The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-10-11
By Charles G. Norris.
CHAPTER II.

UCY stayed on after the fu-
neral. She wanted to spend sew
eral days with her mother, and
1t was obvious Mrs. Baldwin needed
her. The older woman was un-
expectedly shaken by the judges
death. She was unprepared for
the universal sympathy of the
townspeople, and for the wide
spread evidence of the affection
her husband had inspired. All
Vacaville called upon her or wrote
its condolences. There was a
memorial meeting in Walkers
Opera House where leading citi-
gems and friends of the dead man
We'd in paying tribute to him. A
lengthy obituary notice appeared
In the Sacramento Bee, and there
were paragraphs commenting
upon Judge Baldwin's death in the
San Francisco papers. Mrs. Bald
win was touched by feeling that
her sorrow was so widely shared,
and her husband so generally re-
spected.
But the ordeal to which she was
subjected on the day of the flu
neral. and no succeeding days
when friends and neighbors came
to call and voice their clumsy
words of sympathy, her unaccus-
toned black, her altered life, none
OF these things could blind her to
the fact that some grave matter
was troubling her daughter. Lucy
was extraordinarily tender with
her, gentle and loving, new and
surprising qualities which her
mother knew did not spring solely
from consideration for herself.
Mrs. Baldwin watched her covert
ly, vaguely perplexed, but conf
dent she could with safety bide
her time; she knew Lucy's ma
ture and was sure the young heart
was bursting to unburden itself.
She was not mistaken, and one
morning while she knelt before
an old trunk, packing away some
of the judges clothing to be sent
to a charitable institution in San
Francisco, the expected confidence
came with many tears and fits Of
violent sobbing such as had con-
vulsed Lucy upon the night Of her
fathers death.
Wilbur no longer cared for her;
ne was In love with another wo-
mana married woman who had
been one of their closest friends;
and when Lucy had accused him
Of It, he had sullenly and shame
lessly admitted 1t was so.
And, oh, ma,-he told me IL
] didn't like it, 1 could divorce
him and be damned"
The girl pressed the back Of
her hand against her quivering
lips. her small teeth clenched.
Nobody knows what I've been
through" she went on with rising
passion. 1--WE tried to do the best
could by Wilbur. I've tried hard
to please him, I've put up with his
whims and fault.finding, I've been
true to him always; I've earned
him an enviable social position
that's been an enormous help to
him in his business. and I've made
q nice .home, one of the Ioveliest
in the city, everybody says. What
more can do? What more does
he want? What right has he to
cast me Off"
Ignorant.
As Lucy blurted out ner tale
Of wrong. Mrs. Baldwin's express
sion barely changed. Her face
darkened little. a faint frown
appeared between her even brows.
who is this other woman2" she
asked slowly.
Her names florence Prentiss;
we call her Flossie. Her hus-
bands Gerald Prentiss. He's an
exporter; it's a commission house
In San Francisco: Prentiss & Shu-
maker, you know. Wilbur and I
have been friends with them for
years. She has a child-a little
girl about four"