The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-02-13
BY Bee Mcdonald.

u
N up from the brief he was
AsA preparing and babe the at
tendant show the client into his
private office.
Marion! he gasped. scarcely
recognizing his friends wife in the
pale. haggard woman who sank
wearily into a chair. He had wor-
shipped Marion Lindsey as few
men love and when she chose his
best friend, Robert Aldrich, instead
of himself. he had accepted the
situation with the best grace pos
sible, persistently refusing to in
trude upon their domesticity for
more reasons than one.
To begin. with, it was not con-
ducive to his peace of mind, and
in the second place, he supposed
they were so devoted to each other
that they might not relish intru-
son from the outside world. Thus
it was like a bolt from the sky to
see the girl in her present condi-
ton.
What in the world has hap
pened, Marion?" You look like
little ghost of yesterday"
Nothing particular has nap
pened. But-Bob-"
You and Bob haven't quarrelsd,
have your" he interrupted seri-
ously. w.
"No, not quarreled exactly. It's
iust that LIVELIHOOD seems 20
unhappy disconnected. We
seem to have absolutely nothing
in common. 1t Is a state of affairs
I can't explain, Martin, and 1t can
eliminate in Just one way-divorce.
I'm sure that's what Bob wants
and YOU must get it Tor us as quiet
ly as possible. 1 couldn't bear to
ask anyone else"
my dear girl, it may seem very
easy to suggest divorce, but you
realize Of course there must be
grounds. What shall 1t beirut
atty, non-support, immortality, de-
sertion"-
"Oh, no, no" she interrupted
nervously.
Then well have to call it in
compatibility, Marion-that covers
a multitude of errors, and l shall
have to take time to prepare
case. Suppose you come again IN
two or three weeks. II I'm ready
before, I'll phone. And Marion
II will be best to say nothing TO
anyone of this, not even Bob, I'M
til the papers are ready
She shivered little at the mere
mention of anything so tangible
as papers" but she thanked
Saunders for his interest and
went out.
Ten minutes later, Robert Aid
rich walked into Saunders pri-
waite office and closed the door
carefully behind him.
Bob! How glad / am to see
your' exclaimed Saunders heart
ily./ But you don't look very
cheerful, old man. What's up? L
always catalogue you as about
the snappiest man on earth.
"I was, until / discovered ]
wasn't making Marion happy. I'd
give my very life for her, Martin.
but she grows more discontinued
every day. 1t seems to be almost
more than she can bear to be
alone with me for few short
hours each evening and can't
see her suffer like chat when
there may be a way out. Can't
something be arranged about
divorce, quietly and quickly"
Are you perfectly sure that's
what you want, Bob"
"It isn't what I want, God
knows, but i am sure it is the
only way to insure Marion's hap
piness."
II think it wise for you to leave
town for a while" he phoned to
Marion. There is always more
or less danger of gossip in any
sort of estrangement and in this
way you will escape either confir-
nation or denial"
The next morning Bob Aldrich
was Saunders first caller. Mar
ions gone" he announced briefly.
Guess she's reached the end of
her tether. Found a note when
got home last night saying shed
gone to her mothers house for a
few weeks"
"Could-er-couldn't you have
dinner with me tonight, Mart?
It'll be a bit empty up there and
L"
GLAD to join you, Bob. That
will give us chance to get at
those papers a bit"
That night over their pipes in
Aldrich's den Saunders tried in
vain to get his friends attention
fixed on divorce proceedings. Ev-
cry time he looked at Bob his eyes
were filled with q dreamy, far off
something, apropos of anything
but the subject in hand. And so
II was on many other occasions
during the dreary days that fol-
lowed.
At the Aldrich home. in COM