The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1926-11-26
HE WAS
ONLY A
CLERK
Copyright By W. @. Chapman,
BY H. M. EcBERT


~. The setting for the. tragic OUT
break was commonplace; city fiat.
In the tiny living room the two
clashed in that age-long conflict.
because I am po6r?" inquired
Kane quietly. He had long expected
the elimination; now that it had
come he felt cooler than he had
thought would be possible.
His wife looked with contempt
upon the little figure in the shabby
clothes.
Because you are a clerk" she an
swered. Because you are content to
be a clerk You have clerks soul.
and II was born for something bet
ter than to be a clerks wife"
aYou knew my occupation when
you married me-" said Kane.
81 did," she answered. "And
thought I'd make something of you.
But you're satisfied to work for Jer-
rold day after day, on thirty week.
while he piles up his millions. Oh,
I'm tired of it ALL"
She sank into a chair, put her face
in her hands, and burst into hysteri-
cal weeping. Kane stood for mo-
ment watching her. Then he walked
to her and raised her head from her
hands, flinging 1t back almost bru-
tally.
"How dare you use violence to
mel"
s'Never mind that. want to ask
you a question. Are you leaving me-
for Jerrold?"
"What il I am? Have you any
right to ask, you who have made me
slave for you, slave for clerk?"
Her breath came and went quickly,
she rose to her feet and looked at him
with all the disdain she felt.
'I insist on knowing" answered
Kane.
"You insist? Well-yes. For bet
ter man. For your employer, Mr.. Jer-
rold. The man who has thousands
where you have pennies"
''Thank you," said Kane.
He left her and went into his room.
Immediately, before the defiant anger
had left her, she began hurriedly to
pack a suitcase. She cast away con-
temptuously the few things her hus-
band had been able to buy for her.
and went out. Kane, in his room,
heard the door of the hall slam be-
hind her.
kl4 or hvsO.
ker, was quite willing to see his I'M
! derpaid employee in his bachelor
apartment on the drive. He knew
why Kane had not been to the Office
for three days. Edith had telephoned
him from her hotel the next morning,
telling him. about the quarrel. He
had wanted to go to her, but she had
refused to see him till he had his
quarrel out with Kane.
They had autoed together and dined
together, the man and his employees
wife, but Edith Kane, despite her
worldliness, was prudent and, in a
way, honorable. She had held Jerrold
at arms length, and, even when he
began to talk about her divorce she
had refused to let him embrace her.
Besides, as every woman knows, If
you really mean man to marry you,
you must go about it with discretion.
And, though she cared nothing for
Jerrold, Edith Kane was resolved to
have the spending of his millions.
Jerrold had been on pins and
needles because Kane did not appear.
He had even meditated going to him
therefore, when Kane was announced
by the Japanese butler, he felt his
heart leap triumphantly. He had
squared all accounts with money, and
he had no doubt that he could square
Kane in the same way.
He stood in his room waiting for
him with an uneasy but yet confident
smile. And Kane wasted no time in
coming to the point.
"You know what 1 have come
about" he cried, an absurd little fig
ure confronting the six-foot college
athlete.
"About Mrs. Kane?" inquired Jer-
rold blandly.
'Pll have 1t from your own lips
cried Kane. "She has left me be-
cause she loves you-you or your
money. What are you going to do
about it?"
"I can't catch her and drag her
back to you, can l, Mr.. Kane?
drawled the other.
"Are you going to marry herr"
"That depends largely on the de-
cision of the Reno court" said the
millionaire.
II guess there won't be any diff
Guilty about that" said Kane. "Your
money will get anything. Are you go.
ing to marry her when the court has
decided?"
II hope So" answered Jerrold. "See
here, Kane. rm-Im sorry But in
this life the riches and the women GO
to the strong. You've lost her. But
I'll make good to you. I'll give you
he hesitated-"thirty thousand dol.