The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1923-08-24

ly was a double responsibility, that Of
the provider, the one who brought in
the living; with that. he. to all In
tents and purposes, ran the household
as well. OF that never mind, however.
With all the other calls on Mrs. Red
mond there might have been no house
hold, save that John Redmond had
stepped into the breach. He had not
complained. 0vershadowed by his
wife, submerged in her growing promi-
hence. the added task John Redmond
had shouldered as IL duty, his.
He was not thinking of It now. He
was not thinking, either, of how he
himself had become submerged, thrust
inconsplcuously into the background
of their married life Wonder still
reigned among his thoughts and, in
their confusion, his mind leaped with
quick lnformality from one thought
TO another. 1t Is the way with those
who null things over, solitaries. Some
thing was wrong, wrong with Myrta
Redmond; and his mind dwelt on that;
something wrong with Myrta.
With Myrta, yes, not just Mrs. Red
mond You understand, no doubt. In
other words, there were In Redmond's
mind two figures, always two: Myrta,
first; then-well, the other. Mrs. Red
mond. The two were wildly distinct.
Myrta. the one he'd married, had Ito
hlm) never changed; she still was the
one, the same but the other, the Mrs.
Redmond who'd taken his name. still
was using it-she and Redmond were
far apart. II was only at odd intervals
now. brief and far apart, that the
Myrta he'd married came back to him,
She was still there, though. She was
there now Trouble
A mere" husband, an appendage.
Well the term fitted well enough. II
was queer, though, the twist the mo-
ment gave to Il. In trouble, ff she
were, Mrs. Redmond was not merely
Mrs. Redmond. He was husband
yes; and instlnctively TO him she be-
came transformed. She was Myrta
and as Myrta. his wife, II Myrta need
ed help 49,.
Redmond, startling. had half risen
from his chair when the pantry door
opened. and the woman, Harriet Lipp,
stalked forth.
There's y'r eggs" she pronounced.
Redmond resumed his seat. To
Myrta he could have flown, offering
aid To Mrs. Redmond-we that was
different.
He sat there incoming The Lipp
woman had withdrawn; and his eggs
grew cold within the cup. Mulling II
over, his thoughts were now going at
full tilt, galloplng. In the way with
those who moon, who null, one thing
ran into another, piling up In magni-
tude. II something really was wrong.
what was it7 A hundred thoughts
raced into his mind . Politics
Schemes Plots for place, for pow
err With women, women didn't
differ much from men Politics, too,
were Mrs. Redmond's daily pabulum
Had she done somethlng7 Had she
compromised herself7 Unwilling had
she let herself into something ugly'
Vague stories. sinister whispers of poll
ties. public affairs, leaped into his re
memhrance Her ambitions he knew
He knew, too, that she-that is Mrs.
Redmond-would make no distinction
IN methods an politics no sex" WAS
the watchword of these women, Mrs.
Redmond's associates. hers as well.
They fought with the same tools as
the men But II Myrta $500.
Myrta agaIn-Myrta. not Mrs, Red
mond An exclamation. sharp. ex-
plosivc. escaped him. Showing back
his chair he rose abruptly.
Harriet Lipp, as II her eye had been
glued TO the crack in The pantry door,
at once showed It open.
Say. you amt ct y'r hreakfus' !"
she barked
Redmond had flung down his napkin
on the cloth He looked at the figure
IN the doorway.
what did your mistress say2' he
demanded.
Harriet Llpp's eyes narrowed de
fensiycly.
SAY whpn?" she couniered
This morning Just now" raped
Redmond, his temper rising. rs she
M" he snapped again.
"No, she amt" the woman an
sNerod
"Then why isn't she coming DOWN."
asked Redmond
With direct fnaIty the woman nm.
swcrea him "She's a-hreakfustin' n
bed" said Harriet Ilpp.
That ended It.
Far long moment afterwards the
hard featured maid stood there at the
PANTRY door, one hand ut her breast.
her face strained MS she gazed after
him 4 breath escaped her. The mys-
ferry Of all this. though, was not re-
vcaed to Redmond. Already he was
At the stairway hnrrying upward.
Mrs Redmond's room was at the
front Of the house on the floor abavc.
For years-four years now. nearly
6yc-she and her husband had occu
plcd separate rooms. As Redmond
reached the door he paused His hand
Hpllfted. he made as n to knock, then
desisted Standing there, he put one
ear 10 the panel and listened.
II WAS only for an instant, though
The next instant. without even the
formality of knock, lie thrust open
the door ana stepped inside.
"Myrta =" he exclaimed
She lay there among the coverings
If tho he'd. her back TO him and as he
entered, calling 10 her she did not
move Along the pillows the masses
Of her thick, silky hair, like ropes Of
FURNISHED copper lay strewn; and
above the Counterpart limp slender
arm. glrlishly rounded and pink, re-
vealed Itself She WAS still young
only year or so over thirty; and now,
rs Redmond looked at her, her figure
among the coverings seemed appeal
ingly slight and youthful. More than
that, though. In Its supine pose at the
moment there was n suggestion NJ lax