The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-11-13
The Broken Triangle By Mansfield Green
n HARTIN FRAYNE had killed

on the dlnlng-roOm nOOr-tno Uiuo
eyes staring fxedly up at him. the
curly head pillowed In an over
widening crimson pool.
In the same chair from which he
had haf risen minute before to
fire the fatal shot Frayne remained
sitting, his tremulous hand still
clutching the revolver. As he
watched the wisps of smoke curl
from Its muszle he remembered
that this weapon which had sent
Dorothy to sudden death was the
property of her rival for his love-
bewitching velma Dare. the third
corner in the triangle that was now
broken.
What an odd turn of fate"
thought Frayne, cycling the gun with
new interest.
Yes, there were Velma's initials
scored deeply into the barrels pol
ished steel. She had loaned 1t to
him last week when he was leaving
hurriedly on business trip to the
wild northern lumber country.
1T has always kept me safe from
harm and It will you" she had
laughed as she pressed II on him
with kiss.
On his return to the city this
morning he had taken the gun out
of his grip and slipped 1t into his
pocket, intending to return II to
Velma later In the day. If he had
not done this, II the loaded revolver
had not been so ready to his
hand, perhaps-but Frayne's fevered
brain carried the speculation no
further; he was in no mood to pom
der over what might have been.
Martin Frayne felt neither re-
morse nor the slightest sorrow for
what he had Just done. The feel
ings uppermost in his mind were
those of wonder. surprise and keen
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES that gen.
tie little Dorothy should have re-
ceived the news that he loved an
OtHcI IuC way bhC uiu VI ioo
that he should have been given
cause for wreaking this sudden ven
geance on her; disappointment that
all his carefully laid plans should
be thus upset He was also puzzled
to know why his brain seemed SO
on fire. and why his eyes should be
continually drawn with fascination
irresistible to . sight which he
loathed-that body at his feet.
As he sazed unwillingiy At Dor
othy's form, still girlish in spite of
her nine years OF married life. the
murderous hate which had filed
him when he pressed the trigger
grew to . thing still more terrible.
The alluring winsomeness Of his
wife's shapely body. the very dain
tiness with which II was clothed
added fresh fuel to his flaming pas
sion. He felt a wild desire to tear
her pretty feminine vanities to
shreds and do something that would
instantly and utterly annihilate all
the provoking softness and grace
OF her plumply curving flesh
Why didn't she have the decency
TO close her eyes! Why keep On
staring at him with those pitiful re
minders OF the fair beauty her face
mad framed before the bullet
plowed its CHASTITY path up mo
ner skull? Even the way her body
was disposed on the floor, with one
arm thrown above her head and
the other resting ever SO lightly
on her bosom, was precisely as
Frayne mad seen her lie 80 many
nights by his side
II was quite what Dorothy was
capable OF. he thought angrily--to
torment him in death with these
mute reminders of happier days.
For all her mild gentle ways her
heart harbored an Ugly, reveng ,ful
spirit, she had shown IL this morn
ing-and this was her punishment
With an effort Frayne staggered
to his feet He felt nauseated by
the scr. smell OF burned pc vder
mingled with the subtle odor OF
Dorothy's favorite perfume lie
crossed the room and threw the
windows open wide
The cool air OF the June morning
was like balm to his parched throat
and burning cheeks As its fresh
ness filled his lungc he felt ca n
bic OF making conditions in The
room still more endurable. Bur
when with painful difficulty he
bent his knees by his wife's side
he found his fingers still too shaky
to accomplish the delicate task Of
closing the lids over those accusing
blue eyes.
As he rose TO his feet the tele-
ph me rang The sound reveronr
ating through the silent house 18th
what seemed extraordinary loud
ness. threw Frayne into q panic Ct
nervous apprehension Could It Re
that tho neighbors had heard the
shot?
That fire inside his head VAS
burning more fiercely than ever
but the rest OF his body grew icy
cold. so cold that his teeth chat
tered. A frozen hand seemed grip