The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1921-12-30

| g, 1921, by McClure Newspaper Syndicate.
When Joe announced his intention
of marrying Constance his family had
warned him that he would have trou-
BILE with a wife who was as spoiled
and selfish as Connie. But Joe, feel
overcome her ~selfiShness for his sake,
had paid no attention to the warning.
Now, after six months Of married
life, the family's prophecy seemed
about to be fulfilled. Connie was be-
ginning to assume a martyred attitude
and a habit of numerically nagging
him at every opportunity.
On this particular evening Connie
chose to be especially nasty.
Business as usual, l suppose?' she
inquired, sweetly sarcastic, when he
came in late to supper.
Receiving no reply, and seeming de-
termined to provoke him, she tried
again.
do you know" she asked, coolly
and deliberately, sometimes l wonder
if it is all business"
Instead of hanging up his hat he
replaced 1t on his head and gave vent
to his temper.
II am going out to a restaurant!
Perhaps some day when it's too late
you'll come to your senses! I've had
enough! !" Slamming the door angrily
after him, he left the house.
Connie was so surprised that she
forgot the half-framed retort that vas
on her lips. Joe had never spoken
like this to her before. She began
to feel uneasy and wondered where he
had gone. After two or three hours
Of trying to amuse herself she went
into the bedroom and addressed her.
self In the mirror.
II don't care ~ she said aloud. 81
don't care! I'll show him. l don't
care If he never comes back ]" And
just to prove that she didn't, she threw
herself down on the bed and cried her.
self to sleep.
When she awoke 1t was II o'clock.
How could she have slept so long?
And where was Joe? She wondered
If he really had left her, and began to
feel shaky. She decided to go to the
drug store for a drink.
While slipping a chocolate milk the
conversation Of two men at the cigar
counter came to her ears.
"Where-at Geb & SimmondsT"
"Yes, today-shortage Of $4,000"
Sunny mix-up, anyone suspected?"
"No, not yet; but nobody handles
the money except old man Geb him
self, and that young fellow joe"
Connie waited to hear no more. Set
ting down her glass with a thump that
startled the. sleepy drug clerk. she fed
from the store.
Ten thousand dollars! So that is
what her incessant nagging had made
him do.
AS soon as she entered the house the
telephone rang. With her heart in her
throat she answered 1t.
"No, he isn't here, Mr.. Geb. . . 4.
Yes, I'll tell him to call you as soon
as he comes In. /. No message?
i. . Yes. Good-by." She hoped
her voice had sounded natural.
So they were after him already.
The sound of quiet footsteps on the
stairway sent chills up and down her
spine. They had come already! What
should she do? With o show Of cour-
age that she did not feel she went to
the door and threw 1t open. Her hus-
band stood facing her.
He looked very tired, and the hair
about his temples was damp with per-
SEPARATION. Connie knew she had no
time to waste.
"Oh, Joe," she began breathlessly,
"can you w forgive me? It's all my
fault! Give It back! Don't let them
arrest you'll"
"For heavens sake. what's the mat.
ter with your demanded the thor
oughly bewildered Joe, fearing for his
wife's sanity.
The insistent jangling of the tele-
: phone interrupted before she could