The Red Cloud chief., 1922-04-06
Alice's Other
Man
By ELLA SAUNDERS

ssssSsSssttt;tscsecSsS
Copyright. 1929. Western Newspaper Union.
Alice Carruthers kissed her husband
at the door and watched him stride
down the street toward the station.
lie always hurried to catch the morn
ing train, and, as she watched, she
saw him break into run. a bitter
little smile lowered an instant Oh her
lips.
! Jim and she had been as hnppy as
two children during the first year of
their marriage. Then business troubles
had come along, and Jim Carruthers
had almost forgotten the days when he
had sworn to love and cherish his little
bride for all the years to come.
Alice turned back into the house,
washed up the breakfast things, and
then unlocked drawer In her secrc-
taire. She took out bundle of letters,
addressed to her at the post office, In
large masculine handwriting. Extract
Ing one from It's envelope she read:
Darling Alice:
Your letter has been In my breast
pocket for days now, and If i have hesi-
tated to reply, It Is only because words
seem inadequate to convey to you how
much you mean TO me. ] love you and
love you. Is there need of anything
more?
Darling. what you have told me does
not surprise me In the least j think OF
you as a beautiful, helpless bird in
cage, and longing for freedom You are
tied to brute who assesses you as a
commercial proposition. A wife-to keep
his house tidy. to minister TO his COM
forts-nothlng more.
Dearest, If you will come with me we
Will begin life somewhere anew. where
gradually the memories OF the old hateful
life will become dim. You will always be
all in the world to me. WIN you come?
RODERICK.
Tears filed her eyes and dripped
down on the pages as she read. She
took up pen, and, selecting a sheet
Of paper began her answer:
My own Dearest:
Yes. will come with you, to the worlds
end. If necessary. Today he went off to
his business as usual. without q thought
of me. The touch OF his lips was hateful
TO me- Surely. surely 1t cannot be right
that two people who are so absolutely
incompatible should always be chained
together.
/ love you, Roderick, darling. and I
shall lcve you with my whole heart until
i die. | am yours forever / will take
the 61o this evening and get out a.
Southport. Meet me there. and then 7
am ready to obey your commands and s.,
where you viii.
ALICE.
She put away the letters and, folding
| the one she had written, addressed an
envelope, slipped 1t inside, and carried
It to the letter-bOX ut the corner. And
all the rest OF that day she moved
about within the house, happy in the
thought of what the evening would
bring. When the afternoon was almost
| gone she put on her hat and made her
| way out of the house toward the sta
| tlon. Never again would she see the
hateful prison that had once been n
little nest for herself and Jim.
The thought that she was going to
| her lover made her heart beat more
quickly, and tender smile curved her
lips as she pictured Roderick, In his
strength, his simplicity, his goodness.
And she paced the platform of the
| station In n fever Of impatlence, wait
ing for the train from the city that
was to bear her onward to Southport.
| 1t came kissing up to the platform at
| last, and among the crowd of descend.
ing passengers she saw jim.
They saw each other mutually. He
| his arms.
"Allcc, dearw
"Jlm, darling"
"Good news, Alice. That business
trouble is settled now, and I'm 10 have
Gleason's post ut thousand more u
| year. Therell be more leisure for us
now, and more happiness for you"
"Oh, Jim. dear, I'm so gladw She
slipped her arm through his and they
started mp the hill together
"rve' been reproachng myself all
day for the way I've been neglectlng
you of late, Alice" he said.
"Nevcr mind, jim. | knew YOU were
worried. You-you're sure you love
me MS much as everT'
"What question, sweetheart" :" He
| laughed and there was Il little pause.
| Jim, upaf, VIII you tnlnk me aWfully
wicked IL | confess something to you?"
"Out with it !" he laughed. "I've for
given you already, Allie"
"Ah, but it's terrible" she cried.
"You know, when-when l wasn't sure
you really cared, IL wrote myself n
love letter from an imaginary man,
and pretended TO post an answer. and
we--were going to run away together.
Only, II knew all the time that II
was you."