The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1921-06-30

hands. he Is like other men OF his kind;
he would be very glad TO climb out
upon the shoulders Of woman"
guess the boss saw red for min
ute. but the question he asked had
to come.
"By what right did he come to you,
Sheilaw
by what he doubtless thinks is
the best right In the world. He is my
husband"
II was out Mt last, and the boss
poor little house of cards that ! knew
he had been building all these months
had got its knock-down In just those
four quietly spoken words. AS well as
I knew him, | couldn't begin to guess
what he would do or say. But he was
such q splendid fighter that i might
have known.
81 heard, no longer ago than this
afternoon, that you were not-that
your husband was still living" he
said. speaking very gently. II didn't
believe it--not fully-though i saw
that there might easily be room for
the belief. II makes no difference,
Sheila. You are my friend. and you
are blameless But before we go any
farther ! want you TO believe that
I wouldn't have been brutal enough
to give you that bit OF paper II had
remotely suspected that Collingwood
was the man"
She didn't make any answer TO that,
and after while he said: Having
told me so much, cant you tell me a
little more?"
There isn't much to tell, and even
the little is commonplace andr-and
disgraceful," she replied, with a touch
of WEAKNESS that was fairly heart
breaking. Don't ask me why we were
married; l can't explain that, simply
because ! don't know, myself. II was
arranged between the two families,
and | suppose Howie and l always
took II for granted. can't even plead
ignorance, for l have known him all
my life"
eco on" said the boss, still speak
ing as gently MS brother might have.
"Howle was a spoiled child, an only
son, and he is a spoiled man. stood
It as long as could-I hope you will
believe that. But there are some
things that n woman cannot stand.
and"
II know" he broke in. $50 you
came out here to be free"
ut is four years since we have
lived together" she went on. "and for
long time / hoped he would never
find out where l was. There was no
divorce. had taken my mothers
name, and only Cousin Basil and his
wife knew that l was not what per-
haps every one else took me to be-
widow with n dead husband instead
of a living one"
"Did Colllngwood try TO find your
mo, | think not. But when he was
here last spring with his Uncle Breck-
enridge he saw me and found out that
| was living here with Cousin BASIL
did he try 10 persecute youT'
mo, not then. was afraid Of only
one thing: that he might drink toe
much and-and talk. Part of the fear
was realized. He saw me that Sun
day night in the Bullard. That was
why he was trying to fight the hote
people--because they wouldn't let hin
come upstairs. j saw what you did
and was sorry. / couldn't help feel
ing that in some way II would prove
to be the beginning of tragedy
"You saw no more Of him then|
mo; / neither saw him nor heart
OF him until about a month ago wher
he came west with man named
Bullock-a New York attorney.
didn't know why he came, but l though
II was To annoy me-"
"And he has annoyed youf"
Until this night he has never misse'
an opportunity Of doing so when h
could dodge Cousin Basil. 1t was hi
taunting boast yesterday at the capita
that led me to telegraph Cousin Basi
and Upton Van Britt about your tril
to Struthcona. He knew that you wer
going to the gold camp, and he declares
to me that you'd never come bacl
alive"
"But tonight" the boss persisted
"what did he want tonight?"
"He wanted toto use me. He sal
that he had put something across
for his uncle, that he had gotten int
trouble for 1t, and that--to use hi
own phrase again, you were the ma
who would try TO get his goat.
"And his object is telling you this?
"Was entirely worthy OF the maj
He asked me. or rather l should sa!
commanded me. TO choke you OF
And. OF course. he added the insul
He said | was the one who coul
do IT,"
"Without Intending 10, you hay
tied my hands," the boss said gravel,
~ wasn't meaning TO spare Colllni
wood II there were any way In whic
could use him as a club 10 knoc
Hatch out OF the game"
~ haven't asked you TO spare him
"No I know Won haven't. But III