The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-06-20
The ReUOLt OfSusan Hyde
CHAPTER 77
By Carolyn Beechcr

1 IVY ing on grassy bank beside the
 wreck. Anna was sitting by my side playing with her doll. Lean | ing over me, with a love-hght and anx- | iety in his eyes, was Lawson Mckee.
 ''Lawson-how did you get-hereT I struggled to a sitting position, then saw others lying and sitting around me, the wreck of the train in front of me, the cars, some of them on their sides, the one next the engine being the one in which the casualties had occurred.
 You are not injured-thank God! See if you can't stand" He helped me to my feet, and, save weakness, a trembling of my limbs, was evidently all right.
 How did you get hereT' asked again as I dropped back on the bank. He sat beside me.
 q am on my way west-a business trip. How is it did not see you on the traini"
 ! I've stayed cloeely to our stateroom,. Anna and I" I felt myself flushing at his keen look.
 You are-are you-leaving Hyde Y He stammered the question, but the light in his eyes, the eagerness in his voice, although suppressed, told me what it would mean to him.
 'No--not---I don't know" stum- bled also for words.
 What do you mean, Susan? You do not knowf You are either leaving him or you are not"
 '.No-I told him in my letter-that would come back-if he wanted me" It was dreadfully hard to explain mat ters to Lawson with his eager eyes boring into mine as if he would read my very soul.
 "If he wanted you! Oh, Susan! You have made some sort of break. Make it final. You are unhappy with him, I know it, June and Alfred know it. You have kept up brave front, little girl, but what is the use? You are only spelling two lives-yours and mine flor what? To live with a man who makes you miserable, unhappy. From mistaken sense of duty you are" Don't, Lawson-please don't" ! some way knew in that moment that 1 l I had thought I did. I had paid scant attention to him. My thoughts were on Manville and his feelings if Anna and I had been killed. I knew it was love of Lawson's for me that I felt, not for the man himself. Any attrac- l tive man with whom had been thrown would probably have affected me in the same way. It is the greatest danger a neglected wife has to face-the love for love that she feels'is her due, and 1 which she doesn't receive from her hus- band
 have a train now. Where are you going? Will you write me occasional ly? There can be nothing wrong in doing that-until you have decided to come to me for always, you and An na." That was another hold Lawson had on my affections. He was passion ately fond of and indulgent with chill dren. Anna loved him.
 I had seen man moving about among the people with a paper and pencil, but was still a bit hazed, so paid no attention. Lawson was most helpful and solicitous. He brought some milk for Anna from a nearby farm house and took entire charge of her while I rested and recovered from the shock. 1 had been thrown violently across the stateroOm, my body shield ing Anna. 1 was bruised, but aside from that unhurt. And, oh, so thank ful! It would have been a terrible thing to have happen even to Manville, cruel as he had been at times, to know that he had driven us to our death.
 It was several hours before the train arrived which was to bear Anna and me on our journey. After I had con- vinced Lawson that I was not thinking of divorce or of him, he told me with peculiar look on his face that he had to go straight back to Newton. "Peo- pie will-yOur husband may think we have gone away together" he said, not looking at me.
 "Why should they, say that? I have given no one reason to think any such thing of me-"
 People, society, isn't very kind to handsome young women who leave their husbands upon any pretext. Mrs. Clayton, for instance. If she should hear that we both left home at the same time, were on the same train, and that you had temporarily left your husband, don't you think she would con coct some kind of a story connecting us. If you will say you love me, that you will divorce Hyde and marry me, wise I must go back-I must anyway, I can't have them gossip about you, dear"
 I felt singularly alone and sad when Lawson finally left. As watched his train disappear could not control my tears.
 "'at is % cryin' for, mamma? I isn't cryin'."
 "No, dear, and mother won't cry any mOre." I gathered her in my arms,, breathing a prayer of thankfulness that she was uninjured.
 (TO Be COntinued)