The Washington herald., 1920-02-11
Helene S Married Life
By May Christie
XV-The- Figure by the
Safe.
Copyright. ls.o. Mcclure syndicate.)

''Helene takes an extraordinary In
terest in the invalid" causticaily
observed Alice. as we started to re-
turn to Thorny Grange. Her lip
curled. .t :
I didn't answer. In fact felt
too much relieved over the doctors
verdict to bother in the least what
Alice thought
And the autumn sunshine had as
sumed new warmth for me. .
The long day went by. And at
last the evening came. ..
Dinner seemed an interminabiy
protracted meal Toward its close
a ridiculous impulse came to me to
hing q cloak over my black lace
frock and run over all alone to An
struther Lodge to beg the kind
hearted nurse for one glimpse OF
Jim, my husband!
II I only could confide in her.
that kindly, woman!
But common1sense informed me
that I must. do nothing OF the sort!
when the meal was over. Alice
and Tony and two others went into
the library to enjoy a game of cards.
But on this occasion Tony was on
the opposite side of Alice. Thoy
commenced to play-tremendously
absorbed.
1 found an interesting volum( and
curled up on the sofa in the library
at a little distance to the players,
and facing Alice.
After a time. some angry etacula-
tions from that lady pointed to
the fact that she was losing
steadily.
Half an hour later Mr.. Travis
Lloyd came into the room. He was
carrying a sheaf of documents. He
went straight to his safe. which
stood in one corner of the library,
knelt down and began fumbling with
ithe combination lock.
1t struck me as rather careless
that he would do this when not
alone. Was IL not possible
that some inquisitive eye might
learn the magic combination? He
had his back to me. and seemed alb
sorbed in his business.
With a click the safe opened.
Then. presently. 1t clicked shut. Mr..
Lloyd rose to his feet and came to
sit beside me.
You little book worm" His
voice was a caress. Then. lowering
it, he added:
But I'm so thankful you don't
care for cards! l hate to see q
woman gamble"
1 smiled at him. The eternal Eve
in every woman loves a word of
praise.
We chatted happily for quite an
| hour. And then we went out to the
hall. where a magnificent organ is
| built into the wall.
Wont you please try it. Miss
Beauclare?'
SI seated myself on the high
carved stool. And soon soft strains
of music, drifted about US.
~You play divineiy!" His eyes
! were all asIow with genuine pleas
ure. "Oh, IL only more women
| were like you"
| changed from the plaintivc
minor key that had SO enShalned
him into a roIlickinE 'agtime mel
ody. 1 wished TO put an end TO
sentimept.
At IL o'clock the bridge players
came out from the library, an
| nouncing that their game was
| over. Alice's face was V-ty white
| and strained. I Thought. Luck had
been dead against her. She nung
| her scarf-a queer. Oriental thing
about her shoulders aud petuIaut-
| Iy said good. night.
One hour later the whole house
| was wrapped in slumber.
But-as ] lay betweeu~the cold
| linen sheets couldn't sleep. My
worries over Jim came back to tue
a thousand fold. oh. would he get
better? Would the awful cloud be.
tween us ever be cleared up? Aud
had ! bern mistaken IN hiIn
| would he ever roIstSe me for my
base suspicious?
Dear Jtm' There must De
l some mistake!
l couldn't tie there. thinking. any
! longer. In the quiet hour>
thought was 50 terrible.
I groped in the darkness for tns