The Winslow mail., 1917-01-19
"Ot course, if you're afraid" said LII.


er, and you'll go home, and I'll never,
never see or speak to John again as
long as / live"
Jim reflected. "It's q sort of low
game to play" he soliloquized. Lilly,
dear, are you dead sure you've got
John correctly? You know he isn't
much of hand to show his feelings,
but he's got 'em, all right"
"I know he doesn't care for me. and
I'm going to show him that he's lost
me-"
"All right" said Jim finally. "Now
about the details. John gets back
about-?'
"Half-past five"
Suppose we start at five, then, and
wait at the station till seven. That will
give him time to catch us. Say In
your letter that we are leaving on
the six-thirty for-where do you say?"
"San Francisco" gulped Lillian.
'"That's good enough. And 1 guess
you'd better have a real trunkful of
clothes, in case he doesn't come and
you have 70 go to your mother"
Jim went away, leaving Lillian in
a flood of tears. Outside the house he
stopped and shook his head regret
fully.
AT half-past five John arrived home
, with box of fresh candy, to find Lii
lian gone. He read the letter upon the
table. She was gone with the man
who had always loved her, she said,
and she had made the biggest mistake
In life in marrying John. The train
for San Francisco left at six-thirty, and
he needn't try to find where she had
gone, because he would never see her
again.
John put the letter down calmly and
looked at his watch. Then he took
down the railroad guide. There was
NO train for San Francisco at six-thirty.
John washed and did his hair, put
on a clean collar, selected his favorite
walking stick, and went into the street
and took a car to the station.
AT six o'clock Lillian paced the plat
form beside Jim in anguish. What
would John do? She was beginning to
grow afraid. She had never seen
John angry, except once, when he
kicked an impudent plumber out of
the house. He had seemed terrible
then. What would he do? There might
be murder.
She went up to Jim. 81 think you
had better CO." she said. "You aren't
really necessary, you know. John
won't know who the man was for sure.
Ii you stay here he may shoot you"
Jim looked scared. "You think SO,
Lillian?" he asked in hollow voice.
"It would be terrible" said Lillian,
sobbing.
81 have hunch John won't come
said Jim.
"What do you meanY
"EFe must have got your letter an
hour ago, almost. It's twenty-five past
Elk. l am sure he isn't coming. Prob
ably he is glad to be free"
"Jim!"
'And you're happy to be rid Of him."
continued Jim. "He's a worthless
scamp. Lily, dear, suppose we con-
vert that program into reality?"
"Jim, have you lost your senses?"
"No, I've just found them, dear. I've
always loved you. Let us really go to
San Francisco, dearest, and be happy
the rest of our lives"
"How dare you insult mel" cried
Lillian furiously. "And how dare you
insult my husband? Oh, you traitor
never dreamed you were SO wicked.
Leave me at ONCE. Oh, John, John, why
don't you come to me?''
She turned away from Jim, who hesi
tated, and then, with hopeless express
sion on his face, went up to her,
''rll go, then, Lilly" he said, "But
say you forgive me, 1t was your beauty
fascinated me and threw me off my bal
ance. Let me take you home"
There's Johp! cried Lillian aghast
1t was John, strolling amiably along
the platform. He nodded nonchalant.
ly to Jim, and raised his hat to his
wife.
"Just in time, DEAR" he said. "What
u JOhC W pay Oh JOul pOOI Olu uuS-
band! I'm grtteful to you, more
grateful than an tell, Jim, for find
ing her"
"It wasn't j6e!" cried Lily. "And
Jim didn't find ne. Jim was coming
with me-"
John smiled. "Well, he's coming
back" he said. "Do you think you
can make nice Welsh rabbit for sup
per, Lily? Jim hves 'em-don't you,
Jim?"
Lily, in despair suffered her hus.
band to take her b. the arm, and soon
the three were comfortably ensconced
in a taxi. At the loor, however. Jim
turned away.
81 guess I won't ome In tonight. old
man." he said.
And as John tured toward him. 81
guess it'll be all riht now, won't II ?" 4
John gripped his1and. "You were I
a trump, Jim," he sal. "Ill never for
get it. The progra worked?"