Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-11-12

hlind and deaf to everything. lie vent
downstairs and out into the street, hat
less as he was, slamming the front door
! after him.
/ 1t was still light, and people stared
at him curiously as he strobe by, bis
eyes fixed unseeingly before him.
| lie was incapable Of thought or ac-
ton. lie only fe that he must keep
| on walking, walking, to outstrip this
terrible thing that walked gibbering be-
side him.
He had never suffered in all his life
until now, and he did not know how
10 bear it.
He loved his wife and she hated him.
He saw the world red as he walked
along, careless of which way he went.
| She loved bakers. Feathers, ugly
Feathers, who had never looked at Il
woman in his life He laughed aloud at
the thought.
, And Feathers was his friend. They
had been more than brothers. and now
this tragic thing had occurred.
Presently he found himself outside
Feathers rooms. in Albany street,
standing on the path, staring Pimlcssly
at the door.
Why had he come there? lie did not
know. But he went up the steps and
rang the bell
Mr.. bakers was out, the maid told
him, but he passed her and went up to
his friends room.
There was packed portmanteau In
cne corner and the hearth was strcwn
with ,torn.up papers. Some whisky and
soda stood on the table, and Chris
helped himself to n stiff dose.
lie felt better after that, though there
was n stabbing pain in his temple, and
he sat down and leaned his head in his
| bands.
What should he say when Feathers
came in? What should he do?
He tried TO think, but he could grip
nothing definitely. All thought melted
AWAY from him as soon as he thought
be had got it.
The only thing he could see distinctly
against his closed lids was the face of
Marie Celeste as she had said, "Oh,
If you knew how ] hate you
He would always hear her voice to his
dying day. He would carry the mem =
ory of it with him to the grave.
Imagination came to add to his tor
ture. What had happened between her
and his friend during all those days they
had been together?
Was 1t true what Marie had told
him, that Feathers had never spoken
enc word Of love TO her? He tried to
disbelievc it. but he knew his friend Ia
be an honorable man.
Feathers was no wife stealer; Fcath
crs was the straishtcst chap in tho
world
: TEcn came rGvulsion OF feeling. lie
lated him. lie would kill him if ht
came in now Chris started up nnG
began pacing the room. What was tc
hs the end Of 1t all? lie was helpless
poweress And he loved her 80
Fool that he had been never to know
1t before-to need the hysterical out.
burst of a woman for whom he cared
less than nothing to show him how muct
he loved his wife.
lie thought Of the scene on the gol
links with Dorothy, and a shiver of dis
taste shook him. lie had never dreamed
that she cared for him, that nc wa,
any more to her than she was TO him
and at first he had been sorry for her
and ashamed Of his own shortsighted
ness. Then he had grown angry ant
dlsgusted.
And that hell cat, Mrs. Heriot, hat
i seen it all Chris struck his clenchet
fist against his forehead. lie had neve,
met a woman who was fit to hold &
candle to Marie Celeste. And then
with that thought, the agony began al
over again.
lie had lost her. She would never
ook at him any more with shy adora
tlon in her brown eyes. They nigh
have been so happy, but 1t was too lat'
now.
And the memory came TO torture hin
OF how Feathers had saved her life
Perhaps she had begun to love him then
II SO, how could he blame her for car
ing Feathers was one In thousand
with 9 heart of gold. Feathers woulc
.. make her happy wbcro bo had failo'
SO mserably.
The room seemed suddenly unbearabl.
sufocatipg, and he went out asain int
the street.
IIo walked about all night, unit
wcarIcd out, he turned bark home an,
, flung himself, dressed as he was, on IN
! bed