The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-12-01
CHAPTER VIII.
Doubly a Villain.
sloy ~.

Larry Redmond paused, dazed, and
dropped her hand, while he looked al
Ethel uncomprehendingly.
"Married?" he stammered. mo, no,
it can't be! You're playing some
game! 1t can't be true"
Pm secretly married. she con
fessed.
He looked at her in amazement.
Secretly? But why--why?"
Il can't explain, even to you, Larry
except that it's for my happiness tc
keep it secret, now"
Bitter realization came to him then
But he would not press her further
And you're happy?' His eyes sought
hers sadly.
She could not keep back the whole
truth from him, no matter how much
she wished TO. Larry Redmend's hon
esty was too patent to make dissem
bling an easy matter in his presence,
"Oh, yes, Larry! was happy-un
til you came back just now she said
Then why did you marry him r. he
demanded. There was no anger III Ills
voice-only regret and wonder.
Because when you left was-dies
perate," she admitted. 1H
YOU" he exclaimed, more than &ei
at a loss to understand her MI
"Yesl'' Ethel said II waited WI Hit
ed for you until month ago. ia
never heard from you-never heard Of
you. l thought you were dead. III
you'd been alive, l felt that my love,
my wanting you SO very much would
bring you back to me-" #4
Dear Godr' There was no mock
reverence in that soul-wrung wall.
straight from his Celtic heart. A
"And all my money had gone. OH
it doesn't matter now! And l came
here as governess to Sir Georges
daughter. He's been very helpful
And this NANNY husband
came along. He seemed very fond s0i
me-" she smiled wanly-"quite DIES
perately in love. I was wretched, mis-
cradle, lonely, and oh! SO tired!
wanted someone to take care of me
And so, married"
"And it's all my fault!' That was
like Larry Redmond-to condemn him
self instead of her.
She could not bear to hear him up
braid himself.
''Please, aren't we suffering enough
now?' she protested.
He made up his mind, then, that FOL
her sake he must put things in Il differ
emit light. And goading himself to 4his
duty, he sat down and looked ut bel
YEARLY.
But you've got to realize he be
gan, you've got to realize that IT..
best you shouldn't have married {
coward--and l was tnat Two mouth
ago | nearly finished it ALL"
"Larryw Ethel exclaimed in suddei
fear The mere mention of such |
thing shocked her inexpressibly
"Ah, yes! I meant tor he continued
ruthlessly. "And it was another maj
almost stranger-who stopped ME.
when was it," Anxious as sh,
was, she could not forbear asking hin
that It seemed inconceivable that th,
goy Larry she used to know shouls
ever have been near self-destructlon.
"Two months ago" he said. AM
he stopped abruptly then, as if hi
thoughts had momentarily taken hin
| far away. 1.-TWO months ago, in Ber
lin," he resumed, pulling himself to
gether by a visible effort. 1T was on
of those gorgeous, moonlight nights
was thinking Of you, my dear, an,
thinking how futile 1t all was. Wha
was the use? 1t was in on
Of those little side streets off Unterde
Linden. / stood there behind a tire
when suddenly this fellow came u
from behind and grabbed my re
! volver."
| All at once his recital brought Eacl
| to Ethel's mind another similar story
In her agitation she could not at frs
recall exactly where or under wha
circumstances she had heard 1t. An,
then, in a flash, she remembered He
husband had told her q tale like tina
only an hour before.
I'm Berlin this was-not Parish sIi
asked him quickly
"No-Berlin."
| That's curious" she said Il hear
just such another story a little Will
| ago.n