South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-01-02
Revelations
OF a Wife
Ny Heart ana Wy Husband
BY ADELE GARRISON

70 -ut otuef , query, reminded me 'L
those OF a trapped animal ] reai-
szed quickly that she was afraid Lii
Ian. with the rare insight of which
had told her. might discover the
secret which she had hidden so long
the secret Of her love for Kenneth
Staekbridge, but which. alas for
<>0or Alice. was now written in her
face and eyes for anyone who could
read IL. 1 spoke quickly reassuring
ly.
7 have told Mrs. Underwood that
you had known both Mr.. and Mrs.
StOckbridge and Mrs. StOCkbridge's
family since childhood. and nat
urauy she thinks that you could give
her great deal OF information that
40 one else could
The frightened look went out of
her eyes. and she smiled gallant
little smile.
Il will tell you anything I know,
she said simply
Good" Lillian commented char
enthusiastically. Now don't think I'm
lacking upstairs II ] ask you some
strange questions. There's some
thing very definite that ] want 90
establish, a little theory Of my own
which I want 10 bolster up. I can't
tell it 10 you now. but both YOU and
Madge shall know IL i'm good time.
Now 10 begin with, was Mrs. stock
bridge her husbands first sweet
heart2"
No"
do you know the circumstances
OF his first love affair
Yes"
Would you mind telling me
LiIiian's voice was soft. her eyes
averted from the woman she was
questioning. but as Alice Holcombe
dropped her own eyes, and faltered
IN her answer. i saw Lillian send a
.sgiclS, keen glance at the others
~, and knew that Alice HOl-
mbe's sould was under Lulian's
entail scalpel as surely as her body
Ould have been If she had been
IN the dissecting table.
Il had been his friend and school
u mate since we were little children,
his chum, nothing sentimental Of
course" her voice struck "a gallant
little note OF defiance. but he used
so tell me all his troubles, and when
the tragedy came into his life ne
naturally came 20 me because ne had
no sister OF his own"
IT see. OF course" Lillian said
in the most matter-of-fact way pos
sible- Now would YOU be breaking
a confidence TO tell me that old love
story OF Mr.. StoCkbridge'
If il viii help him. L shall not
consider 10 a broken confidence" she
replied with dignity.
And then for the next five min
utes Lillian and / listened SPELL
bound, as in graphic language the
woman who loved Kenneth stock
bridge told the story OF his first love
affair. and of the accident which had
terminated II, above all Of the suf-
fering in mind and body the manned
boy had undergone. When she had
finished 1 was openly. wiping my
eyes although / had heard part of
! the story before. and Lillians face
was stirred with grave sympathy
What a tragedy" she said re-
iectively. and the infection i'm her
voice robbed the words OF banaIity.
But how in the world did he ever
AcOrle 10 console himself with the
woman he did From what Mrs
raham tells me she must have been
last word in unpleasantness. if
wasn't actually insane"
II think her love for Kenneth
drove her insane at last" Alice said
gravely. And as for his marriage.
10 is not nice thing 10 say OF a
dead woman who was my friend.
but"
III say IL for YOU" Lillian inter
posed grimly. "You mean that she
set out deliberately 10 capture his
heart on the rebound. that she tried
the sympathetic dodge until she saw
that wouldn't work. and then gave
him the impression, seconded by her
family. that she was going into a
decline for the love Of him OF
course, Mr.. StOckbridge being TIE
chivalric sentimental type OF idiot
fell for the whole thing with what
the old dime novels used 10 cali q
dull. sickening thud.'"
How did YOU know" Alice
gasped. Then she turned upon me
Did you've forgotten how much
I told you"
She told me nothing about that
end OF It." Lillian retorted. II
didn't want 10 be mixed up on the
thing. But I've seen dozens or lust
such tragedies. I tell you a woman
OF that type needs 10 be smothered
in her cradle"
She stopped pondered a moment
then said abruptly.
or course he never cared two pins
about her The question is. did he
ever learn 20 care for any other
woman? Do YOU know ."
I am ashamed 10 confess that 7
watched Alice HOlCom be's face MS
keenly as did Lillian while We wait
cd for her answer 90 the question
- Lillian had asked concerning Ken
Neth Stock bridges possible Interest
~ lrsOme woman other than his wife.
q I had long wondered whether or
y not she had suspected the love for
herself which Kenneth St0ckbridFe
had so sternly suppressed so long
Kept secret. As I watched her ard
compared her face with the pictured
counterfeit which 7 had found mad
vertertly IN the principals desk
thought with a swift little pang OF
pity that 30 was well the man who
loved her could not see what raw
agcs sorrow for him had made upon
her face
My thorny sweet rose" Kenneth
Stockbridge had written scross the
face OF that Photograph and had
locked 81 away. as BE supposed safe
from all human gaze. Yet fate had
willed that I should see g. and 10
was a certainty thar poor MWy
Stockbridge had found IL the last
day she came 90 the schooIhouse.
THAT the discovery OF her husband s.
love Tor Alice Holcombe was the
thing which drove her 20 the frenzy
which led 20 her death By her own