The Dolores star., 1921-12-09

"Yes. Finding himself in n pitfall
which he has disged with his own
hands. he is like other men OF his kind:
he would he very glad to climb out
upon the shoulders of woman
/ guess the boss saw red for min
ute. but the question he asked had
| TO come
BY what right did lie come to you.
Shcilai"
by what he doubtless thiaks Is
the best right in the world. lie is my
husband"
II WAS out ut last, and the boss
poor little house OF cards that | knew
he had been building all these months
had got its knock-down in Just those
four quietly spoken words. AS well as
knew him. couldn't begin to guess
what he would do or say But he was
such splendid fighter that might
have known.
"a heard, no longer nGo than this
afternoon, that you were not-that
your husband was still living" lie
said, speaking very gently. u didn't
that there might easily be room for
the belief. 1t makes no difference.
Sheila. You are my friend. aud you
are blamelcSS. But before we 20 any
farther | want you to believe that
I wouldn't have been brutal enough
to give you that bit of paper II I had
remotely suspected that Collingwood
was the man"
She didn't make any answer to that,
and after a while he said: Having
told me so much, can't you tell me
little more?"
There isn't much to tell, and even
the little is commonplace and-and
disgraceful." she replied, with touch
OF weariness that was fairly heart
breaking. Don't ask me why we were
| married; I can't explain that, simply
because don't know. myself. 1t was
arranged between the two families,
and I suppose Howie and l always
took 1t for granted. I can't even plead
| ignorance, for l have known him all
my life"
60 on" said the boss. still speak
ing as gently as brother might have.
"HOwie was spoiled child, an only
son, and he is spoiled man. l stood
| 1t as long as could-I hope you will
| believe that. But there are some
things that n woman cannot stand.
and"
~ know" he broke in. $50 you
| came out here to be free"
ut Is four years since we have
lived together" she went on. "and for
| long time I hoped lie would never
| find out where I was. There was no
divorce. 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 to be-
widow with dead husband instead
of living one"
did CollingwOod try to find you"
| mo. think not. But when lie was
here last spring with his Uncle Breck-
was living here with Cousin Basil"
"Did he try TO persecute you:"
| mo, not then. l was afraid of only
one thing: that he might drink too
much and-and talk. Part Of the fear
was realized. lie saw me that Sun
day night in the Bullard. That was
why lie was trying to fight the hotel
peopIe-because they wouldn't let him
come upstairs. l saw what you did
Ing that in some way 1t would prove
to be the beginning Of tragedy"
you saw no more OF him then:"
NO; I neither saw him nor heard
OF him until about a month ago when
he came west with man named
Bullock-a New York attorney. l
didn't know why lie came, but thought
1t was to annoy me-
"And he has annoyed your"
Until this night lie has never missed
an opportunity Of doing so when he
could dodge Cousin Basil. It was his
taunting bOnst yesterday at the capital
that led me to telegraph Cousin Basil
and Upton Van Britt about your trip
to Stratlicona. 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.
|
ale wanted toto use me. He said
that he had put something across
for his uncle. that he had gotten into
trouble for II, and shat-tO use his
own phrase sgaIn. 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 I should say.
commanded me. to CHOKE you of. :
And. OF course, he added the insult.
He said 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 Colilng-
wood n there were any way in which
could use him as club to knock