Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-11-17

Chris touched 1t. "was she still
working?" he asked. He knew It was
the shawl without which he had hardly
ever seen Miss Chester.
The woman broke into fresh tears.
She held the shawl up for his inspec-
ton.
IT'S finished, sir! She must have
put the last stitch into it just before
she died, because Greyson said she was
sitting up working at It when she called
her this morning. She was so anxious
to get 1t made--she always told me IL
was for Marie . ."
That will do" said Chris. He went
downstairs and waited about till the
doctor came down.
There was nothing to be DONE" the
doctor told him. IF 10 been sitting
beside her when 1t happened could not
have done anything" He looked at
Chris pale face sympathetically. "It's
been a shock to you" he said. And
your wife--I am afraid she will feel It
very much"
"Yes--especially as she was out"
Chris spoke constrainedly. He dreaded
having to break the news to Marie.
The afternoon went by. and she did
not come. Greyson did not know where
she had gone.
Nobody rang her up?., Chris asked,
with sudden apprehension.
"No. sir Mr.. bakers rang up twice
before lunch, but he asked for you"
Chris went to the phone and gave
Feathers number, but Feathers had
gone out in the car, SO they told him,
and had left no word as to when he
would return.
Greyson brought Chris some tea in
the smoking room, but he left 1t un-
touched.
There are some letters, sir" she
said, as she came to take the tray
away, but Chris did not even glance
at them.
His heart was racked with anxiety
for his wife. He wished he had -:
sisted on seeing her that morning and
he blamed himself bitterly.
Evening came, but no Marie.
II don't want any dinner Chris
said, when the servants begged him to
eat. He wandered in and out OF the
house rcstlessly.
He had rung up every ono where he
thought there was the slightest chance
of finding Marie, but nobody had seen
her. He had rung Feathers twenty
times without result.
fore his eyes fell on the little heup OF
letters on the smoking room table, and
from sheer restessncss he took them up
and opened them one By one.
A bill-a note from q man asking him
to play golf--a letter in Miss Chester
writing, sent back from Scotland, anu
note without q stamp.
He was about to throw the last list'
'essly aside as Of no interest, when he
recognized Feathers writing.
With his heart racing. he broke open
the flap and for a moment everything
swan before his eyes, 80 that he could
not read word.
Dear Chris-I rang you this morn.
Ing, but they said you were out, 30
I am writing and sending the note
by hand, as l want you to get 1t as
soon as you come in. You Will know
by the time you receive this that your
wife has left the house. If you had
not come TO my rooms last night and
told me what you did, God only knows
in what tragedy we might have
found ourselves. This morning l did
my best to set things right, but
was too late, SO am writing this note
to you. You know the Yellow Sheaf
on the Oxford road near Somerton
Lock? II you will be there this eve
ming ut half-past seven you Will find
Mrs. Lawless I know this is the
end Of our friendship, and through
my fault. My MY excuse ." thai
thought was a strong man, but per-
haps we are all weak when 1t comes
to the test.-Feathers.
Half-pnst seven! 1t was nearly sew
en- now, and Somcrton Lock was forty
miles away.
Chris never knew what happened
during the next hour. He only came
to himself again as he was driving like
mailman through the dnrkening night.
the cool breeze stinging his face.
She had gone--and with Feathers.
His best friend had failed him, had lied
to him and dishonorcd him. There
was murder In Chris heart as he stared
ahead into the darkness and tried tc
control his thoughts.
Twice he took the wrong road. and
had to turn back, cursing and praying
and almost sobbing in his fear.
The darkness seemed TO deepen in
order to hamper him. AS he neared
the river a slight dip Ill the road plunged
him into thick mist that was almost
fog.
-
see yard ahead of him.
Once he stopped, and with the aid OF
lamp from the ear found II signpost:
Somerton Lock-onc mile
Almost there lie tried to believe 1t
was not too late, tried to remember
that for all these years Feathers had
been his loyal friend. Once the car
swerved under his shaking hand, and
he had TO stop dead with grinding
brakes, thinking he was off the road.
1t was then that he heard steps run
ming up the road toward him, aad
man 8 voice calling through the mist
and darkness.
He started the car again impatiently,
but as he did 80 mans figure came out
Of the gloom into the uncertain light Of
his lamps.
There's a car in the river For
Gods sake, sir come. It's mile from
the lock and not a soul nearer Lost
the r0nd in this mist they must have
done" He read the refusal IN Chris
face, and he broke out again passion
nteIy, "Oh, for Gods sake, sir! There +
woman in IL -
As If in confederation of his state
ment, frantic cry came family to
them through the mist.
Chris hesitatcd no longer. lie caught
up a strap which lay ut the bottom of
the car and, dragging n lamp from its
hook, ran back along the road with the
man.
"Are you sure?' he asked breath
lessly as they ran. "Ilow can u car
! have got into tho river"'
They were at the waters edge now
and holding the lamp down, they could
see the wheel tracks through the damp,