New Britain herald., 1918-09-28
REVELATIONS
OF A WIFE
Has lillian the Key to Harry Under
woods Actions?

| WOODS ActlOnS!
Harry Underwood, the man to
| whom my father owed his life and
liberty!
Here, then, was the confirmation, in
| my fathers own words, of the thing
which Mr.. Underwood had either been
! afraid or too proud to tell me- but
which I had guessed from the assur-
ance he had given ME that my father
| had escaped from the gang that al
most encompassed his death in South
| America.
Lillian leaned forward, her face
colorless. But her eyes and voice
We're steady.
would you mind telling me every
| thing about it you cam" she asked.
My father looked keenly at her, and
an expression of plying compfehen-
| sion crossed his face. Evidently he
thought that she still loved the man
/ who had subjected her to such bitter
! humiliation. I, had seen the hopeless
i love of herself and Robert Sayarin be-
cause Of the legal tie binding her to
! Harry Underwood, understood her
| better.
The big-hearted womanhood of her
| couldn't bear the thought that the
| man who had called her wife should
| become utterly degraded as to be the
traitor to his country we had thought
him. She had faced courageously the
! prospect of having, herself, to give
| him up. But this revelation of my
fathers might spell a chance to save
| him from the coils that she meant to
wind round the rest Of the conspira-
tors No wonder she was tense,
GREATNESS as if she had been running,
| IA ga the color of chalk.
| "There's quite a little to tell my
father returned land it goes back
quite a long way, to the time when
Underwood and I first went to South
America"
settled myself in my chair, with
| the feeling tina tsome of the missing
pieces of the mosaic of the past
months were to be supplied me.
"There's no doubt about it" my
| father began, and | thought [ detected
in his manner something of the gar
rulity, the fondness for ones own
voice, of advancing age. Harry I'm
derwood's a most fascinating chap.
| When he began to talk of a South
| American theater circuit to me be-
fore I was called down there. he put
up such alluring arguments that !
asked him to come along with me and
| promised to back him, before I fairly
knew what ! was about. And [ am
considered fairly shrewd in my in
j Vestments, toe. .~"&
Lillian Gives Her Viewpoint.
But [ had no idea then, of his real
object in getting down there" he
turned to Lillian alphabetically. ''If
ia had any inkling of his entangle-
1nent with that living incarnation Of
the Evil One himself, Grace Draper,
| I should have turned right about face
! in short order He would never have
| left his country under my protection"
"You needn't reproach yousrelf,"
! Lillian said. 'H1 have reason to know
! that he didn't use you in the way you
think. He wished to get away from
the United tSates for reasons, and he
was genuinely interested in the thea
ter project. Grace Draper was an
afterthought He had helped her at
the request of friends to get foot
ing in a theater, and I think she urged
him to let her come down there. He
is always wax in the hands Of a pretty
woman"
She had the same calm manner
which she always employed In speak
ing of her husband, as if he We're q,
complete stranger to her. | saw my
prise, but his face showed satisfaction
at the news she had given him.
Il am glad to hear this" he said.
.for the thought of being used like
that isn't pleasant for any man to
Nave. 1t brings back, however, an un-
pleasant feeling of responsibility /
have had more than once for Harry S
actions. You see, when [ found out
about the Draper girl, I was SO angry
upon your account''--he locked at
Iillian-'that [ refused him any
further financial backing. I've often
wondered if that fact, perhaps had a
bearing upon the subsequent connec-
ton of both of them with the gang
they joined. l was afraid they might
have been hard pressed for money,
and so--tempted.'
Father Sees a Light
"Grace Draper wouldn't need any
tempting" Lillian replied caustieally.
"She's the devils own right hand, and
any work Of his is delight to her.
and as for Harry, either she in
weighed him into the scheme when he
was drunk-he is perfectly irrespon-
sible when he's drinking-er else he
went into it with his eyes open, not
from any treachery to his country, but
because he thought he could best do
for you VIVA tyou say he has done"
My father looked at her fixedly for
a minute then brought his hand down
upon the arm of his chair with a
smart blow.
'That's just the key to his whole
conduct" he said, "the hair Drained,
irresponsible, reckless chap! And q
pretty kettle of fish he's gotten him
self into! 1t will take some fine work
to axtpicata him from the general