Ellsworth American., 1920-01-21
The Charge
Account
@0
BY EVELYN LEE

| of forcible expletives and this ejacula-
ton expressed all the wonderment, dis
may and anxiety of which he was
| capable. He stood daZed. almost pallid,
after vivid shock, staring blankly at
sheet of paper in his hand. He had
come home to his sumptuous fiat which
housed his beloved and cherished bride
of year, to find her absent. and then,
! making startling discovery, to his
disturbed Imagination its beauty and
comfort seemed fading into desolate
ruins all about him.
Upon a table beside the telephone
was number. He groaned as he rec
ognized that the last act of his wife
was to call up her dearest friend and
confdant, Miss Iona Walters. Crush
ing the sheet in his hand, Percy dashed
from the house, nor paused nor fall
tered until he had reached the Office
of Wallace Blight. He burst in upon
him breathless and agitated closing
the office door so they might be alone.
Wallace" he exclaimed hoarsely,
throwing himself into a chair, you've
got me into the trouble of my life! !"
Blight stared at his agitated visitor
blankly. 1t was unusual to see his
placid, systematic friend other than
serene and satisfied.
what has happened?" propounded
Wallace. Been having a tiff with
Dorothy?"
eve never have tiffs," dissented
Percy resentfully. "It's worse than
that, Wallace probably have broken
her hearth
"You amaze and alarm met" spoke
Blight. really aroused at the earnest
manner of Bliss.
"You remember coming to me a
month ago in what you called terri
BILE fix?'
"You mean the Adrienne Ballingford
affair? l certainly do. needed money
or credit for a few hundred dollars.
| That was before | got my share of my
uncle's fortune. But paid you back,
Percy"
(which did not and does not mat
| ter. l would give ten times the amount
| TO get out of the dilemma In which my
| slight accommodation has placed me.
You had been smitten with the stage
beauty, Adrienne Ballingford. year
ago and written her some silly letters
"All true. got the letters and paid
you back the three hundred dollars you
| became responsible for"
"Yes, and today, an unusual thing.
for my bills usually come to my office.
| the one for those wretched goods came
| 10 my house. Dorothy read 1t. Just
! think what she must think of an order
for two kimonos, six pairs of silk stock
ings and a lot of other follies of
| feminine adornment
Blight looked startled now. "Why.
say. if she learns the truth and it gets
TO the ears of Nellie's parents, think of
the awful position l am in. Oh, my,
terrible mess I've made of it,"
81 can't give you away" observed
| Percy in a troubled tone.
And l can't break up your house
hold by allowing you to take the
blame"
| For some moments the worried twain
sat gloomily silent, mutually going
over the situation.
1--WE got it ~ cried Wallace sudden
| ly, leaping to his feet. Come with
! me. Right away straight to Day &
| Co.'S We'll go. Got the original bill? p
| "Yes."
"Well duplicate It,"
"What do you mean-what good will
that do?'
Wallace whispered in Percy's ear.
Instantly the face of the latter bright
ened. They dashed from the office
One hour later the two schemers en-
tered the Bliss fiat. They carried a
variety of bundles. The contents were
stored in a drawer in Percy's desk.
Two hours later still, with a relieved
mind and bright eyes Percy again en-,
tered the fiat. His wife greeted him
with tear-stained face
"Oh, Percy" she sobbed, Il have
found you out. How cruelty you have
deceived me. Married on my birthday
and our first anniversary here only
day after tomorrow Kimonos silk
stOckings a mesh bag a fur coat
oh, who is this mysterious female who
has wrecked our homer
'Aha!" cried Percy, in an injured
tone. 81 think l surmlse. Did that
stupid Day & Co. send bill to the
house instead of to my Officer
'Yes, they did"
Dorothy, come hecew
Percy led his wife into his den and
up to his desk. He drew open its
drawer.
Its a shame to spoil surprise" hs
said, stern as judge, but, the ca
being out of the bag, shall have tt
subdue your Mysteries. There Yor
can't say am not glad to think of yor
on your birthday"
There lay all the articles Dorothy