Judsonia weekly advance., 1921-02-03

nalI IN Suppllance. NOW, John, she
pleaded. don't be rash. You don't
know that Beulah's gone with Jim,
and you haven't a word of proof of
It,"
proof! What more proof do I
want2 When did ever Beuah carry
on like this before? Didn't she al
ways do as she was told? And haven't
they been thick as molasses this while
back? Wasn't it over wasting time
with her that Jim got fired, AMI not
word of admission of the real facts
from him? What more do you want
than that? You thought l wouldn't
be interested in that, either"
II didn't know it," she protested
land l don't believe it. | don't be
lieve either Beulah or jim had any
such thought in their head But even
if they did, Jim Travers is as decent
a young man as there is in Plainville
district, and you've nothing to be
ashamed of except your own temper,
that drove them away in the way they
went"
Il won't listen to that kind of talk
from you any longer" said Harris
sternly. "Fll chase the young repro
bates to earth, if 1t takes all summer.
And unless you can clear yourself of
being mixed up in this-well, therell
be something TO settle on that score.
too. Hitch up the drivers, Allan, and
be quick about It,"
you're not going to leave your
blowing, are you" asked his wife.
The words sprang to her lips without
any misintent. 1t was such an unusual
thing for her husband, on any account,
to leave the farm work unfinished.
The practice on the Harris homestead
was work first, all other considera-
tons second.
That's enough of your sarcasm"
he snapped 81 would think when our
name is threatened with disgrace
like this you would be as anxious to
defend it as l am. How Is it you go
back on me in Il moment like this7
You're not the woman you once were,
Mary"
And you're not the man you once
were, John" she answered. "Oh, can't
you see that we're just reaping what
has been sown-the crop we've been
raising through all these years? Beu,
lah's very life has been crying out for
action. for scope, for room, for some
thing that would give her a reason for
existence, that would put a purpose
into her life, and we've not tried to
on 10
much as you, John, perhaps more be
cause | should have read her heart
should have seen the danger signals
long ago. But I was so busy, I didn't
think That's the trouble, John we've
been so busy, both of us, we haven't
taken time to keep up with her. We've
gathered some property together. and
our cares have grown in proportion,
but that which was more to us than
all the property in the world we have
lost-because we valued it less" The
tears We're slowly coursing down her
cheeks, and her thin. workworn arms
were stealing about his neck. Don
think dear" she whispered, that Tn
Indifferent, or that this hurts me less
than you, or that I would shield my
self from one iOta of my just blame,
but let us face the fact that it has
been our mistake rather than Beu-
labs"
He removed her arms, not urgently.
81 never thought ii would come to
this" he said 81 thought I humored
her every way l could. AS for our
hard work-well work makes money.
and I noticed Beulah could spend her
share"
"You don't understand, John. 1t
wasn't the work, it was the making a
god of work and giving it so much Of
our lives that there was none left for
her. That's why she looked some
where else-if she has looked some
where else"
"Allan works as hard and harder
than ever Beulah did, and Allan
doesn't feel that way about It."
"That's true" she admitted "but
Allan's ambition is work. He works
and is satisfied, but Beulah thinks,
and is not satisfied. It's the difference
in their nature, and we didn't take it
into consideration" In every phrase
she tried to link his blame with hers
that the burden might unite instead of
separate them.
"If she'd thought little more be-
fore this mad prank it would have
been better for everybody" he said.
"WelI, she'll have plenty of time to
think yet" He stepped to the kitchen
door. and from the nail above took
down the repeating rifle.
you're not going to take thatw she
cried. Don't take that, John. 1t
can't possibly do any good, and it may
do lot of HARM"
81 won't do anything foolish" he
answered, "but I'll take it along, Just
the same"
Allan, with the drivers harnessed
to the top buggy, was now at the door.
Without saying good-by to his wife
Harris joined him, ainl the two set
off on their search. Almost at the
gate they met George Grant, who had
Co. hot