Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-06-17
HIS SECOND WIFE
Bv ERNEST POOLE
Author Of "The Hnrbor," His Family
Oopprtpht, 1850. bv Public Ledger 90.

10 you unuerStandT Like a spirit,
4 shaag.d hagg.ah him."
And 80 when he loved me even more,
! 90 believe, than he ever loved her
stu ne did the thing she would have
his love by loading money on his wife.
And that was what started everything
wrong For he got rich--for my sake
and the money brought Amy's friends
ing I've said all that"
Please ,,s say 1t again You're doing
Ethel told about Fanny and the rest.
simply couldnt !" she cried.
just what II was you wanted"
What wsnted' ,PlainlyH Or. dear
What kind Of peopleT g..
Ethel frowned,
mot Just eatersI' she exclaimed. .I
wanted men and women who--well,
besutiful and real in iifeI Lite is 30
hard and queer In this town--so awfuiiy
crowded and mixed up--and empty,
somehow. You know how I mean7 But
they see something in II all. Not clearly
busy Of course, and by no means saints
They have their worries and their faults
and pettiness-they're human, too. But
they're looking for something really
ysai1S woitS ssn. Shll' Oh can't express it-l
WE'LL" said Mrs. Ctothers steadily. And
now TO narrow this down to Joe, you
wa wanted him to be i, like that,,-in at, I his
that III"
know that!''
"Yes--I knew that; Your husband and
That's It and guessed IL" Ethel
cried. IT was making wild guesses In
the dark. And at last put my finger
on his partner. and we had a talk' II
was a talk. a hard one--but l made him
believe me In the end. And he told me a
you, oh. so much But he seemed to be
out of touch with you, 80 he took me to
Mr. Dwight instead. had always
wanted to sing, you know--and the rest
Of it---well, Mr.. Dwight must have told
you"
"Only a. little" was the reply. ~
don't yet fully understand. How did all
this bring trouble with Joe? It's some.
thing serious. you said"
TITS something very nasty" And
Ethel began telling OF Fanny's revela.
tions. In the midst Of it the doorbcil
rang.
zone moment" And Sally went into
the hall. Whoever II Is, say I've a
headache Ethel heard her tell the maid.
THE same old headache" Sally re-
marked as she grimly pulled the por-
there's. They waited in a tense little
silence till the visitor had gone. And
Alice" Sally called to the maid III
any one else comes. say Tn out" She
turned back TO Ethel. smiling;
Suppose you stay to supper III tele-
and we'll go right on with this talk OF
ours we'll 20 on she added deter
minedly, until we have Joe so In our
tolls that he'll be yours 50 long as he
Ethel suddenly shifted and swallowed
I hard, and said, "oh, what dear you
are TO me-
Sally looked at her aueerly.
This Is to be a talk without tears
but much Co0d sensible planning. she
said. "I don't blame you bit for har'
ing been. frightened - You've beer
through an ugly time. But think with
little common sense--
"I know" said Ethel. that's just wha,
I need. And that Is why I came to you
THANK you." Sally smiled again
Now 70 on about Mrs. Carr
The talk went on. with Interruptions
for supper and sally's two small chill
dren. far into the evening. And Mrs
Crothers did her share---ftlling IN foi
Ethel the picture OF Joe's old lie. his
work and dreams, and his first mar mar
riase. She told OF several meetings VIII
Amy. And all the time she kept watch
ing, probing into this young second wife
skiltfully raising Ethel's hopes, her vivid
freshness and her youth, her hunger fol
a life she saw only In dazzling glimpses'
DO you want my advice about meet
ing Jos7" Then hsr. " vs. $50 she - SAID ns
your knees--'
You needn't"
"I thought so--you're not that kind
And I wouldn't explain too much about
Dwight. and those little things you az
with him. Make Joe take you on faitf
or not at all. Have long talk ant
make him listen-don't give him q
and give him the picture Of his tive
wives. and then let him choose--bet"eer
! letting you go. while he takes her
friends, or dropping them and keepinc
you and finding what he had before
can help you in that--but before 40,
In the wav OF everything. She has been
in your home long enough. And her
strength Is the fact that you and jos
never mention her name to each other
7 wonder II you realize how great a
danger that has been At any rate I'm
silence now. 1t has been like a spell
between you"
The next afternoon she sat wait 8
for Joe. She had come home the night
before feeling so strong and sure OF
her course. But beginning at the mo-
ment when she came into the empty
apartment, subtly and by, slow degrees
again her home had cast its spell; as
though the rooms were haunted. I've
got to lay the ghost" she thought. She
had telephoned to Joe to come. and he
had replied abruptly. "All right, I'll be
there about 4 o'clock" It was Just that
now. Ethel poked the logs In the nre'
place until there was a Cheerful blaze
As she straightened up she caught sight
Of her face In the mirror over the man.
tel. Even in the firellght how gaunt and
strained It looked TO her.