Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1922-02-02
WHO'S AHEAD?
ey MARION e. LEIGHTON


Radiating the perfect JOY of a
happily married young woman, An
nette stepped noiselessly through the
open doorway and into the dark hall
with the 2cstaay of a successful shop
ping tour still animating her immacu-
late little person. Then she stopped
short. Howard, her adoring husband,
was talking uuguardedly into the tele-
phone. blissfully unconscious of her
presence.
"All right" he said "you take Hester
and I'll take Mollie. Same place of
course-where we left 'em Tuesday
night. But it's absolutely the last
time, Fred don't want Ann to get
wise-think she's suspicious now. That
paint | got off of Mollie's nose nearly
gave me away"
Annette was stunned for a moment,
then righteous Indignation stiffened
her spine and drew her pretty mouth
into straight, hard line.
The brute The abominable hypo-
critic And with a woman like this
thought Annette.
After the dishes were washed
Howard advanced a lame excuse-it
sounded very lame, indeed, to Annette
and departed to keep his appoint
ment with Fred.
Two minutes later she burst into
Mrs. Fred's kitchen with her tragic
tale of broken faith.
"Oh Beth, what do you think? How
rd-Fred-o-o-o-h p
Her voice broke-ended in a wall Of
misery.
Beth turned to Annette white face
from which the glow Of happiness had
all departed.
81 know" she said with Icy compos-
ure.
Il stepped into Fred's office this af-
ternoon," Beth told her; "he was talk
ing with Howard over the phone about
two girls--tonight. l heard Fred
mention-Hester-a fed"
Annette seized Beth's arm in a
frantic grip.
Come on, get your coat and hat and
wen follow them and have it out, to-
night" Beth gasped Historically.
'Where-where do you suppose they
went?" asked Annette, when they were
in the street.
81 know" Beth replied tersely. "The
river"
Behind a clump of bushes they
A.. - a
grlpped each other with a warning
clasp
Two gllstening motor boats we're
drawn up to the bank. Bending over
the engine of one was Fred, while
Howard was fussing with the tiller
ropes of the other
just then Howard stood up straight
and addressed his fellow culprit.
Gracious, Fred-aren't they two
beauties?" he enthused.
you bet they are" agreed Fred
won't the girls be surprised"
Beth gasped and clutched Annette's
arm in a vise-like grip.
"Oh-the hypocrites !" she Kissed.
A puzzled look crept into Annette's
eyes,
"Why-I belleve-they're talking
about uS-and tie boats" she whis-
pered
Beth gasped again-ths time with
amazement
Look There on the side of Freds
boat Isn't that nameT"
Why--its-HeSterr
"And the other one'-both craning
their necks-"it's Mollie"
II think we owe them one for that"
Annette said. after a time.
"All right-let's pay It," agreed Beth.
When Howard and Fred parted that
evening in front of the latter's bunga-
low, il was all arranged for the sur
prise to be staged the following eve
ning-two brand new motor boats for
THE girls
Howard ran whistling into his coy
porch. stepped into the hall and
switched on the light It struck him
that the house was strangely dark and
silent.
He called loudly for Annette No
answer
A letter placed conSpicuously ON the
newell post caught his eye and he
picked II up.
With a sense Of foreboding, he tore
1t open and read:
"Your cruel faithleSSneSs is break
ing my heart. | have gone home TO
mother II is useless to follow me
my lawyer will arrange Immediately
for divorce. ANNETTE"
Stunned, be leaned against the stair
case for support, unable to grasp the
meaning Of it,
Just then Fred burst into the hall
with a like mlsSiye waving it wildly in
front of him
Howard looked AT his friends face
and passed a hand YEARLY across
troubled brow.
MY heavens, yours tooT he
grOaned
1t was five minutes before they could
talk coherently, then Fred sat down
heavily on the bottom stair.
"I--rather guess-we're behind in
this surprise game, old man. ne said