The Glenwood post., 1922-10-19

Bett listened, sang, it may be, with
them; for when the singers ceased,
her voice might be heard still hum
ming loud closing bar.
"Welll" Cornish cried to Lulu; and
then, in the formal village phrase:
you're quite a musician"
"Oh, nor Lulu disclaimed it. She
looked up, flushed, smiling 1--WE never
done this in front of anybody" she
owned. 81 don't know what Dwight
and Ina'd say. :" She dropped.
They rested and, miraculously, the
air of the place had stirred and quick
ened, as If the crippled, halting melody
had some power of its own, and
poured this forth, even thus trampled.
II guess you could do most any
thing you set your hand to-" said
Cornish.
"Oh, no." Lulu said again.
"Sing and play and cook"
But l can't earn anything. I'd like
to earn something" But this she had
not meant to say She stopped, rather
frightened.
you would! Why, you have it fine
here, thought"
"Oh. fine, yes. Dwight gives me
what 1 have. And do their work"
81 see," said Cornish. II never
thought of that" he added. She
caught lis speculative look-he had
heard a tale or two concerning her re-
turn, as who in Warbleton had not
heard?
you're wondering why 1 didn't
stay with him y Lulu said recklessly.
This was no less than wrung from her,
but its utterance occasioned in her an
unspeakable relief.
"Oh, no." Cornish disclaimed, and
colored and rocked.
"Yes, you are" she swept on. 1.-THE
whole towns wondering Well, I'd like
'em to know, but Dwight won't let me
tell"
Cornish frowned, trying to under
stand.
"'Won't let your" he repeated. II
should say that was your own affair"
mo Not when Dwight gives me all
have"
"Oh, that" said Cornish. "That's
not right"
mo. But there it is. 1t puts me
you see what it does to me. They
think-they all think my-husband
left me-"
1t wus 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 it, she was telling
him:
HE didn't. He didn't leave me, +"
she cried with passion HE had an
other wife" Incredibly it was as If
she were defending both him and her
self
Lord sakes!" said Cornish.
She poured it out, in her passion to
tell some one, to share her news of
her state where there would be neither
hardness nor censure.
1--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
J 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 go
And, of course, said, 'WhatY And he
said it 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 it wasn't him left me-"
mo, no. OF course he didn't
Cornish said earnestly. But, Lord 5
sakes-" he said again. He rose to
walk about, found it impracticable
and sat down.
"That's what Dwight don't want me
to tell-he thinks it 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 It's 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 10 wait till he comes
back"
Ito he cont inuedl