Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1921-11-24

I yes. Finding himself In q pltfal
which he has digged with his owl
5 hands, he Is like other men OF bis kind
he would be very glad TO climb on
upon the shoulders OF a woman"
# gurSS tire tUss sHw rpu rUY n min
ate--but-the question ne askgd tuc
to come.
by what right did he come to you,
Sheila7"
by what he doubtless thinks Ia
the best right In the world He Is my
husband"
II was out at last. snd the boss
poor little house OF cards that ! knew
he had been building all these months
had got its knock-down In just those
flour quietly spoken words. AS well as
| knew him, ! couldn't begin TO guess
what he would do or say. Bur he was
such a splendid fighter that | might
have known.
Il heard, no longer ago than this
afternoon, that you were not-that
your husband was stIil living" he
said, speaking very gently. II didn't
believe it-not fu~lly-though | saw
that there might easily be room for
the belief Il makes no difference.
Sheila. You are my friend. and you
are blameless, But before we go any
farther ! want you to believe that
| wouldn't have been brutal enough
to give you that bin of paper II / had
remotely suspected that CollIngwood
was tile man"
She didn't make any answer to that.
and after 3 while he said Having
told me SO much. can't you tell me a
little more?'
There isn't much TO tell, and even
the little Is commonplace and-and
disgrsceful." she replied. with a touch
OF WEAKNESS that was fairly heart
breaking. Don't ask me why we were
married; ] can't explain that. simply
because | don't know. myself. Ii was
arranged between the two families,
and I suppose HOWE and | always
took 1t for granted. ! can't even plead
ignorance, for ! have known him all
my life
Go on" said the boss. still speak
ing as gently as q brother might have.
"Howie was a spoiled child, an only
son, and he is a spoiled man. | stood
II as long as / could-I hope you will
believe that. But there are some
things that a woman cannot stand,
and"
II know he broke In. $50 you
came out here to be free.
1T Is four years since we have
lived together" she went on. and for
a long time | hoped he would never
find out where l was. There was no
divorce. had taken my mothers
name. and only Cousin Basil and his
wife knew that | was not what per-
haps every one else tool me TO be-
a widow with q dead husband Instead
of a living n
did Collingwood try to find your"
mo, l think not. But when lie was
here last spring with his Uncle Brock
enridge he saw me and found out that
| was living here with Cousin Basil"
did he fry 10 prosecute your"
mo. not then. was afraid of only
one thing: that he might drink too
and-and talk. Part OF the fear
was realized. lie saw me that Sum
day night In the Billiard. That was
why he was trying 10 fight the hotel
peopIe-because they wouldn't let him
come upstairs. | saw what you did.
ing that In some way 1t would prove !
be the beginning Of a tragedy" /
you saw no more of him then I
"No; / neither saw him nor heard /,
,f him until about a month ago when 7
ne came west with a man named
Buliock-a New York attorney.
know why7he came. but / Thought /
I was to annoy me.
And he has annoyed your r
Until this night he has never missed
IN opportunity of doing so when he a
dodge Cousin Basil. IL was his b
auntIng boast yesterday at the capital
hat led me 10 telegraph Cousin Basil c
md Upton Var Britt about your trip b
o S~trathcoua. He knew that you were 4
.oine TO the gold camp, and he declared '
o me that you'd never come back +
b
But tonight. the boss persisted
What did he want ~tonlght7"
@He wanted toto use me. He said
be had put something across
or his uncle. that he had gotten into
roubie for II. and that-to use his .
'wn phrase again. you were the man q
rho would try to get his goat" p
And his object IL telling you this I" 3
WAS entirely worthy of the man. d
lie asked me. or rather | should say. b
commanded me. TO choke you on h
Ind, of course, he added the insult. a
lie sstd l WIS the one who could d
10 IT," 4
without intending 10. you have B
he'd my hsHds," the boss said graveiy.
wasn't meaning to spare CoiIing- B
n there were any way 10 which d
could use him ss = club TO knock q
out Of the game. d