The Press., 1917-05-24
SAVED But O1ly at the Last
 Moment
By WARREN MILLER

No one could understand why it was
 that Helen Aver, the wife of an excel
 lent man and the mother of a lovely
 boy six years old, fell under the influ-
 ence of Schuyler Quigley, with nothing
 except swagger and cheek to recom-
 mend him. When Quigley first began
 to pay attention to Mrs. Aver her hus-
 band did not appear to notice it. The
 truth is he saw that his wife was drift
 ing away from him and he dared not
 oppose her, fearing that by his very opposition he might bring about ca- tastrophe. If he permitted the matter to work itself out perhaps the wife and
 mother would in time tire of her new
 fancy and realize the danger to her. self, her husband and her son.
 Aver had no faith in the effectiveness of opposition in such case. He pre- ferred to rely on some appeal to the heart such as he was not in a position to make himself and which could only come to his wife unbidden. He hoped that some incident, some evidence thrust before her suddenly, might sweep the dust from before her eyes and she would see her position in its true light. He had perfect confidence in her purity. If Quigley succeeded in taking her away from him he must do it legitimately. She must be divorced from the one and married to the other.
 With this idea in view he made no complaint to Helen, leaving her perfect freedom to do as she liked. He never objected to Quigley coming to the house, nor did he oppose Helen's go- ing out with him. He endeavored in every possible way to show his faith in her. Had Quigley taken himself away for awhile possibly the spell that bound her to him might have been bro- ken, or at least it might have been breakable.
 But Quigley was so aggressive, so persistent, that Helen never got away from certain dominating force there was about him long enough to recover herself. Finally Aver decided to take action. Since they all belonged to the same set, he had frequent opportunity to meet the man who was undermining his home. Their first meeting was at the house of a mutual friend, where a number of men were accustomed to play poker. Ayers object was to begin a series of attempts to force a quarrel upon Quigley, concealing the true cause. The better to cover his motive at the poker party he met Quigley cor dially. But during the game he sud- denly arose from the table, declaring that he would not play with a cheat, making it plain that Quigley was the man referred to.
 Quigley, who was perfectly innocent of the charge, retorted. High words followed, and Aver struck him. Quiz ley was prevented from returning the blow by the others, who protested against the men fighting under the hosts roof about a matter of cheating at cards, thereby bringing a scandal upon the house and the party.
 This left Quigley not only under a disgraceful charge, but as having re- ceived a blow from Aver that he had not returned. Under the old regime of a century or more ago he would be cut by his friends. Living in the twentieth century, he was not obliged to do anything. He let the matter drop. He did not call at Ayers house any more, but he met Mrs. Aver when she went out on the street and at the houses of mutual friends. All he said to her about his troubles with her hus- band was that Aver had accused him of cheating at cards and that every member of the party present had ex- Onerated him of the charge.
 And so it was that Russell Aver by trying to get rid of the man who was really his wife's worst enemy, and at the same time protect her good name, only made himself appear to her a very unjust and ignoble person. She thought l that she was taking care of her reputa- tion by never being with Quigley, ex- cept when others were present. But | she found it difficult to live with one man as his wife and have love affair though devoid of crimina1ity with an- other.
 Aver followed up his first attack on Quigley by telling a number of Quiz | leys' friends that he (Ayer) had struck 1 him and Quigley had not had the man. lIH0SS CO resent the DlOW.
 The situa tion was not pleasing to any | one of the three persons involved. Quig- | ley represented to Mrs. Aver that he | was refraining from resenting her hus- bands insults on her account and beg ged her to Vindicate him by securing | a divorce and marrying him. She was distressed, feeling that this was due Quigley, but drcading to take a step that would separate her from her hus- band and her child. -s
 One day Aver met Quigley on the street. Each was walking with friend. As they passed Aver said loud enough for Quigley and his companion to hear:
 There goes coward am trying to make fight"
 This was too much for Quigley, who turned and said, "Well, we'll have 1t out now"
 Very well,' replied Aver, draw"
 Taking revolver from his pocket, he raised it, cooking it at the same time. But since Quigley was unarmed there was no fight.
 "You can't escape me with bloody nose," said Aver. Its life or death between us"
 And he walked on.
 Quigley began to feel that he could no longer brook these insults. Some of his friends were telling him that Aver was determined in the matter and 1t might better be settled sooner than later. They advised him to challenge Aver and have it over with. All SUD. posed that the origin of the matter was at the card table. Indeed, few if any knew that Aver was trying to force his enemy to withdraw his in. fiuence from Mrs. Aver. Quigley blus- tered for awhile, but took no action. But finally noticing difference in the