The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1920-11-12
IN THE SUBWAY
BY VIRGINIA kEYEs.

| ,,.,,, tue Whoie thing
WIN De done quietly" Mrs. Francis Tai.
ioaru mnrmnred Ia herself as ahe s,ooi
"a'0hihg the MONDAY crowd pouring
'a'o the subway. Her gown OF yruy.
"shs material. with LIS wide. child.
M cohar OF delicate, white lace seemed
strangely out OF place Among Tho
90 '"i'ored suits of the working
snis hurrying past. A gray velvet hat
Win single ornament OF twisted ali.
| yer ribbon fitted closely over her coIle,i
brown aair. No. there would be no
disgusting publicity.
somewhere a clock struck the half.
hour' Mrs. Talfourd became impatient
strange Francis was late. lie had In
sisted mat she should meet him there
an" that they should 20 together on
the subway. How much easier 10
rave called for him at the Office with
her little electric.
| IN spite of herself she began TO
thihk about the first time she had seen
Francis. Then he had been a secre.
usfy IN her fathers office. She re-
heihhered his straight shoulders and
The peculiar habit he had of becoming
la''e req when one looked at him.
HOW different from the young men
| VINO lifted about the fashionable ho
tets anu drove long, devastated road.
| sters
| she remembered how curiousIy
happy she had been the day he timIdly
| invited her 10 Il concert How proud
| she felt, proud of his erect bearing, his
energetic manner of speaking and his
hashing smile. Then. too, the night
she had given up dance to go to
walk with him, and he had told her
that he loved her
Mrs. Talfourd caught her breath has
lily. She must not Think OF such
things One should not think of such
things when one was going 10 law
yer's to get divorce She must re-
member how impossible Il 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 luxuries she
loved so much. Then her father had
died and she had slowly drifted 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 qunrrels, and now
she was waiting for Francis AT the sub
way entrance. A clock struck one.
tiredlooking 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 a little extra work that
had 10 be finished. However. this In
the last time I'll keep you waiting, you
know"
As they went down into the subway
she began TO open her beaded bag. II
pay my wifes fare" he said grImly.
and the lines about his mouth hard.
ened noticeably.
They entered the car and found A
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. II was probably waiting for an
other car to pass. Then the lights |
vert out. Mrs. Talfourd had been
afraid Of the dark ever since she was |
a wee tot, who chung In terror 10 her |
governess' hands as they went through |
the dark hall into the brilliantly light |
cd nursery. Now she shlyered n 1T |
tie In the darkness and touched Fran |
els sleeve gently to make sure he was
still there.
His voice rang out clearly above
the others: I'VE will be going In a
few minutes. The car often stops like
this"
Mrs. Talfonrd was reminded OF the
first month Of their marriage. when she
cooked for Francis IN four-room
apartment. How happy Francis had
been, DO inatter how dIsgracefully the
dinner turned out Something startled
her from her thoughts. the low means
Of a frightened woman. In the deadly
stiffness that followed there was
low. dripping sound Mrs Talfouri
clenched her hands and began 10 count
the drops In n stupid way. Now there
was the sound 81 running water. no
longer drops. Ii was the river. The
car would soon be flooded
Francis" she whispered. Her
throat was strangely dry.
Yes dear" be said softly. and she
felt his arm close tight about her
Not ray Of light penetrated The dark
ness only that maddening frickling.
On the other side Of the chr man
WIS praying In husky voice and a
woman Was sohblng.
Dear" II WAS months since she
had sid that word. Dear" she Rhis-
pered again. and she felt his breath
ls,sf'tSf Ter cheek In that instant OF |