South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-11-21
Revelations of a
Wife
BY ADELE GARRISON.


watching for me from her window.
for as I drew my car up 20 the curb
in front OF her home the front door
opened and she rushed down the
walk. Her surprise at seeing me
pilot a car evidently drove from her
mind for the moment the things for
yvhtnh she had summoned me.
ooh. what asurprise!' she ex-
claimed, her face and eyes showing
a trace OF the animation which had
been hepa when first knew her, and
which che seemed 20 have utterly
lost sfnce the tragedy which had
fallen at1wArt Kenneth Stock
BRIDGES liza |When did you learn
IL n your carr"
oountered with another ques
ton. Are you ready % go for
cup OF tea2 IN answer an ques-
tons on the road"
lust bet mo got ray GOAT" she
SAD. and v1thou4 further pariey
went back 20 the veranda. caught
I'D a light pongoe coat slipped II on
as shso came back down the walk and
wac IA the car al she fastened the
last button.
notioed Eaaa she held q small
brown paper parcsa fastened with
rubber bznds, and that she carefully
Transferred T. nom one hand TO an
other as EAe Easbsned her coat. She
held n agility IN her hands as she
SAT- b. my side. and didn't need 60
haze q Sherlock Holmes brain 70 de-
duce that The packet had something
10 40 with Che reason for her ur-
gent wish 70 eee me-
carafrSily avoided an reference
TO iG howeVes. God occupied the time
beeEeSn our start and our arrival at
thu secluded letIe hsa room 1 had
pfofusd out, with an account OF my
inoang oxbariences. tried to make
them a. humorous az knew how,
5ndGkna hat ny friend would be
mach the better for a little distrac-
tton from the burden weighing upon
her, and was rewarded by an COCA
aonaI low laugh from her.
But when we had reached the 1T
tie tea room, which was in reality
lust the "parlor" and the small
soreened varanda OF a house owned
by a widowed gentlewOman who
added TO her slender income by her
xnack of brewing delicious tea and
baking toothsome cakes, the hunted,
strained Look was still in evidence
upon her face.
"Are-you sure-we can talk safe
" here2" she whispered. when the
hostess Of the tea room had taken
our order and departed.
Where more safely z" I replied
encoura giagly. "See-we are seated
in this farthest corner from the
door and there are no windows on
this side. There's no possible chance
OF anyone coming behind US without
our seeing them. and we are screen
ed from the street. Besides. there is
Of hi
time. A half hour later the place
will be filled. but we must be gone
before then
But ! have some things to show
you" she protested
That doesn't matter" I explained
patiently. You need not bring
them out until Mrs. Wynne has
served our tea and cakes. That will
be her last appearance unless a Gus
timer comes IN, and we shall have
ample notice OF that as our seats
command & view OF the only path.
Come, dear, trust me and relax
little. You are under a terrible ten
sion. You are going TO snap like
an over~wound watch spring If you
keep this up"
Her eyes field with tears which
she winked back resoluteIy. But
for Alice Holcombe and the weak
ness of tears were two utterly in
congruOus things
II know it, she said pitifully.
"But-4I-I-can't help II.
Yes you cam I made my voice
authoritatively unsympathetic. in
stinct telling me that she needed a
firm hand more than anything else.
You're going to let me take charge
OF you for the next hour and I am
going TO insist that you obey me alb
solutely. In the first place. let me
put that packet into my bag. The
very handling OF II IS making you
nervouA Th0re-" I took II from
her trembling fingers. slipped It into
my bag and hung the bag over my
arm. ct - perfectly safe. Now for
get 81 until we have had our tea
I'm awfully thirsty. We had brOiled
sausages for lunch IN the woods to-
day. and I could drink any kind OF
beverage. Did you ever broil saus-
ages over a camphref"
mo- she answered, evidently
speaking with difficulty. but making
a brave effort 20 conquer her emo
lions. Tell me about It."
strung out my account OF our
picnic luncheon and campfire until
Mrs. Wynne came out with the tea
tray I presided over the cups with
a martinez eye upon my friend. see
ing that she drank several cups of
the fragrant .steaming beverage and
ate her share OF the cakes With
a little inward glow 81 satisfaction
I saw that while she was still agi-
tated. yet she was IN far better shape
20 discuss the things which worried
her than she had been before.
When we had finished, and 7 had
pushed the tea tray 20 one side.
opened my hand bag gave her back
the little packet and said quietly:
Now tell me all about II"
For a minute after I handed the