The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-10-15
REVELATIONS
OF A WIFE
Why Mother Graham Said "ld Better
Tackle This Job
BY ADELE GARRISON

conjecture that the man who had sent
me the note by the hands of his Jap
anese servant must know all about me-
There are few persons in my present
world who know that my name was
Margaret Spencer before my mar
riage. I almost completely dropped
out Of my old, rather limited school
teacher sphere when I married Dickey,
and although those for whom did my
club work knew my full name l new
er used it elsewhere. My checks are
always signed Margaret S. Graham,
and Dicky's friends and acquaintance,
who almost entirely constitute my
new world, are of the type who rarely
ask personal questions.
Conjectures, however wouldn't help
me, so I hurried on with the reading
Of the body of the letter in the hope
that I would discover some clew to
the identity of the sender from it's
phraseology.
I'VE are sorry, indeed, that we are
compelled to take this method of COM
municating with YOU" the letter be-
gan, sorry that we have to trouble
YOU at all, but your own rashness
makes it necessary"
'Humph!" my mother in-law snort
ed. Making out they're sort of
guardian angels, Ell? Much good
that'H do EN-"
I'VE thought you would realize by
now that your life is in imminent
danger, and that it is folly-criminal
folly-for you to go about alone as
you do. But you seem determined
not to profit by bitter experience"
My face showed my establishment,
and the elder Mrs. Graham echoed it
in her comment.
We'll, what do you know about
that?" she demanded. "They must
know all about that trip of yours to
the inn and your stay at the hospital
,afterward. But go on"
Madse Is Puzzled.
I'VE threw safeguards around you,
unknown to you, for it is not our pur-
pose to reveal ourselves to you yet.
We would mean nothing to you any
way, although the people we represent
would. But you eluded US, went where
we could not have you guarded and
you almost paid the penalty"
was thoroughly puzzled at this
paragraph, and. as I never can grasp
the meaning Of words if have to read
them aloud first, I went back to the
beginning Of the paragraph, and read
it swiftly through again. AS the prob
able meaning of the words threw
safeguards around YOU" came to me,
I couldn't repress a little gasp Of
establishment.
What is it?" my mother-in-law de-
manded excitedly. you've thought of
something"
I hadn't yet told her Of the mysteri-
Gus horseman who had followed me
so persistently,- yet far enough away
to avoid my recognition, upon the day
Of my trip to the inn, and I knew that
once started nothing would do her but
the whole story. But I also knew that
I couldn't put off her question, so I
laid the letter down in my lap as 1
replied:
zone Of those men next door fol-
lowed me on horseback the day [ went
to the inn. He kept far enough away
so. l couldn't recognize him, until
laid little trap for him without his
seeing me. But I finally was able to
elude him. I thought he was trailing
me because he belonged to the enemy
camp. They appear to be trying now
to make me believe they are friends"
AS talked my mother in laws eyes
were fixed upon me. Something in
their gaze made me uncomfortable.
The next moment she had put their
message into words.
GAIL Crazy Nonsense"
You say you could not recognize
him at first. Then you did later. 1
wasn't aware that you knew either OF
the mysterious men next door, Mar
garet."
Her tone was filled with grave re-
proach. I flushed at the inadvertent
slip had made, for 1 had never told
my mother-in law Of the queer Incl
dent of the taxi crush on Fifth Avenue |
81 am not sure that do know him.
I stammered. But 1 certainly have |
seen him before, although cannot |
tell where"
Il know it sounds absurd mother"
7 said humbly, but don't know how
can make it clear to you"
DOIl DC SEVEN NdTISIleS /
of an idiot, Margaret, just because |
you know howl" she snapped, There |
is something back of this that needs |
clearing up, and I think I'd better |
tackle this job. Now just refresh !
your memory as the lawyers say, and !
tell me every thing you know and |
surnise about the men next door. It's |
probably all crazy nonsense, but it |
won't do any hurt to hash it over a !
Bit
I looked at her in amazement. Her
face was flushed her eyes shining, !
her tones strong. and resonant. Not a |
trace remained of the weakness which |
had been hers when she entered the |
room. 1t was evidently a new lease |
of life to my grabbed mother-in-la |
to be able "to have a finger in the |