Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-03-31

tended to Rachael Breckenridge:
now" she protested.
"Oh. Lord! make some objections"
Clarence growled.
my dear boy it's nothing to me.
whatever you DO" Rachael said
very important friend for Bill.
There's no sense in a~ntasonizing
NO. l suppose there isn't" Billy
said slowly. but ! wish she'd not
ask us every summer. l suppose we
shall be doing this for the rest Of our
lives" -
She trsiled Slowly from he room,
and Clarence took n Or two fretful
slances at his paper.
Gosh, how you do love to spoil
things!" he said bitterly to his wife
in a sudden burst.
Rachael did not answer. She rose
after a few moments, and carried her
letters into the adjoining room.
When Clarence presently passed the
door she called him in.
Now or neyer-now or never"
said Rachael's fast-beatinE heart. She
was pale and breathing quickly as he
came in. But Clarence, sick and
headachy. did. not notice these signs
OF strong emotion.
Clarence, I need some money!
Rachael said simply.
What for?" he asked
agingly.
The color came into his wife's face.
She did not s often for money, al
though he was rich. and she had
been his wife for sever years. 1t was
a continual humiliation to Rachael
that she must ask him at all for the
little actual money she spent, and
she got 1t. Clarence might lose more
money at poker in a single night than
Rachael touched in a month; it had
come to him without effort. and of
the two, she was the one who made
a real effort to hold the home to-
sether. Yet she was a. pensioner on
his bounty. obliged to wait for the
propitious mood and moment. Under
her hand at this moment was Mary
dollars, more than she had ever had
at one time in her life. She could
not touch it, but Clarence would turn
1t into bills, and stuff them carelessly
into his pocket. to be scattered in
the next week or two wherever his
idle fancy saw fit.
why, for living. and travelling ex-
penses," she answered. with what dig
nifty she could muster.
Thought you had some money
HE grunbled i~naevident distate.
Como in here a moment" Rachael
said in a. voice that rather to his sur
prise he obeyed.a sit down there
she ven IN. and Clarence. staring al
her a little stupidity. duly seated him
self. His wife twisted about in hel
desk chair SO that she could rest an
farm upon the back of it. and faced
him seriously across that arm.
Clarence" said she. conscious Of
certain dryness in her mouth, and a
sick q%uiverinE and weakness through.
out her whole body, II want to end
this"
WHAT" asked Clarence, puzzled
and dull, as she paused. 7
IT want to b. free" Rachael said
stumbling awkwardly over the phrase
that sounded 20 artificial and
dramatic. They looked at each 9TH.
o.. clarsncs's bswtldersd look slowl,
under his wtfe's significant expreo'
don. There was = silence.
WELL. Clarence said. ending 4
with an Indifferent shrug.
"our marriage has hsen . farce 70,
yAsrs-almost from tho beginning
Rachsel sAa1rtad eagerly. "Yot
Know II. and I know it--svsryon,
does. You're not happy, and Tn
wrstehed- TIM sick Of excuses. and
~pretspdtng: and prevaftoet!ns. rhsr,
shke about: our life has become a
absolute sham. It isn't as Il I coult
have any real influence over you-
you 90 your WY, and do ~ 70,
please, and I take the consequences
realize now that every word I "a,