Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-01-08
Margaret CARROTS
Husband
A TERRIBLE FRIGHT.
X By JANE PHELPS !
X X X X 4 X Il X X x X X X \
CHAPTER CIV.


} of right and wrong; what was good fo
, Bob and what WASH t would help mai
tiers. But when one is desperate even
straw is grasped; anything to hold o
to when the whole world seems to b
slipping from under you.
Elsie had talked a lot about amusin,
Bob. 1t seemed to me a humiliating rol
for a wife-to amuse her husband. Blu
was learning, very slowly, to hol'
even my thoughts in check. 70 hold m,
mind receptive, and govern my action
aecordingly-in as fas as | was able.
| did not sit up for Bob. If l couldn
sleep, | could at least pretend. AS wa
undressing a scared, breathless littl
figure, barefooted, with tangled hair
opened my door, and with a rush was il
my arms.
"Oh, muyver!" was all he said, bu
the quivering of his little body agains
my breast told me more than words.
What is it, dear2' l asked floodI
the room with light. "'What $ the mat
I ter with mothers little man?'
son, muvver I dreamed" he stop
/ ped and clung closer. 81 dreamed that
an awful mad man s took you away
and Geordie and me didn t have no muv-
yer. Let S go get Geordie. Maybe he Is
scared too"
"He's too little, and | am sure he 's
asleep" / soothed.
Let IS gol - Donald persisted. So we
went quietly into the nursery. George
was fast asleep, his little fat fist doub-
led up belligerently. Our entrance wax
ened Nellie who slept in the room.
"What is it Mrs. Garrett? Donald?''
and she leapt out of bed in fear.
OTIS nothing, Nellie. Donald had a
bad dream, and came to me. You go back
to Sleep"
Use going to sleep wiv my muv-
ver,' Donald declared. And while [ new
er had given into his childish whims,
l couldn It resist the pleading voice and
look.
eyes, dear, just this once you can
sleep with mother" and we left the
nursery, Donald taking last look at
dreaming bad dreams.
AS l cuddled my boy in my arms, un-
til he slept 1 thought that nothing
should prevent my using every effort
to keep that boys father with me. Yet
way into the night my body twisted in
anguish as | thought of his desire to be
freed from me; his astonishment that
with all my other faults-lacked the
pride. necessary to give him his way,
that / should WANT to keep him after
his expressed wish to leave me.
Humiliation and grief that [ no lon
ger held place in Bob's heart was
growing into so deep sorrow that IT
took all the strength of my mind and
body to combat the terrifying thought.
1 turned feverishly, tortured by my
thoughts-careful not to disturb Donald
but they gave me no rest. They stung
me like the lash of a whip setting
every nerve on edge. I recalled all that
Elsie had said, her terrible arraignment
Of me before she promised to help me
if I would do as she said. 1t was almost
there in the silence OF the !
night, the stiffness broken only by the /
even breathing of the boy beside me.
Where was Bob? Why didn Il he come
The clock ehimed one, and | knew he
would remain in town. Had he caught |
-he last train he would have been at
lome by that time.
Tears gushed to my eyes, but
strained them back. My promise l must
Keep it to the letter. Red eyes weren t 4
attractive, as Elsie had said. Ny throat
was drv with the fierceness of my emo
ions.
| would try to sleep. Now that l knew
Bob would not come I would rest II
possible. Just as L commenced to feel a
title drowsey, worn out with my un-
lappy thoughts, aud fears, l heard
ound which made me wide awake IN
tantly.
The clock struck two. 1t sounded
yierdly loud in the stiffness. Then soft
v, very softly, l heard the front door
pen and close. Who could it be and
Inat were they after3 A burglar OF
curse. l remembered all the stories L
ad read of what to do in case burg
ar visited you at night. l recalled that +,
Bob had once said when the subject was Il
nder discussion.
''They seldom attempt burglary un-
,ss desperate. 1t is safer to pretend to !
e asleep, than. to give them chance
. shoot, so | scarcely breathed as the !,
tealthy footsteps came slowly up the II
Iairs. +
l pinehed my eyelids together. He +
light have a dark lantern. My door t
pened softly. Then the footsteps eau v
ously, almost silently went toward e
OBJ s room. Oh, how thankful was h
lat he was away! They eouldn t harm c
i'm. ID
His door opened, closed. Then l Ii
card the cautious movements within a
IS room, faint streak of light showed t
ader the crack in the door. He DID ip
ave a dark lantern, scarcely breath ii
/ so fearful was l that he might hear. t
hen to my horror Donald laughed aloud i
his sleep as children sometimes do. u
Bob s door opened. l nearly tainted h
ith fright. n
- Did you speak, Margaret" a le
oiee I did not recognize asked, but as e
opened my eyes l saw Bob standing t
AIMED in the doorway between the 7
,oms.
s.Oh, Bob. I thought it was a burg v
r; how did you get home so latel On, e
was SO frightenedl'' Then Donald
ughed, he s sleeping with me. !"