Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-05-09
MY MARRIAGE
Adele Garrison's
New Phase off,.
REVELATIONS
OF WIFE
WHY Is LILLIAN so SURE KATIE
HAS HIDDEN SOMETHING?

BY the time Katie reached Lillian's
room, and the cot / had prepared for
her by my friends directions, the poor
girl was trembling so violently that she
was incapable of any action unaided.
l practically undressed her, sponged
her hot, tear-wet face, helped her braid
her long hair and tucked her into bed.
She seized my hand as I drew the COW
erlet over her shoulders.
You are not goin' leave your poor
KATIE" she said hoarsely, her eyes
wild with terror.
mo, DEAR" I sat down in a low
chair by the side of the cot and COW
cred the trembling toil-marked hand
clinging to mine with my disengaged
one. I'm going to stay right here
l hoped f%ervently that Katie would not
guess my mental reservation-'until
you're asleep" and 1 hurried on that
she might have no chance to think
of it.
"You know nothing can happen to
YOU when I'm here. But you must go
to sleep, now. Shut your eyes and"
Oh. Missis Graham!" Her hoarse
voice rose to a wall. "Missis Under
wood she tink l keeping something
back, dot / hiding me something"
There was an appeal in her voice
which I could not disregard, a mount
ing hysteria which l knew l must quiet
even at the cost Of telling her some
thing untrue.
Never mind what Mrs. Underwood
thinks" / said with pretended impa-
thence. Its what / think that ought
to count with you, and ! don't think
anything of the kind. Now go to sleep,
or l shall be angry with you"
Into her eyes flashed such a look of
joy and relief that I felt my doubts
of her vanish. And then with a child
like sigh my little maid Obediently
closed her eyes.
Il go sleep now she said, putting
her cheek down upon my hand.
But it was not until almost half an
hour later that the fitful doze into
which she at first fell became the deep,
heavy slumber from which nothing
short of a cannon shot or a fire-bell
can rouse Katie. Then / drew my
cramped hands away, went swiftly to
the door and locked it after me, know
ing that in all probability she would not
waken until morning.
Lillian was pacing the lving-room
floor when l rejoined her. moving with
the long, 1.-the steps which always
characterize her when she is puzzled.
! paused in the doorway, unwilling to
disturb her, remembering how many
times / had watched that swift. pam
ther-like movement in the DAYS gone
by.
LiIIian's Suspicion
As she turned at the farthest end of
the room, she saw me, paused an in
slant and then swept down the room
to me.
shes asleep, and locked in''-the
words were an assertion, not a ques-
ton. 1t is never Lillian's way to ad-
mt any doubt of her orders having
been carried out. 'Then come with
me. l want to get this Job over with"
She moved toward the rear stairs
which led to Katie's quarters, and 1
followed her, every nerve a protest
against this search Of Katie's room
which we were about to make. But 1
had the common sense to know that
any protest of mine would be as futile
as nonsensical. 1t was Lillian's right
and duty to do this thing, mine to aid
her in every way possible. My private
feelings and scruples. right and vital
in ordinary times. were as nothing in
this time of stress.
We found the condition of Katie's
room a marked contrast to the scrupu-
lous order in which she usually keeps
it. Lillian held her lamp high. survey
ing the disorder with keen speculative
eyes.
Now, either she had a brain storm
trying to find some place to hide that
thing" she said slowly. cor else
She handed the lamp to me, went
swiftly to the open window, ooh out
the adjustable screen and leaned out.
she suspect?
Framed In the Window
1t was fully a minute before she
drew her head in again, and adjusted
the screen.
Unless he has a rope ladder-a la
the gifted Mr.. Raffles-your friend
Smith couldn't get up this way and
all the doors and windows downstairs
are securely fastened" she said. mo,
it must have been Katie herself who
did this little trick. And somewhere in
frantically hidden. Just put that lamp
on the bureau, and Wen get to work.
The bed first. Katie's movie-trained
mind would scorn that no doubt, but
then she may have reverted to first
principles in her terror"
She did not speak again, save for
monosyllable directions to me. And
for minutes that seemed interminable,
she conducted such a minute search of
Mute 5 possessions InaC L nad 1drQ
work to keep concealed my amazement.
and resentment at. her thoroughness.
Bed. bedding, trunk, suitcase, bureau,
Katie's clothing-nothing escaped her
eyes. And ever as she worked there
pressed closer and closer upon me the
psychic conviction that some one had
been before us. that the prints of other
hands were almost warm to our touch.
At last she sank, discouraged and
fatigued, into a chair.
"It's down nov to the mattress, pill
lows and comforter" she said. ITO
morrow you'll nave to make some ex-
cuse for giving her new bedding, and
We'll rip these to pieces"
1t was long afterward that / knew
what she had said-my ~subconscious
memory must have photographed the
words. But everything s~entient in me
was focused in a terrified stare at the
window behind her.
For framed in it, as if hung be-
tween heaven and earth. there was a
face-a face which glared at me for a
second and then disappeared.
Next-The Effort Lillian and Madge
Made to Catch the Intruder.