The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-09-01
NV HEART and
NV HUSBAND
Adele Garrison's New
Phase of
Revelations
of a Wife
What Dicky Said to Madge When He
Found Her.

what Dicky SAID to Madge when he
Found Her.
The long drawn whistle Of the news
paper train brought me to my feet,
quivering. / dressed hurriedly, opened
my door with infinite care that no
one of the family should be disturbed
and stole downstairs to the hall.
where | huddled into a high backed
chair--one of Dicky's treasures-to
wait for tho appearance Of the paper
man.
At last I heard the clump OF his
feet in the driveway, counted the
steps with feverish impatience until
they halted n little way from the We
randa. Then the thud of the folded
newspaper as it left the skilfull hand
OF the deliveryman and struck the
door told me that my vigil was
ended.
Relief of Tears.
/ waited until / was sure the man
was out of sight before unbarring
the door and taking the paper in.
Then after fastening the door l took
the paper to the library-the most
secluded room downstairs-switch
on the light, for the dawn outside
was not yet strong enough for read
ing, and sat down to search for the
thing I dreaded to find.
First page, second. third, fourth,
went over them carefully, finally. upon
the hfth, my eyes caught sight OF an
inconspicuous headline:
FORMER FOOTBALL HERO FINDS
WIFE POISONED.
I read the brief news story fever
ishly, then turned back and read 1t
again, drawing a long breath OF RELIEF
when ! had finished.
For there was nothing In the news
story save the bald facts which Alice
Holcombe had narrated to me. The
cause of her death was spoken OF as a
''mystericus poisoning" the source OF
which was in doubt. and 1t was further
stated that an autopsy was to be per-
formed to determine the nature OF the
poison, which was evidently quick
and powerful one.
There was no hint OF connecting
Kenneth Stockbridge with the death OF
his wife, and no WORD which couId
possibly lead any one to conjecture
that his marital life had been anything
but happy. / knew enough OF news
papers to realize that If poor Milly
Stockbridge's insane threat to Ale a
suit for divorce. naming Alice Hol-
combe and myself. had been published.
the news OF II would have connected
with the story OF her death. Never
umn of the paper to assure myself be-
yond all doubt that the horrible thing
was not hidden in some obscure corner.
When had fearfully finished the last
column of the last page my over
strained nerves gave way. The paper
slipped from my hands to the floor and
j buried my face in the arm of my
chair in a paroxysm OF hysterical
look at Metz
I felt my hands drawn Upward, and
Dicky's face, mystified, anxious. looked
down at me.
For the love OF sanity. Madse" he
exploded, whatever is the matter
with your"
was ever TO explain my emotion TO
my husband? I had been SO careful 10
keep from him any suspicion of the
unpleasant conditions surrounding my
teaching at Bayview. that knew the
revelation OF it now would not only
shock him, but anger him because of
the deceit he would justly consider
that / had given him.
..I-I--don't know" I stammered. II
guess Tn getting worn out, nervously.
] awakened long while ago. and after
trying In vain TO get back to sleep, L
I-thought--I would come down here
and read awhile"
There was a long silence. did not
look at Dicky, but l felt his gaze upon
look at Dicky, but I felt his gaze upon
me.
Look at me" he burst out thickly
at last.
I raised my eyes miserably to his.
met in them the old, angry. jealous
look which had not seen in Dicky's
eyes for many months.
"That spiel won't CO." he said
coarsely. II happened to be wakeful.
too. this morning. and I heard Won
when you stole downstairs. I thought