South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-09-29
or WIFE
'HY MADGE HAD TO PACE THE
MED OF ASKING DIR.
nTrTrTVTfE AID
BY Adele GaTrison


pers2"
The thought flashed into my mind
Lillian so calmly rehearsed 20 me
be terrible scene Of the night be-
Dre. when Grace Draper had shot
icky and stabbed herself Lillian
bid learned the details Of the affair
& rom her husband. Harry Under
God. but for whose timely aid
= icky might have been lying dead
lstead Of being temporarily d-s-
W5led by a mere flesh wound ] put
: be thought into question and
f. ordered at LHlian's hesitation in
nswering
1T ala rests with DR. Petit" she
lid az last. III he is willing 20 take
he risk of silence. nothing need be
nOwn."
What risk o" ] asked namely, and
s topped. ashamed of my ignorance.
= There is a state law" Lillian eX-
lained patiently. that physicians
rust report such occurrences 90 the
roper authorities. OF course. if it
rere Dicky who was so near death,
q should have 10 report the condi-
on OF affairs AZ once. for then 10
hight develop into a murder case.
nd that is nothing 90 monkey with.
lat IS long as D-cky is in no danger
hatever and the girl seems better
q shall be able 10 keep everything
uiet III DR. Petit wishes 90 do so.
BETTY has been with me years i can
hut her mouth. and / think YOU
1 ught TO be able TO manage Katie. q"
~ But Lillian" / persisted els that
air 10 Dr. Petite Are not the pen
e titles heavy for disobeying the law
Ike that2"
Il don't think 7 should worry
= bout that If I were YOU" she re-
lied dryly eff there is any possible
way OF avoiding the awful newspa-
er headlines which this mess will
urcly bring forth. once the police
< nd reporters get hold of il, / for
ne Will thank providence and ask
o questions"
Facing n Problem.
II know" L persisted family "but
Dr. Petit is not an old enough
i riend to do this for U.S. It isn't as
he were a family physician Of long
tanding. or "A very dear friend
II don't know that ne is going TO
o it," she responded impatiently.
but he hasn't reported anything SO
ar. AS for his reasons. ! wouldn't
INQUIRE into them too closely If !
we're you. Just let things take their
curse. It's much the best plan. Now
Fat your breakfast I'll come back
or you when YOU have finished it,
She left the room abruptly, and /
Il eceived the impression that she did
rot wish to discuss DIR. Petit any
urther. AS I ate my breakfast. 1
ried to face squarely the problem
which the physicians forbearance
n reporting the case brought 10 me.
n There was no use in lodging the
ssue. From hundred trifes / knew
hat Dr. Petit was more interested
N me than a physician or any other
man had a right 20 be i'm another
aans wife II he was deliberately
4 failing TO report this case to the
proper authorities. he was doing il
FOR my sake.
Did / wish him 90 do so2
IL humbled me 20 find that 7 ac-
ually did not know L always had
prided myself upon my eyactuess of
conscience. In the old days of my
III lie. before I met Dicky. right was
right and wrong was wrong. and
there was no convenient middle path
between.
But since Dicky had come into my
re everything had changed. All my
old standards had been swept away.
felt as II I were in maze Of doubt
and bewilderment.
on the one hand 7 felt. and felt
s strongly, that ] did not wish 90 be
under any possible obligation to DR..
i Petit. He had shown TOO strong an
interest In me for me to wish 90 be
indebted 20 him for any favor. I
a knew that before many DAYS ] must
Tremove from his mind the impress
= sion ne had obtained that DiCky was
= the aggressor and Grace Draper the
! innocent victim in the airtation
4 which had ended I'm such tragedy.
The Hour Arrives
Everything I'm his manner indi-
i Gated that ne considered me ass dl-
ready separated from Dicky ny a
Il broad gulf OF deceit and crime, and
Il that ne was ready TO try 90 win my
s. regard when I should be free I re-
i solved that the next time I saw him
i would make am opportunity 90 Jet
i him know definitely that Dicky and
q ] were bound more closely together
81 than ever.
4 on the other hand the prospect
j OF refusing 90 allow him 90 take ans
risk for me in suppressing Grac,
4 Draper's mad act terrified me win
its possible consequences If the
pitless Hght OF publicity beat upon
i us. Dicky would Pee forever branded
i as an INSCRIPTIONS rake. ms own
name would be dragged in the news
papers. and Grace Draper's reputa-
ton would be forever shattered.
T remembered the awful sacrifice
4 Lillian had made once 20 save Dicks
! from the consequences of her frs
4 husband mad jealousy OF their per.
fectly innocent friendship Viewed
i iu that light nay consideration oi
pr. Petuts risk or his attitude TO-
ward me seemed pitfully perile
Lillian had gwen up hes baby cir