The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-02-08
The The Wreckers
Francis Lynde

Continues Frcm Yesterday,

Tie was on his feet now and
tramping bach and forth on the
hearth rug. Al one OF his back.
turnings l saw Mrs. sheiia reach
out quickly and lay the bit OF paper
with Its accusing scrawi on the
glowing eoais Then she said. quite
calm again:
I'm time 70 come you win accom-.
piish even that Graha m--this
change OF ownership that we have
talked of and dreamed about II
Is the true solution Of the problem.
not government ownership. but own
ershlp by the people who have the
most at stake--the public and the
workers. You are n strong man.
and you will bring n about. But
this other msn--who IL not strong.
the man whose name WAS written
upon the bit of paper l have just
thrown into the fro :"
lie wheeled quickly and what ne
said made me feel as n q cold wind
were blowing up the hack OF my
neck. because hadn't dreamed that
he would remember coilinEwood
well enough 10 recognize him In
that passing moment on the side.
walk.
THAT man. he muttered. sort OF
gratingiy: Il had completely for.
gotten. He was here ju< a little
while ago. met him as was
coming In. Did he come 20 acc
your couSin--the rnajorf-
No she said. matching his low
tone. he came 10 see ma
Your
Yes. Finding himself IN q pit
fan which he has diwwed with hts
own hands. he is like other men OF
his kind. he would be very glad
TO climb cut upon the shoulders OF
woman"
I guess the boss saw red for q
minute. but the question he asked
had to come.
by what RICH, ala he some 90
you. shesiar-
by what he doubtless thinks Il
the best right In the world. He Is
my husband
II was out AZ last. and the boss
poor little house OF cards thai I
knew he had been building all these
months had got it's knockdown In
Just those four quietly spoken
words. Maisie Ann was still grip.
ping my wrist. and I felt a bot tear
go splash on my hand. oh. I could
KIN himF' she whispered. meaning
Colllngwood. I suppose.
IA well as I knew him. couldn't
begin TO guess what the boss would
do or say. Bnt he was such a splen.
did fighter that might have known.
II heard. no longer AFRO than this
afternoon. that you were not--that
your husband was sfiil living he
said speaking very gently. II didn't
believe it-not fiIiy-tho ! saw that
there might easily b room for the
belief II makes no difference.
Shsi,A You are my friend. and you
are blameiesS. But before we 70 any
farther I want you 10 believe that !
wouldn't have been brutal enough 20
give you that bit OF paper " had
remotely suspected that colllngwood
was the man"
She didn', maks any answsr 70
that. and after n while be said.
Having told mo 30 much. can't
you tell me q little more
There Isn't much to tell. and even
the little is commonplace and-and
disgrncefui." she repl,ed. with a
touch OF WEAKNESS tRt was fairly
heartbrcnkinS. Don't ask me why
we were married: can't explain
that. amply because I don't know.
myself. II was arranged between the
two families and I suppose Howie
and I Always took II for granted. I
can't even plead Ignorance. for !
have known him all my life
r Go on said the boss. stin speak.
Ing As gently a. n brother might
have
"Howfs wps . spoiled chfld. an
| only son. and he Is . spoiled man ]
| stood II as long as could hops
you viii believe that But there ar,
some things that a woman cannot
stand, and
Il know he broke In 30 you
came out here to 10 frce.-
1t Ia four years since Ne have
lived together" she went on. land
for a long time hoped he would
never find out where ! was. There
was no divorce. I couldn't endure
the thought OF the publicity and the
the disgrace- When I came here
to Cousin Basirs. there was no at.
tempt made TO hide the facts: or at
least. the one chief fact that I was q
married woman But on the other
hand. had taken my mothers
name. and only Cousin Basil and his
wife knew that was not what. per.
haps. every one else took me TO be-
| widow with dead husband In.
stead OF a living one"
did Coilingwood try TO ind your
~No, ! think not But when he
was here last spring with his Uncle
Breckenridge he saw me and found
out that I was living here with
Cousin Basil"
Did he try 10 persecute your
mo. not then. I was afraid OF
only one thing: that he might drink
too much eDd--and talk. Part OF the
fear was realized He saw me that
Sunday night in the Billiard That
was why he WAS trying TO fight the
hotel people--because they wouldn't
let him como upstairs. / saw what
you did, and was sorry. ] couldn't
help feeling that In some way Il
would prove to be the beginning OF
tragedy"
You saw no more OF him Them
mo: I neither saw him nor heard
OF him until about a month ago.
when he came West with a man
named Bullock. New York attor.
ney. didn't know why he came.
but I thought II was to annoy me"
And he has annoyed your"
Until this night he has never
missed an opportunity OF doing so
when he could dodge Cousin Basil.
Caring nothing for ms himself, he