Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-10-04
"a BACHELOR HUSBAND
-. H., RJ1RY M 4YRES
Bv RUBY NJ. AYRES
Author of "Richard Chutterton," Etc.
[-o.,,rtobt. 1880. bv W J. Watt q Co.

him. She shut her eyes tightly with
a quick feeling Of giddiness.
What could she do now? What could
she say to him? Ought she to tell him
She tried to think, but somehow her
brasn felt woolly and would not work
hand, and looking down blankly, she
saw that her nails had cut deeply into
her flesh, their clasp Of one another
had been so cruel.
THE money was left between them
on condition they married--otherwise
she got It ALL"
The words beat against her brain
as IL daring her to forget them.
Poor Chris! He had always been
fond Of money. He had never had
enough to spend She could remem-
Der when he first went to Oxford. how
| often he wrote home for extra money.
It had never been refused, either.
She knew that her father had always
preferred him to herself. strange as it
might seem, and had encouraged him
in his extravagances.
Incidents out Of the past fitted before
her like panoramic pictures; Chris as a
long. legged schoolboy as she had first
seen him, Chris, in cricketing flannels,
making her do all the bowling and
fielding while he had the bat, Chris
in his first silk hat, daring her to
laugh at him--and. last of ALL Chris
as he looked at her that day outside
Westminster Abbey when he asked her
to marry him.
She could remember that he had said ',
well, is the idea too dreadful?" and
she supposed now he had said that
because the idea had been dreadful TO
him.
A bachelor husband. It seemed so
completely to sum up the situation, and
before her eyes rose a dreadful picture
Of the future in which Chris would be
| nothing more to her than he had been
during the last five years.
He would never want to be with her.
He would still go his own way. He
would make his own friends and his
| own amusements, and she--whst could
she do with the rest of her lifey
Hes on his honeymoon here. you
know the voice went on with just
| shade of amusement in 1t. Fancy
honeymoon In this hotel! He didn't
mean to be dull. did he? l suppose
he knew he was morally certain to meet
half his pals down here"
Marie's hands were tearing n little
lace handkerchief she carried-it
had been her wedding handkerchief
Aunt Madge had given It to her just be-
fore they started for church, and had
| told her that her mother had carried IL
at her wedding.
but. l hope you will be much, much
| happier than your mother, darling
child" so Aunt Madge had said as
she kissed her.
Poor Aunt Madge! And poor mother I.
Marie knew that her mothers marriage
had been anything but happy, and she
sv1a t,.hn pha
sciously she had torn the little lace
handkerchief to rags. At least now 1t
could not be handed on to any other
| poor little bride as an omen of i'll
luck.
| What about that game OF bill
liardsf" the voice asked with a yawn,
and there was movement on the other
side of the bank of ferns which hid the
speaker from Marie.
She could not see him as he moved
away, and she sat on, numbed and cold.
until presently Chris came looking for
her and found her out.
Here you are, then! I thought you
were in the drawing room. I want to
introduce you to bakers. Marie Ce-
lcste :" He seemed conscious all at
once of her pallor. Don't you feel
well?" he asked.
She rose to her feet, forc.ns n smile.
MY head aches little. l think
it was the champagne"
Chris laughed
"Silly kid 1t will do you good"
He slipped careless hand through
her arm and led her across the lounge
to where a group of men stood chat
ting and laughing together.
He touched one of them on the shoul-
| der.
Dakers---I want to introduce you
to my wife," He rushed the last
two words nervously. Marie, this Is
Dakcrs-othcrwis Feathers. hope
you Il be friends" /"
Marie gave him her hand. Was this
the man who had brought her castle
tumbling down? she wondered. and
her brown eyes were full of unconscious
,athos as she raised them to his face.
What an ugly man, she thought. with
a sudden feeling Of aversion. with blunt.
roughly cut features, and a skin burnt
almost black by constant exposure tn
wind and weather. but his face when
he smiled was kindly, and involuntarly
She returned the pressure Of his fingers.
And then he spoke, and she recognized
his voice instantly as the voice of the
man who, with careless indifference,
lad blasted her happiness.
Delighted to meet you, he said. 81
l'now your old rascal of a husband well.
Mrs. Lawlcss. Many good time we've
Lad together in the past.
And shall have in the future. Chris
struck in casually. Don't put it 80
uchniroly in the past.
lIa turned t. Il boyish- looking youth
who had been standing looking on rath.
or sh",piShly. "Maric, this is Atkins.
The boy bluShcd and grinned. Iln
grippel Muries hand with bCarlikC fer
VCnCy.
, lawfully pleased to meet YOU" he
!. said. shall we 30 and look on? Chris
and Feathers are going to play pills"
Marie raiscd da2cd eyes to him.
"FcathorS-who is Fcathers?" She
t asked hclplessy.
I'm Feathers, bakers explained
| casually. $50 called on account Of my
hair-which invariably stands up on
end. You may have noticed"
lie passed big hand over his shaggy
head. and Marie smiled
Anyway, | don't know what the
! game of pills j." she said.
The boy Atkins began to explain.
, Its billiards. They're rotten play
ers, botl of them, and we shall get some
fun out of watching them. I'll find you
e good seat"
Chris looked at his wife dubiously.
IF you're tircd-if you'd rather
= didn't pay" he began difiidcntly, bu
the girl shook her head.
"Oh, no, please! | should love t.
g watch"
Whatever he he'd done, she never fo
enc moment lost 3ignt of the fact thN
: the loved him-that he was everything
p in the world to her, and though MS ye
;, SIZE could not realize the full enormit,