Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1921-12-30
1LaaA .- .M 80.
CONSTANCE
BY ANNIE COLE.

Die WIN vile VINO was US SpOlleu
and selfish as Connie. But Joe, feel
Ing that she loved him enough TO
overcome her selfshness 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 martyred attitude
and habit of numerically nagging
him at every opportunity
On this particular evening Connie
chose to be especially nasty. NJ * r.G
Business as usual, suppOseY she
inquired, sweetly sarcastic, when he
came In late to supper.
Receiving no reply, and seeming de-
termined to provoke him, she tried
again. -''.y.'--'''"' ''.'-- '''''. '..'''''"''''
do you know" she asked, coolly
and deliberately, sometimes wonder
II 1t is all businessl" DS1ygfS
Instead of hanging up his hat he
replaced 1t on his head and gave vent
to his temper. iIa 'SstNf
II am going out to restaurant
Perhaps some, day when it's too late
you'll come to your senses I've had
enough !" Slammlng the door angrlly
after him, he left the house. e
Connie was so surprised that she
forgot the half-framed retort that was
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. V ~ WITH
E II don't care y she said aloud. II
+ don't care! I'll show him. / don't
care II 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 II was II o'clock.
How could she have slept so long?
And where was Joe? She wondered
II he really had left her, and began to
feel shaky. She decided to 60 to the
drug store for drink.
While slipping chocolate milk the
conversation Of two men ut the cigar
counter came to her ears.
"Where-at Geb & Simmonds"
"Yes, tOday-shortag Of $4,000"
Sunny mix-up, anyone suspected?"
mo, 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 thump that
startled the sleepy drug clerk, she fled
from the store.
Ten thousand dollars! So that Is
what her incessant nagging had made
him do. ,'s-.--.-...
As soon as she entered the house the
telephone rang. With her heart in her
throat she answered It.
mo, he isn't here, Mr.. Geb.
Yes, III tell him to call you as soon
as ne comes IN. NO fnesshsel
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 show Of cour.
age that she did not feel she went to
the door and threw It 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.
"0h, joe" she began breathlessly
"can you ever forgive me? It's all my
fault Give it back Don't let them
arrest your sEFN
"For heavens sake, what's the mat
ter with your demanded the thor
oughly bewildered Joe, fearing for his
wife's sanity.
The inslstent jangling Of the tele-
phone interrupted before she could
answer. Joe went into the dark hall
to answer 1t, barking his shlns on the
umbrella stand as he went. Connie
listened In amazement. From the
sheltering darkness Of the han came
her husbands volce-frm, confident,
even laughing tFl 1ii{5 Z
"Yes, I was going to call you, Mr..
Geb, but / was afraid 1t was too late
Yes, I found the error. =.
Nothing missing at all. The
Jokes on us. A fy-speck that
looked like decimal point threw
whole column of figures out Of bal
nnce. Tonight at the Office.
oh, that's all right; you're well
come. Good-by.'
He hung up the receiver. Z
Then. all Of a heap, very penitent
Connie flung herself at him, sobbing
out her story, begging his forgiveness
and almost choking him with the
strangle-hold of her arms about his
neck.
"You poor little chump" Joe said
teaslngly between kisses. He was
only too thankful that the miracle had
happened at last.
ooh, Joe. will be good" she prom
Used tearfullyi NV #f831t(2Sl
And thereafter she kept her prom
Use. for the lesson of the night had
cured her once and for ALL Hal'
Edlbles From the Amazon.
The milford biological expedition