The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-11-13
Continued from Preceding Page.

OOWssWetO fVWv
beginning to be his mate.
II was loyalty to Dorothy through
his pocketbook and his genius for
business with which Fravne
planned to outweigh the disloyalty
OF his heart. He had determined
on this almost from the ravishing
moment when he first folded
velma in his arms and tasted the
savory sweetness of her lips.
with all his strength he fought
against the intoxicating desire to
leap boldly over all the obstacles
in the path of happiness-the
worlds opinion, Dorothy's future
welfare. everything-and. fly at
once to some distant land with
this new found mate whose delect-
able body pressed close to his With
warm throbbing appeal.
Although already more than we'll
to do. Frayne's business was not In
such shape that he could bring 1t
to the sudden end which an imIne-
date divorce and the establish
ment of q new home In some di3.
tant place would necessitate, with.
out a considerable sacrifice.
II was a strange complex OF
thoughts and emotions which
shaped the course Martin Fray ne
had set for himself A cons ci,n-
tious sense of duty to the woman
he had married and selfish desire
to give Dorothy and his friends the
least possible cause for holding
him up to scorn and blame-those
two motives played about equal
parts In bringing about his deci-
sion.
Frayne was Unfortunately proud
of his reputation as q business
man, a citizen and a husband. He
could not bear to think Of his over
being the object of such oppro-
brium as he had so often seen cast
at men who had divorced their
wives for causes not a whit better
or worse than his own.
But he knew human nature vel
enough to appreciate that the ten
dency always Is for the public TO
seek to make the end justify the
means. He would play on this
same human frailty In arranging
his divorce. His friends should be
so dazzled by the Morality Of the
settlement he made on Dorothy
that they would forget to consider
whether he had done right or
wrong in deserving her for Velma.
And the effect on Dorothy Ler-
self-that alone, he thought. made
the game worth the candle. There
would of course be a painful scene
when he broke the news-that was
quite to be expected from a woman
utterly lacking in the aggressive
strength Of character which he so
admired in Velma.
But when the first shock Ut
panied surprise was over me
wounds in Dorothy's love Ind
pride were bound to be quickly
healed by her realization Of the
handsome liberality with which he
was treating her as he cast her off.
Yes, Frayne even imagined their
parting finally on the friendiest
terms Dorothy's eyes shining with
gratitude and admiration for the
man who could be so prodigal 10
his generosity TO the woman he
no longer loved.
Il had been no easy task to
which Martin set himself with iron
will almost from the instant when
Velma freed him from that never.
to-be-forgotten first embrace He
had to steel Hmm elf against her
persistent pleas for a speedy az.
vorce-pleas which 1t seemed i'm
possible for anything OF flesh rnd
blood to resist when he felt her
arms about him.
To q man like Frayne, who had
always boasted OF fearing nobody
and who had been accustomed to
having what he wanted with pre-
cious little delay. all this was ag-
gravating. positively disgusting.
He loathed the sham OF his life
with Dorothy and all the sly do,ig.
ing about he had to do with Velma.
The strain OF this double existence
was fea. July wearing thing.
SonohhOu WIN thc fhtOho"s Win
which he gave himself to the tasA
of quickly increasing his fortune
1t soon wore him to o mere shadow
of his former self
But no knight of old was ever
more inspired by lady fair than
was this modern man OF busine So
by Velma Dare's wondrous beauty
and charm. The vision OF her face
continually before mis- eyes. the
soft purr Of her voice forever echo
ing in his ears nerved him for his
arduous struggle toward the goal
he he'd set.
Now. thank God. the. ordeal was
nearly over. The trip north from
which he had just returned was nl-
most the next to the last move In
great business game that was 30
ing to pour into his pockets more
millions than he had ever dared
hope for. Within a few weeks at
most he might count on breaking
the news to DOrothy. quietly ar.