Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1920-03-05

She laughed mirthlessly.
JillS Ing man now. II he were
10 come home tonight and find that
theS had cut Il hole in the wall and
pu'it q covered bridge to heaven for
our particular use. he'd only say.
liuhph! Quite an Improvement and
forget it,"
when the Hon. Mr.. Brainard re-
turned to his Broad street offices late
III the AFTERNOON, he was deeply veSed
ana snappy in manner.
fhe directors meeting which he had
attended had shown thorough dislike
ior several Of his pet projects. and it
hau become necessary for his fellow
members TO curb his enthusiasm with
number of singing rebukes.
AT his Office he found a request that
demanded his attention. For ten min.
utes he puzzled over the yellow tele-
phone message. frowning and strongly
tempted to tear 1t into bits and leave
for home.
The element OF curiosity crept into
MS meditation. The call was demand
ior his services in personal AFFAIR,
ana 1t was long time since lie had
dabblcd in personalities.
"Who was this?" he asked the office
manager.
Il know nothing about Ii beyond
what you read. think it's separa.
ton case-solnething that somebody.
wants done about her husband. Possibly
us non-suppOrt case"
III You hear anything further, sim
ply say that can't bother with It."
He tossed the slip upon his desk and
drew on his coat. Before, leaving the
office lie stepped over curiously and
picked up the message. Without any
particular thought. he dropped it into
IN inside pocket.
The Brainard touring car could do
sixty miles an hour without touching
the last speed. and the diligent chauf-
1eur was closely approa ching that mark
on the uptown ride, when Bralnard
learned forward and spoke to him. The
car slowed down at once. and. instead
OF taking the usual course up the
Drive, II honked Its way to the opposite
side Of the city.
Every odd" reflected the chauffeur.
VERY odd. indeed"
Through unfamiliar streets, packed
with traffic and cluttered with children,
the big car threaded a cautious way,
and finally the driver brought It to 4
stop, with rasp OF brakes and q
growing of cylinders.
'This Is the number, SIR" he said,
and Mr.. Erainard stepped out.
Before him were dirty stone steps.
railing that sagged in rusted dilapidn-
ton. and greasy door, with a still
grensier entrance hall beyond.
For an instant the lawyer paused.
He plucked the telephone memorandum
from his pocket and studied 1t. Then
he walked slowly up the steps and be-
gan to scan the letter slips above the
push-buttons.
This Is IT," he muttered. IT must
be losing my senses to do thing like
this" -.''-s~.
faint clicking In the took put an
end to his musings, and he pushed the
door open and started up the stair.
way. At the top Of the FIRST flight he
Knocked loudly at a door that was
wholly hidden In the darkness Of the
landing. and 1t opened at once.
A enlightened, white-faced woman
stood directly before him. swaylns
slightly--the woman whom he had
kissed good by at eight o'clock that
morning az he left for the office.
He stared at her in silence, closing
the door behind him. Her heavy brown
hair was parted smoothly over her
forehead, and she was clad in faded
blue wrapper-a wrapper that had
once gloried in wealth Of red half
moons.
1t was the wrapper that shocked him
into the first realization Of where he
stood-.-the5 wrapper and leather ring
that hung from the ceiling and which
Aline suddenly lifted In tho iong-fe
gotten manner.
He stepped forward aud kissed her.
A thousand times he had done that
His first wave Of feeling-astonish-
ment, anger-dropped away from HIN.
He stood lingering the frayed table
cover.
Aline had sunk upon the couch, and
was crying. He kneit down beside her.
"Aline." he began, and there was q
tone in his voice that she had not heard
in years. "for IN instant didn't IN
derstand all this. Now do"
He kissed her tear-stalned cheek,
and went on.
II didn't know where I was. Why,
It's the same old place. Not blessed
thing changed. not even the ring gone.
It's going to take some time for me to
comprehend everything, but this does
me good"
Aline sat mp and placed her hands