The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-08-19
THE NEGLECTED WIFE"
Chapter XV-"A Sacrifice Suprme'
tNovezsd
 
 JOSEPH

THE STORY
 The Man. ...................H Horace Kennedy The Wife. Mary Kennedy The Woman Alone Margaret Warner
 Mary, goaded by the humiliation of her husbands love for Margaret leaves her home. To defeat his election to Congress, Kennedy's political enemies publish the story of his wifes desertion. Editor Nor wood, loving Margaret. offers his name as protection against her infatuation for Kennedy.
 Reluctantly Mary approached the house. She had said she would not re- turn until her husband had promised to put this other woman out of his fife
 He. had not made that promise-yet she swas returning. But it had not been her loneliness or her heartache that had forced her back. It was an article in the morning paper-an envenomed, scurrilous story.
 HORACE KENNEDY'S WIFE LEAVES
 HOME; ANOTHER WOMAN SAID TO
 BE THE CAUSE; SCANDAL MAY
 DEFEAT KENNEDY's ELECTION.
 She had come back to force this paper to a retraction-to annul the harm that announcement had done her husbands chance for election.
 Ignoring the buffers amazed stare as he opened the door, Mary hurried into the library to the telephone.
 By giving her name, she soon had the managing editor on the wire.
 Yes, this is Mrs Kennedy. I'm calling to ask that you immediately retract your lbelous statements in this mornings edi- ton. 1 have not left my husband. I am telephoning now from ...s res1uence.H
 The edtor's apologies were profuse and abject retraction would be made in1- mediately--in the next edition
 As she replaced the receiver she saw Kennedy standing in the door
 "Mary!' He came slowly toward her. You've done this for me? You've come back" his voice was husky, just to pro- tect me?''
 Well not discuss It," quietly I'm very tired-Tn go to my room
 He stood helplessly aside as she passed. He wanted to express his appreciation, but words seemed so triviai and cheap. There was but one thing that would compensate-that he should give up Mar garrett
 But he still loved her-with blind in- fatuation. Even the scene he had just been through had not cooled his ardor. Broodingly he relived that afternoon, from the moment he had stood at Mar garets door and heard Norwood plead that she take the protection of his name.
 Then with a flaming jealousy, he had burst into the room Norwood had faced him with cold contempt, and Margaret had drawn back, white and trembling.
 She had not sent him the note7-it had been some trick of his political enemies, But she still loved him. At her faltering request Norwood had left them alone, and ctoa h d cil to him. Then she had drawn away say ing that they could not go on--that their love was only wrecking his career
 On the way home heshad read the scur- rilous article in The Star. Entering the house he had heard Mary telephoning tc the editor.
 It was supreme proof of his wife love. But what bad he to offer in re- turn-a mind and heart consumed with love for another woman.
 At g o'clock that evening Margaret received this note:
 twill you come down to the office al once; to go over the proofs of your story Have decided to run it m the next issue which goes to press in the morning. Am sending this with taxicab which will wait for you F. w. NORWOOD.
 Glad of the excuse to work. to get away from her breeding thoughts, Margar st hurried down to the waiting cab. She had no hesitation in going to Norwood's office at any hour. Whatever his love for her when they worked together, he chival- rously refrained from personalities.
 But when she stepped from the cab she drew back in alarm. strange dark building confronted her and the dimly lit street was deserted.
 Why this is not MT. Norwood's of flee. You have the wrong
 The next second something black and l-. 1<x- VIaa through sheer terror, she lost conscious ness.
 When she recovered she was on couc in lantern-lit loft. On platform stood camera over which man and yelled woman were working. Paralyzed with fright Margaret tried to grasp the situa tion.
 Then sounds of struggling without and loud angry voices. Through the door ap- peared two ruffians dragging Kennedy, bound and gagged.
 With a flash of horror, Margaret real ized their purpose They had been lured to secure compromise picture that would defeat Kennedy's election. It was a das- tardlv plot of his political enemies
 Now if you put ,ip any noise or try to give us the slip" threateninsly as they ungagged Kennedy neither of you'll get out of here alive.
 The man at the camera stood ready with a flashlight. Another second the picture would be takan. Just then the door flew open and two policemen rusf ed in followed by Mary Kennedy!
 A desperate struggle followed but the officers finally overpowered the three ruffans. and the yelled woman. Tn her writhing efforts to escape, the black veil was torn from her face, and the police fell back In amazement when they saw 1t was a man.
 "Doyle," breathed Kennedy. "So it's you who've been hounding me!''
 "There's another traitor" shouted Doy1e, pointing maliciously to Margaret "Tm not the only one in the pay of Bull Brady Ask her how mach she got for writing the note that lured you here!'
 With sccrnful incrcdulity Kennedy turned rrotect!ngly to Margaret For years afterward Marearet won dored at the wild impulse that came tC her then She had been looking at Mary at her graying hair, and lines of s,if fcring about her mouth. Tn q binding flash came the realization of all this woman had suffered through her And Kennedy it was his love for her that had brought him. to the very verge of ruin It was his wife who had saved him. whc fesrng for his safety had followed him. It took only second for all this tc crash through Margaret's rind Ru, when she looked up at Kennedy, with a sti ength she did not know she possessed she said with cold harsh distnctness. Doyle has told the truth did lure x,<, <5td xx,rif> tho. x,o<