The Ordway new era., 1921-07-29

"Yes. Finding himself in a pitfaIl
which he has digged with his own
hands. he is like other men of his kind /;
he would be very glad TO climb out
upon the shoulders of woman
guess the to>s saw red for a min
ute. but the question he asked had
to come.
BY what right did he come TO you,
Sheila?"
BY what he doubtless thinks is
the best right in the world He is my
husband"
1t was out at 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. l couldn't begin to'guess
what he would do or say But he was
! such a splendid fighter that l might
have known.
Il heard, no longer ago than this
afternoon. that you were not-that
/ your husband was still living lie
said. speaking very gently. Il didn't
believe it-not fully-though l saw
] that there might easily be room for
/ the belief. 1t makes no difference,
Sheila. You are my friend. aud you
are blameless. But before We 90 any
] farther / want you TO believe that
wouldn't have been brutal enough
10 give you thst bit Of paper IL 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 50 much, can't you tell me 3
/ little more;-
There Isn't much to tell. and even
I the little is commonplace and-and
| disgraceful," 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. 1t was
| arranged between the two families.
| and | suppose Howie and I always
took it 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 brother might have
lDH lt " a. q StOltt1 tAAlit4. an tIllN
son, and he is a spoiled man. l stood
It as long as I could-I hope you will
believe that But there are some
things that a woman cannot stand.
and
Il know" he broke in. $50 you
| came out here 10 be free.'t
1T is four years since we have
lived together" she went on. land for
long time l hoped he would never
find out where / was. There was no
divorce. l 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-
a widow with a dead husband instead
Of living one"
Did Collingwood try to find your"
"No. I think not. But when he was
here last spring with his Uncle Breck-
enridge he saw me and found out that
was living here with Cousin BASIL
Did he try to prosecute you:r
mo, not then. was afraid of only
one thing: that he might drink too
much and-and talk. Part of tile fear
was realized. He saw me that Sun
day night in the Bullard That was
why lie was trying to fight the hotel
peOple-because they wouldn't let him
come upstairs. saw what you did.
and | was sorry. / couldn't help feel
ing that In some way it would prove
TO be the beginning OF u tragedy
"You saw no more Of him then:"
NO; neither saw linn nor heard
Of him until about a month ago when
he came west with Il man named
Bullock-a New York attorney.
didn't know why he came, but thought
1t was to annoy me-
And he has annoyed youT'
Until this night he has never missed
an opportunity Of doing so when he
could dodge Cousin Basil. It was his
taunting boast yesterday at the capital
that led me to telegraph Cousin Basil
and Upton Van Britt about your trip
to Sirathcona. He kne~ that you were
going 10 the gold camp. and he declared
to me that you'd never come bach
alive"
But tonight" the boss persisted.
What did he want tonightT'
HE wanted toto use me- He said
that he had put something across
for his uncle, that he had gotten into
trouble for II, and shaf-to use his
own phrase again. you were the man
who would Try TO get his goat"
And bis object Is telling you this?'
"Was entirely worthy Of the man.
He asked me. or rather should say.
commanded me. TO choke you on
And. Of course. he added the insult.
He said 1 was the one who could
do It,"
without Intending to. you have
tied my hands," the boss said gravely.
II wasn't meaning TO spare ColIIng-