The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-11-13

still lower. Tnat was the only
sign she gave OF being aware of
his approach.
Good morning. DEAR" he cried
with a brave show OF cheeriness.
How are you anyhow" But there
was no reply. Dorothy remained
sitting as silent and motionless as
though her pink and white flesh
were carved out of marble.
Frayne's arms which had bean
outstretched to receive Dorothy n
the customary homecoming EN-.
brace dropped to his sides. He
stopped short In his tracks, puzzled
what to make OF this strange sit
uation. Quite plainly something
was wrong, but he still felt too GER
tain Of the security of his plans 10
suspect the havoc gossi2ing
tongues had made of them in his
absence.
Dorothy" he cried, still ten
derby but with-a trace of irritation
In his tone. Dorothy. dear! What
on earth is the maiter"
For answer she slowly raised her
head and faced him. Now Fravne
saw for the first time how pale
she was. how unnatural the CLEAN
of her eyes, how her lips and
bosom quivered with suppressed
emotion. As her eyes met his a
shudder ran through him, so for
bidding was the message OF hatred
and contempt they bore.
AS though to prove her reality
he covered the space to her side
in a bound and reached out hand
to hers. But before his fingers
could touch her flesh she shrank
away from him with curious IT
le gasp Of frightened oething and
springing to her feet she put the
tables broad expanse between
them.
Don't touch mel" she screamed.
Don't ever touch or speak to me
again! Go back to your mistress
back to Velma Dare, the creature
you picked out of the gutter and
established in luxury. l hate you
Il loathe and despise you! You
ire a man beneath contempt"
FIR yne's brain went numb MS it
grAsped the significance of this vol
canic burst of feminine fury. lis
knees seemed on tho point Of civ
ing way and he staggered weakly
back toward the door. BY the time
he had sunk into a chair Dorothy
was speaking again but her shrill
tones sounded unreal, like the
voices In a dream
After all what reply could he
make to the bitter truths with
Dorothy was phrasing with bru-
tai force of which he had never
dreamed her capable?
His love for the baby who lad
died in infancy. Dorothy's self-sac-
rificing devotion through the lorg
illness which had nearly cost his
life, the influence Of her father and
his friends which had given him
his first start on the road to for
tune-these we're facts to which
even his mad passion for ,Velma
had never quite blinded him. II
was to counterbalance the burden
tuOy ihVObCu Oh Liz SohoSiOhSO
that ne had delayed his happiness
for two years in order that he
might heap up fortune to bestow
on Dorothy.
Now 1t was plain that these
things constituted an account
which could never be settled In
the way he had confidently ex-
pected
She wanted nothing more of bin
OF his wealth, she declared. She
was leaving him forever, taking
only the clothes she wore and re-
GREETING that she could not al once
free herself from the tainted touch
OF garments his dollars had bought
All he seemed likely to save from
the wreck of his plans was her
consent to 60 to Nevada and Sc:
cure her divorce quietly, with the
least possible publicity. And tho
ne t instant hope Of even this was
dashed.
I'm going to find q lawyer ut
once" Dorothy cried, "and then
I'm going to see the newspapers
and let them tell the people of this
town what an unspeakable creature
you are. Your business associates,
the men and women who have
twice elected you mayor, are going
10 know all about how the Honor.
able Martin Frayne. has deceived
the mother of his child and dc
serted her for a woman from the
cabarets--the cast-off mistress OF
disreputable old Jim Guernsey
Those words shook Frayne from
his lethargy. It was not the con
nection Of Velma's name with the
notorious Guernsey's-for that he
knew to be a foul lie; It was the
threat to becloud the dawn OF his
happiness with nasty scandal that
suddenly made him a changed man
A great wave of anger suryed
through him and the pity he had
felt a moment before for the little
woman who faced him became a
murderous hate.
"Sit down." he COMMANDED