had the
feeling that you were on her side;
that you saw things her way-things
that didn't see."
Little things" she protested; cit
tie tiny things that couldn't possibly
matter things that any woman would
be on another woman's side, as you
say, about"
But she contradicted this statement
at once. "Oh, 1 did love her!" she said
fercely. "Not just because she loved
you, but because l thought she was al
together adorable. I couldn't help it.
And of course that's what makes me
so perfectly furious now-that she
should have done a thing like this to
you"
"All right" he said. "Never mind
about that. This is what want you to
do want you to 60 to see her, and I
want you to ask her, in the first place,
to try to forgive me-"
"What forr Frederick demanded.
Il want you to tell her." he went on,
that it's impossible that she should be
more Mortified at the thing did, than l
am myself. want you to ask her, what
ever she thinks my deserts are, to do
just one thing for me, and that Is to
let me take her out of that perfectly
hideous place. I don't ask anything
else but that. She can make any terms
she likes. She can live where or how
she likes Only-not like that. May
be it's deserved punishment, but 1
can't stand it,"
There was the capitalization of
what little thinking he had managed to
do in the two purgatorial days he'd
spent in a dOwn-state hotel-in the in
tervals Of fighting off the memory Of
the dull, frozen agony he'd seen. in
Roses face as he left her.
Frederick, naturally, was mystified.
That's absurd. Of course, Roddy," she
said gently. "You haven't done any
thing to Rose to be forgiven for"
you'll just have to take my word
for it," he said shortly. I'm not
exaggerating."
"But, Roddy!" she persisted. "You
must be sensible. Oh, it's no wonder!
You're all worn out. You look as If
you hadn't slept for nights. What if
you were angry and lost your temper
and hurt her feelings? Heavens!
Weren't you entitled to, after what
she'd done? And when she'd left you
to find it out like that?"
Il tell you. you don't know the first
thing about it."
81 don't suppose you-beat her, did
you?"
It was too infuriating, having him
meek like thisI
His reply was barely audible: Il
might better have done it."
Frederick sprang to her feet. "Well,
then, I'll tell you" she said. 81 won't
60 to her. I'll 60 If you'll give me
free hand. If you'll let me tell her
what 1 think of what she's done and
the way she's done it-not letting you
know-not giving you a chance. But
go and beg her to forgive you, I
won't"
'.All right" he said duly. "You're
within your rights, Of course"
The miserable scene dragged on a
little longer. Frederick cried and
pleaded and st0rmed without moving
him at all. He seemed distressed at
her grief, urged her to treat his re-
quest as If he hadn't made it; but he
explained nothing, answered none of
her questions.
It was an enormous relief to her,
and, she fancied, to him, for that mat
ter, when. after a premonitory knock
at the door, Harriet walked in upon
them.
The situation didn't need much ex-
planning. but Frederick summed it up
while the others exchanged their cool
ly friendly greetings, with the state
ment:
"ROd's been trying to get me to 60
to Rose and say tnat 1t was all his
fault, and won't"
"Why not? said Harriet. "What
earthly thing does it matter whose
fault it isl He can have it his fault
If he likes"
"YOu know it isn't" Frederick NUT
tered rebelliously.
Harriet seated herself delicately and
deliberately In one Of the curving ends
of a little Victorian sofa, and stretched
her slim legs out in front of her.
Certainly don't care whose fault
it is" she said. ''You never get any
where by trying to decide a question
like that. What I'm interested in is