San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1926-01-27

The Making Of
a Husband
A ~ 70 Lisle's N EN-
Phrase of Jim and
Anne's Marital
AdUenture
n aN-N- VICTIM
Chapter $50.
BY ANN Isle

upstairs room where DR.. Jabez Willis
lay--asleep. Jim. BERTHE Lingard and
/ remained to explain ourselves to the
sheriff. We answered his shrewd and
by no means friendly questions in the
same dazed, illogical manner in which
we had been conversing from the mo-
ment when Jim and came to the doc
tors house and BERTHE met us with
his hysterical statement Of the doc
tors sudden death.
Perhaps we could have testified
more smoothly, perhaps things would
have gone better il BERTHE and Jim and
had been a little more calm and log
ical in the discussion that took place
before the sheriff came. But most of
Bertie's natural questions had gone
unanswered. And most Of his COM
Nmunications TO Jim and me had been
hysterical ordinations in which he
accused himself Of the very thing }
felt helplessly the sheriff was going to
try to fasten to him.
As the examination went on, fell
as if we were getting nowhere. The
shcriff's questions were peremptory
challenges. He would permit no one
10 speak unless spoken to. He would
not let any question go unrecognized
| by the person to whom it was put. 1t
seemed as il BERTHE Lingard were en-
meshing himself with every word he
spoke.
At last the sheriff began a sec
ond series Of questions-seemingly ia
see If we would stick to what we had
said before.
so you come over here TO protest
against your wife's being made guar
deen:" he demanded OF jim. kin
you tell me Why"
She's too young to be anyOne's
guardian. It's a lot to wish on busy
woman like my wife"
Don't you like this Arlettc:"
Yes, sheriff; but"
Don't you think your wife aig
capable of advising young girl:'
Yes, sheriff. but"
IF you think your wife air capable.
and if You like this poor young crittcr,
why air it that you should just happen
in when the poor old doc have passed
to his final Judgment"
Il came as soon as / knew. When
my wife told mc"-began jim; but
this was enough TO make the sheriff
turn from him and pounce on me.
How long hev you known that you
warnt unlikely TO be named Guardcen
in the docs will?"
For about fortnight" ] replied.
And you didn't tell your husband
until today"
No"
Amt you in the habit Of confidins
in your spouse"
This didn't seem important. just
took it for granted. 1t didn't come
up
How come it happened 10 como
up just this morning."
stared at the sheriff when he
asked this. / had no idea what ]
ought to rcply-nor yet what effect
my reply would have. / felt as if We
were all being cnmeshed in tissue
OF suspicious, Of cnmitics. of antag-
onisms from this uncouth yet keen
backwoo1sman whose loyalty TO the
old doctor was ohyiousIy .,ott;r, rooJv
TO express sitsclf in n fierce desire 70
aycngc his death.
81 scarcely know" ! said. 81 think
IT, was because IL inst hanpencd.
Things do just happen, you know"
You'd better remember how it hap
pcned," said the sheriff grimly. Your
friend Lingard here. tclephoncd me
that he killed the old doc You and
your husband keen sayin' that nv
friend died from natural causes and
that there's look Of peace and ioy
on his face. But you're keepin' some
thing back. That's plain ms the nose
on my face"
The worst of it was that he was
exactly right. How could | tell This
backwoodsman of the dangerous fns.
cination Arlette has for mem How
tell him of my own ieoIons feors thar
my husband had, left her charm and
was deeply interested in tho GIRL who
had been left in NV CHARGE How Tell
him that L hated 10 discnss ArIcttc
if / could helm il? Az sat tbcrc
laundering and bordering. Jim smoke
up Suddenly and so forcefnllv that the
sheriff let him finish what he had to
say.
II used In bo nromotor or NM
steal shows. sheriff. - no soid "I rec.
ognized that little Arlctte had n fine
voice. SO l took her 70 great
teacher for advice. And This morn.
49,, - ~" inns hioi u