Evening star., 1922-09-03

started fifteen years ago: noQ he, was
| in worse case than he had been then.
Fifteen years ago he had dared to
embark in business for himself. He
| had possessed youth and hope, and
about his neck was no milestone or
responsibility. He could make or
| break and no damage done to any but
himself. 1t was different tonight. When
his creditors finished with him. he
would not have two nickels to Jingle
together. Even the house toward which
he walked so slowly and heavily-that
! would be gone. He dreaded the ordeal
Of breaking the news to Jane.
Usually he rode home in a 5itney-
tonight he walked, walked to save the
quarter 1t would have cost to ride. He
took the short cut through q vacant
lot to his back door. The soft lawn
deadened his footsteps as he rounded
the house to the low porch and he
arrived unheard. So lost was he in
his apprehension Of the coming in
! terview with his wife that he was un-
conscious of his surroundings until he
stood at the corner Of the porch. Then
the sound Of a mans voice arrested
p
andithe mans words came to his ears
vehement words. impassionedH words
John Firth was making love to his
wife. :. ..s,...
Z. Mcdonald hesitated.. He did not think
Clearly; was incapable of sharp de-
cisfon. :. :.
.i"You must love me-" he heard Firth
say. You must. You mustI can't
get along. without you. Jane-Jane-"'
There was a brief silence. "Tell me
you love me. Say you'll go away with
me. Nobody. nothing has 1.-The right
to keep US apart If we love. It's sin
| to keep us apart"
"I-oh, let me think, let me- think, ;,
said Jane. "
Think! You've had time for think
ing. Weeks and months Of It. You
must know. You do know-Oh, Jane,
nobody ever loved you as I do" :
ITS sweet to be loved" said Jane.
/ 'But-oh. woman has SO much to
think off,
"Just think Of you and me-of the
happiness we havesa right to have
Tell me. Jane, tell me you love me-"
"Not now. John" Mcdonald heard
his wife say.p mot tonight Let me
have Just this night to think Tomor-
row rll-I'll tell you-how it is to be- .,
|. s"You'n tell me you love me? You'll
lSteu me you will go away with me:"
+ fsJane paused, while McDanold waited
Ennmply, unable TO- speak, unable to
Enove. IL hope 50, - she said softly.
| = x.x-x
HScDoSALD turned. slowly. Stealth
fly he walked away. He did not
want to be seen or heard. He wanted
to get away and to face this new dis
aster, to stares into its eyes and to
demand its meaning. He tramped.
! Hour after hour he tramped. his head
seething with fncoherent thoughts.
| So he had lost everything-business
| wife, home-all in one debacle. He
tried to realize it, to peer ahead and
| to picture his future. He could not.
| He groped for some plan to follow,
for some action to take, but there
was no light to follow-only the murk
of bewilderment One thing he knew.
one fact stood out-he did not want
to lose his wife and his home. Per-
haps his wife might be a better wife
and his home a happier home, but
they were his, and he wanted them.
The thought of losing what lay yonder
was intolerable to him.
| There were savage thoughts, too
violent thoughts-but he fought them
down. Somehow he did not blame
Firth, and he could not blame his
wife. Circumstances, cursed circum-
stances, were at fault. 1t was just
the way things had happened. And
then, as dawn broke over the eastern
| tree tops, fatalism came to his succor.
I'm at my blackest hour" he said
to himself. TN broke. II she's any
good. she'll stick to me, If she leaves
me at time like this. she's better
gone"
| So once again he turned his foot
| steps toward his home. The house
was still as he admitted himself and
mounted the stairs to the room which
was his wife's and his own. He opened
the door. Jane heard the sound of
it closing and sat up, startled. =
"Oh, Mcdonald" she said. and then
she sat more erect and stared at him,
at his gloomy, despairing eyes. at his
weary, haggard face. What time is
itr she asked.
! Nearly five"
| "What-what is the matter. Nc
Donald? Where have you been all
night"
walking" he said: walking"
| ."Walkingw Alarm was in her
voice. What has happened. What's
the matter?"
He paused. Which calamity should
| be announced first? Something. not
reason. told him there was but one
calamity to announce. About his dis
covery Of last night he would be silent.
He could not bring himself to speak OF
1t, an1 in that moment he knew that
whatever came. whatever should be the
outcome, he could never tell her what
he had overheard. 1t must be buried
buried in his heart, never to be ex-
humed.
I'm broke" he said boldly.
Broke. What do you mean?"
II mean," he said patiently" that
the business has gone UP the spout
Tve lost everything. Even this house
has gone. Wen have to get out Of 1t
I haven't q cent in the world. It's-the
end"
| r
\ CHE stared at him wide-eyed, and
- strangely enough the thought thai
filled her mind was not Of the money
lost, Of comforts departed. Of possible
poverty to comet was Of McDonald'i
loss-thAt the thing he had labored &c