Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1920-12-17
IN THE SUBWAY
BY VIRGINIA kEYES.
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Will be done quietly" Mrs. Francis Tai
fourd murmured to herself as she stood
watching the MONDAY crowd pouring
into the subway. Her gown of gray.
clinging material, with its wide child
ish collar of delicate, white lace seemed
strangely out of place among the
smart tailored suits of the working
girls hurrying past. A gray velvet hat
with n single ornament of twisted sill
yer ribbon fitted closely over her coiled
brown hair. No. there would be no
disgusting publicity.
Somewhere a clock struck the half
hour. Mrs. Talfourd became impatient.
Strange, Francis was late. He had In
sisted that she should meet him there
and that they should so together on
the subway. How much easier to
have called for him ut the office with
her little electric
In spite of herself she began to
think about the first time she had seen
Francis. Then he had been secre-
tary in her fathers office. She re-
membered his straight shoulders and
the peculiar habit he had of becoming
quite red when one looked at him.
How different from the young men
who fitted about the fashionable hO-
tells and drove long, low-seated road
sters
She remembered how curiously
happy she had been the day he tlmidly
Invited her to concert. How proud
she felt, proud of his erect bearing, his
energetic manner of speaking and his
flashing smile Then, too, the night
she had given up a dance to go to
walk with him, and he had told her
that he loved her.
Mrs. Talfourd caught her breath has
tily. She must not think of such
things when one was going to a law
yer's to get divorce. She must re-
member how impossible 1t was for
them to live happily together. She
could not go without the things she
had always been accustomed to. For
two dreadful months she had lived
within Francis salary, denying her
helf all the expensive luxures she
loved so much. Then her father had
died and she had slowly drlfted back
into the old way. Why should she not
spend her fathers money? He had
worked all his life that his only daugh-
ter might have everything. Yet Fran
els wanted her to live upon his salary
alone. Ridiculous! There had been
quarrels rather bad quarrels, and now
she was waiting for Francis at the sub
way entrance. A clock struck one.
A tired-loOklng man separated him
self from the crowd and came hastily
toward her. His well-fitting suit was
worn and his cuffs were frayed.
"Sorry Blanche" he said briskly.
There was little extra work that
had to be finished. However, this Is
the last time I'll keep you waiting, you
know"
AS they went down into the subway
she began to open her beaded bag 81
pay my wife's fare" he said grimly,
and the lines about his mouth hard
ened noticeably.
They entered the car and found
seat in silence. Mrs. Talfourd looked
straight before her. Stations flashed
by, spots of light and color, nothing
more. The crowds ebbed and flowed.
Suddenly the car stopped. There
was no station. They must be under
the river. Mrs. Talfourd sighed with
relief. 1t was probably waiting for an
other car to pass. Then the lights
went out. Mrs. Talfourd had been
afraid Of the dark ever since she was
wee tot, who chung In terror to her
governess' hands as they went through
the dark hall into the brilliantly light
ed nursery. Now she shivered lit
tie in the darkness and touched Fran
cis' sleeve gently to make sure he was
still there.
His voice rang out clearly above
the others: 1--WE will be going in a
few minutes. The car often stops like
this"
Mrs. Talfourd was reminded of the
first month of their marriage, when she
cooked for Francis In four-rOOm
apartment. How happy Francis had
been, no matter how disgracefully the
dinner turned out Something startled
her from her thoughts, the low means
OF frightened woman. In the deadly
stiffness that followed there was
low, dripping sound. Mrs. Talfourd
clenched her hands and began to count
the drops in stupid way. Now there
was the sound Of running water, no
longer drops. 1t was the river. The
car would soon be flooded.
Francis" she whispered. Her
throat was strangely dry.
Eyes, DEAR" he said softly, and she
felt his arm close tight about her.
Not ray of light penetrated the dark
ness, only that maddening trlckling.
On the other side of the car a man
was praying in a husky voice and
woman was sobbIng.
Dear" 1t was months since she
had said that word. Dear" she whis-
pered again, and she felt his breath
against ner cheek. In that instant Of
ho oh