The Washington herald., 1921-01-06
The Marriage Min
By MILDRED K. BARBOUR.
Copyright, 1921, by the Wheeler
Syndicate, Ine.)
You Can Begin This Story Any Day!
THE SCENE OF CoMBAT.

Alison went slowly back up the
avenue after she had left Myra
standing silent and motionless by
the Osborne gate her face up
turned to the cold winter moon
light. ~.
The night wind tore through Ali
sons hair and she drew the great
collar of her wrap up close around
her ears.
InvoIuntarily, as always, she
glanced up at the darkened win
dows of the home that had once
been hers.
In Imagination, she pictured them
as they must have looked to pass
ersby on crisp evenings with the
radiance of her rOse-silk lamps
shining out into the autumn
twilight.
Was it her fancy or did she
really see faint glow in the living
room windows?
her Imagination had tFicked her,
old ruddy light, her subconscious
eye had painted it there.
Then the thought of thieves oc-
any of the silver or linen or glass
ware that had been wedding gifts
to her from Larry's friends. They
would make a rich and easy haul
for any burglar.
Without stopping to think fur
ther she crossed the street and en-
tered the building. Going quietly
up the. stairs, her hand sought the
nf "a nlxv
1t was one which she had fire.
quently worn in the old days when
she ran down to her, mothers for
hasty informal visits and the key
to the apartment was still in its
| spacious pocket.
Outside the door of the apartment
which had once been hers she paused
and listened.
There was no sound behind the
heavy mahogany door.
A sudden thought struck her.
Suppose. without ner knowledge,
Larry had given up the apartment
and some new tenant had moved in.
The poignancy of that thought was
like stab in her heart. If it were
really gone, even that poor pretence
of a home of theirs
Bending down and straining her
eyes in the dim-lit corridor, she
searched out the name plate on the
door, and a wave of relief that made
her almost faint. swept over her.
Lawrence Osborne" it read.
ThereupCn, returning to the theory
OF thieves, she bent her ear to the
door again.
The faint rustic of papers came to
her. then silence. Finally a sigh,
and the sound of someone sinking
down into a chair, as though over
come by satisfaction, or was it hope
| lessness?
Noiselessly. Alison inserted the
Key in the door and turned the lock.
SOundlessly the door swung open.
She stepped into the small dark
ened hall and closed the door he
| hlnd her, leaning back against il in
Sheer astonishment of what she saw.
Ihere was CHEEKY fire blazing on
'ne hearth-and before it-stretched
| comfortably back in a great chair
his hands clasped'aboye his head w,s
Larry.
A little gasp escaped Alison. and
Larry sprang to his feet. his ewes
stralning into the glom beyond the
radius of the fire.
Who is it?' he demanded. takinp
step forward.
AlSons Iumbling hand found the
latch and turned it. She dragged
| open the floor to fee. Not for the
universe would she have Larry find
| her mere in this place of memories.
think -
But Larry reached her in three
| stTldes before she had got through
| the door, and dragged her back
closing the door decisively behind
She had instinctively drawn the
cloak up close around her face,
shielding it with her free arm.
he laughed softly, triumphantIv
Now, my dear, let's have a look
at you" he said, reaching out to
removes the shield. Rather young
Tor a cracksman, aren't you? Or is
an unoccupied apartment about the
speed Of a youngsterT"
His fingers gently drew aside the
protecting cloak.
''Alison!"
Larry's hand dropped from. her
arm. The cloak fell disregarded ON
the floor between them. Alison
looked at him mutely.
- peg your pardon" he STAN
mered, L had no idea"
I saw a light in the window, p"
said Alison toneleasly and 1 had
the same thought as you-that burg
lars might be here. Like you I
| had no idea
They looked at each other blank
! ly.
We'll, now that you're here" ba
suggested, won't you sit down and
chat for a bit? Unless Won fbin<
it is indiscreet to be alone with
your-er-husband in the face of a
| divorce?"
Alison hesitated a moment. and
thep quietly walked into the living
| room.