The Holly chieftain., 1922-11-23
MISS LULU BETT

you see what 1t does to me. They
think-they all think my-husband
left me-"
1t was curious to hear her bring out
that word-tentatively. deprecating-
ly, like some one daring a foreign
phrase without warrant.
Cornish said feebly: "Oh. well.
Before she willed 1t, she was telling
him:
HE didn't. He didn't leave me-"
she cried with passion. "He had an
other Wife" Incredibly 1t was as II
She were defending both him and her
self
Lord sakes!" said Cornish.
She poured 1t out, in her passion to
tell some one, to share her news Of
her state where there would be neither
hardness nor censure.
"We were In Savannah, Georgia"
she said. 1--WE were going to leave for
Oregon-going to go through Califor-
MIA. We were In the hotel, and he
was going out to get che tickets. He
started to go. Then he came back. l
was sitting the same as there. He
opened the door again-the same as
here. l saw he looked different-and
he said quick: There's something
you'd ought to know before we CO.
And, of course, l said, 'What?' And he
said 1t right outflow he was married
eighteen years ago and In two years
she ran away and she must be dead,
but he wasn't sure. He hadn't the
proofs. So, of course, l came home.
But 1t wasn't him left me-"
"No, no. OF course he didn't"
Cornish said earnestly. "But, Lords
sakes-" he said again. He rose to
walk about, found 1t impracticable
and sat down.
THAT'S what Dwight don't want me
to tell--he thinks 1t isn't true. He
thinks-he didn't have any other wife.
He thinks he wanted" Lulu looked
up at him. "You see," she said,
Dwight thinks he didn't want me-"
But why don't you make your hus-
band-I mean. why doesn't he write
to Mr.. Deacon here. and tell him the
truth" Cornish burst out.
Under this implied belief. she re-
laxed and into her face came Its rare
sweetness.
"He has written" she said. "The
letters there"
He followed her look, scowled at the
two letters.
"What'd he say?"
Dwight don't like me to touch his
mail. I'll have to walt till he comes
back"
Lord sakes!" said Cornish.
This time he did rise and walk
about. He wanted to say something,
wanted 1t with passion. He paused
beside Lulu and stammered:
"You-you-you're too nice girl to
get deal like this. Darned If you
aren't"
To her own complete surprise Luu's
eyes filled with tears. and she could
not speak. She was by no means
above self-sympathy.
"And there amt" said Cornish sor-
rowfully, ''there amt thing l can
do"
And yet. he was doing much. He
was gentle, he was listening, and on
his face a frown of concern. His face
continually surprised her, 1t was so
fine and alive and near, by comparison
with Ninian's loose-lipped, ruddy, i'm
personal look and Dxight's thin, high
boned hardness. All the time Cornish
gave her something, instead OF draw
ing upon her. Above all, he was there,
and she could talk to him.
"Its-it's funny" Lulu said. "Td
be awful glad II just could know for
sure that the other woman was alive
If couldn't know she's dead"
This surprising admission Cornish
seemed to understand.
"Sure you would" he said briefly.
"Cora Waters" Lulu said. Cora
Waters, of San Diego. California. And
she never heard of me-"
NO." Cornish admitted They
stared at each other as across some
abyss.
In the doorway Mrs. Bett appeared.
"I scraped up everything" she re-
marked, land left the dishes set"
"That,s right, mamma" Lulu said.
"Come and sit down."
Mrs. Bett entered with leisurely
air of doing the thing next expected
of her.
II don't hear any more playin' and
singin'." she remarked. ut sounded
real nice"
"We-we sung all knew how to
play, guess, mamma"
II use to play on the melodeon,"
Mrs. Bett volunteered, and spread and
examined her right hand.
"Well!" said Cornish.
She now told them about her log
house In New England clearing,
when she was bride. All her store
of drama and life came from her.
She rehearsed 1t with far eyes. She
laughed at old delights, dropped Mt
old fears. She told about her little
daughter who had died at sixteen-a
tragedy such as once would have been