The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-06-29
"SANDY~';;
BY
'ELENORE
MEHERIN
thinking desolately: ut would bt
true. It would be my fault"

true. 1t would be my fault
And 1t now seemed CHASTITY to he
that She had annoyed her mothe,
Her own phrases shouted in her ear
How bald they sounded-hOw utterl
crude and indicate. No wonde
Nsabel turned white as the napki,
IA her trembling hands.
| Madeline picked up a long brow,
Irvine sAopping bag: "I'll come bac]
this afternoon, Ally. IN relieve yo,
all | can"
+; Don't mind. The children will b,
needing you. And Essie has her kid
ney. guess Sandy can sticl
will you, Sandy" said Madeline
coming up and kissing her. I'm
sorry | said that. but just the same
think the very least you can do j.
to tell mamma you haven't the re-
hottest thought of--of q separation
! know it's worrying over you that.
killing her. So you should tell he,
that, at least"
"Yes." said Sandy quietly. mark.
! ing pattern on the earthen floo,
with her toe, "that's the least Lean
do"
When the two married sisters were
gone, Alice hung wet dishtowel
on the rack. spreading it with metic-
| ulous care. Without looking at
Sandy. she said: "She's dying,
"Oh, Ally! She looks all right
just a little blue around her lips
That's from her heart. It's weak.
It's not going to last"
Then Sandy said brokenly: "What
Madeline says is true. It's my
fault!
Alice had been up most of the
night. She dropped dejectedly to a
chair. IF you're going to- stay. I'll
rest a while. Nall need someone
with her day and night. l guess
you'll be on tap. won't you? And
Il were you. kid. l wouldn't be too
] much of fool on that proposition.
Mas nearly 60. This might have
happened anyway. Mas had rich,
sweet life Suddenly Alice dropped
her head on her arms and cried
bitterly. She cried in the sense Of
aloneness--the emptiness and ache in
her thoughts.
Sandy stayed at her mothers
house that night and the next. At
three O'Clock the second morning she
awakened. hearing a frightening
sound. She went swiftly ito the
room.
But there was nothing. Isabel's
eyes opened in a puzzled way. She
was propped up with pillows. She
reached aimlessly for Sandy's hand.
Why're YOU here?"
TO help Alice. To be near you,
darling"
Mrs Mcneil shook her head. "No
--no-home--I want you with your
with Ben" And she grew ex-
cited.
So Sandy went home toward eve
ming after this. On Saturday, she
found a newspaper folded on her
table. An item was marked with
blue pencil.
She read it, little sickened. She
saw Beatrice Murllo's hand in this
"a crafty way for offsetting Cos
sip. giving the lie to that other item.
1t told of the postponment of din
ner dance in honor of the homecom-
ing of Mrs. Ben .Murillo.. The post
pOnement was made inevitable be-
cause of the severe illness of Mrs.
Murillo's mother. It went on glibly:
mr.. Murillo, who is devoted to
his mother in law, has also post
poned q business trip to the East,
being unwilling To leave his bride in
the event of an emergency arising.
The young couple plan q trip to Eu-
rope as soon as Mrs. Mcneil is re-
covered"
Sandy read it. She turned. Murillo
had entered the room.
HE said suavely: "I.'s not con-
venient for you to 60 on with your
plans just at PRESENT."
She folded the paper. y
He went on. smiling: "And we may
leave things in statu quo for a
while? Very WE'LL" He shrugged
and walked out.
AS she was starting for her moth
er's. she stopped to get letters from
the mail box at their gate. She
couldn't open it. She pulled at it.
Then she saw that a new lock-a
tiny Yale lock had been installed.
This rather sickened hen One
morning q week later, Murillo was
gone when she came to breakfast.
In his place was an envelope, partly
torn. The postmark and part of
the name was left.
Sandy picked it up, a pang shoot.
ing to her heart. 1t was in Ramon's
writing. She recognized it in the
first instant. She picked up the en-
velope. ran to her room. She COM
pared it, letter for letter with his
writing on the back Of some kodak
pictures. The same--identical as
though the characters were traced.
She could scarcely draw her
breath. Was it Ramon's writing i?
Was the letter to her? What had
he said:
She tore the envelope to tiny
shreds-opened the window and let
the fragments ride on the breeze.
What did Murillo know? What
would he do with this knowledge?
(COntinued)