Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1923-04-05

hO nCCIAAB' AHdL IS CuOuSAs AoA Az
sch uttered crisply.
"Myrta!" exclaimed Redmond.
Swiftly he fastened to the bed. In
the same haste. the alert alarm bred
of his concern for her, he laid hand
upon her shoulder.
''Myrta . My dear"
''Let me alone, pray" Mrs. Red
mond directed annoyedly.
The hand on her shoulder she shook
away. With the same movement she
drew the coverings about her. This,
too, she did with a cold, formal DELHI
Grafton whose dignity was unmistak-
able. Now, however, wonder, trepida-
tion, too, had the better Of Redmond,
and he missed the majestic rancor Of
the gesture.
"Myrta, what's wrong2 What's hap
pened? Tell me !" he cried.
She turned then, momentarily tense,
her features vital with the emotion she
still strOve to repress. Her voice
harsh, she spoke-Mrs. Redmond.
"You. Of course, would not under
oSohA' - CluCu-IlldI I'LL, SuO
said.
Redmond. gaped.
ENDED! What's ended?"
"Everything-for the time, anyway"
she replied. "I'm done for, that's
enough, isn't it?"
"Done for?"
Her lip for an instant curved BIT
terly.
"You heard me !" she returned. "You
don't suppose for moment, do you,
that I could run now for that office!"
She laughed harshly. "This yearT'
She laughed again, the laugh more
rasping; and, his jaw dropping, agape,
Redmond stared at her.
"Myrta!"
Among the pillows she again gave
her shoulders a shrug.
bah! Fancy facing those wom-
en- now"
The women she meant he knew.
They were those other women her as
sociates-public women like Mrs. Red
mond herself. Why, however, she
could not face them Redmond had yet
to grasp. Startled, he caught swiftly
at his breath. Then, as he stared down
at her, the thought, the suspicion al
ready that morning engendered In his
mind, saw In her strained, embittered
face the answering echo, an aflrma-
tive.
Shamel -.
"Myrta," said Redmond, his voice
thick, what have you done?
"Ir'
She looked up at him sharply, toss
ing from her brow the thick, bronzed
masses Of her hair.
"What! You mean you don't-don't
understand
"Whats wrong, Myrta2 Tell me-"
said Redmond. stoutly. "Tll help you.
TIL stand by you, dear. If it's trouble
If even It's wrong"
"WrongT
eyes, If even shame"
He got no further. A laugh, sharp
and intolerantly bitter and disguised,
came from among the pillows. It
caught Redmond midway in his words.
and left him, like stranded fish, gasp
ing impOtently.
"Y6u doh, you numbskuill" said
Mrs. Redmond.
She told him then. It was to Red
mond. too the news was, as If she,
Mrs. Redmond, had reached from the
bed and felled him to the floor. He
stood riveted. Then into his face, his
eyes. leaped the light, TRANSFERRING
like swift burst Of sunshine through
a cloud.
"Myrta" he shrilled. Radiant
Quivering to his feet, hAd he dared he
would have reached down and gath.
cred her to his arms.
He dared not, though. II was Mrs.
Redmond, her face distorted with the
bitterness Of her defeated ambitions,
that gazed up at him from among the
pillows
"Pshaw" she said, her lip curled
anew-"you're like all men, all Won
husbands. That's all you think about !"
She gave her shoulders another dis
gusted, embittered shrug. "Go away
leave me; want to Sleep" she said.
Redmond went. 1t was as If he went,
too. treadlng the mountainous.