Charlevoix county herald., 1921-06-03

She didn't make any answer to that,
and after a while he said: "Having
told me so much. can't you tell me a
little morer'
"There isn't much to tell, and even
the little Is commonplace and-and
disgraceful," she replied. with touch
of WEAKNESS that was fairly heart
breaking. "Don't ask me why we were
married; l can't explain that. simply
because / don't know, myself. 1t was
arranged between the two families.
and / suppose HOwie and / always
took ii for granted. can't even plead
ignorance. for / have known him all
my iife."
"GO on" said the boss, still speak
ing as gently as brother might have.
"Howie was a spoiled child, an only
son, and he Is a spoiled man. ! stood
II as long as l could hope you will
believe that. But there are some
things that woman cannot stand,
and"
81 know" he broke in. $50 you
came out here to be free"
at is four years since we have
lived together" she went on, "and for
a long time l hoped he would never
find out where was. There was no
divorce. 1 had taken my mothers
name, and only Cousin Basil and his
wife knew that l was not what per-
haps every one else took me be-
of living one"
did Collingwood try to find your"
mo, think not But when he was
here last spring with his Uncle Breck-
enridge he saw me and found out that
l was living here with Cousin Basil"
"Did he try TO prosecute your
"NO. not then. l was afraid Of only
one thing: that he might drink too
much and-and talk. Part Of the fear
was realized He saw me that Sun
day night in the Billiard. That was
why he was trying to fight the hotel
peOple-because they wouldn't let him
come upstairs. l saw what you did,
and l was sorry. l couldn't help feel
to be the beginning of tragedy"
"You saw no more Of him them
"No; l neither saw him nor heard
Of him until about a month ago when
he came west with a man named
Bullock-a New York attorney.
didn't know why he came, but thought
1t was to annoy me-"
sand he has annoyed your"
until this night he has never missed
an opportunity Of doing so when he
could dodge Cousin Basil. 1t was his
haunting boast yesterday at the capital
that led me to telegraph Cousin Basil
and Upton Van Britt about your trip
to Strathcona. He knew that you were
going to the gold camp, and he declared
to me that you'd never come back
alive"
"But tonight" the boss persisted.
"What did he want tOnight?"
"He wanted TOTO use me. He said
that he had put something across
for his uncle, that he had gotten into
trouble for 1t, and that-tO use his
own phrase again, you were the man
who would try to get his goat
"And his object is telling you this?"
"Was entirely worthy Of the man.
He asked me, or rather l should say,
commanded me, to choke you off.
And, of course, he added the insult.
He said l was the one who could
do It."
"Without intending to, you have
tied my hands," the boss said gravely.
81 wasn't meaning TO spare COlling-
wood If there were any way in which
l could use him as club to knock
Hatch out Of the game"
81 haven't asked you to spare him."
mo, I know you haven't. But the
fact remains that he Is your hus-
| band. L"
The interruption was the opening
and closing of the front door and the
heavy tread Of the major in the hall.
In flash Mrs. Sheila was up and
getting ready TO vanish through the
door that led to the dining room. With
her hand on the door-knob she shot a
quick question at the boss.
SLOW much will you tell Cousin
Basil?"
Nothing Of what you have told
me-"
THANK you," she whispered back /;
''you are as big In your friendship as
you are In other ways" And with
that she was gone.
It was right along in the same half
minute, while the boss was standing
with his back to the fire and the ma
jor was going In to talk to him, that
lost Maisie Ann, / don't know where
she went, or how. She had let go Of
my wrist, and when I CROPPED for her
she was gone. Since didn't see any
good reason why / should stay and
spy upon the boss and the major. l
slipped out to the hall and curled up
on the big settee beyond the coat
rack; curled up, and after listening
a while to the drone of voices In the
farther room. went to sleep.
1t was away deep in the night when
the boss took hold of me and shook me
awake. The long talk was just get
ting itself finished. and the major had
come to the door with his guest.