Evening star., 1928-12-06

was complete without it-but could
readily adjust my arrangements to this
new circumstance
"Orme insisted that Sheila should ac-
knowledge their marriage. He was will
ing to give her a divorce-but that
wasn't what she wanted. She knew
that if Ellsworth were subjected to the
publicity of divorce her hold on him
would be loosened. He would never re-
marry her. And she wanted the status
of his wife; she wanted his millions.
She was approaching 20, you know. She
was through with adventure and wanted
security. She told me that I would
have to get Orme out of her way-n
necessary, by having him committed to
an asylum.
You remember that I have never
denied my previous acquaintance with
Sheila O'Shay, in the days when she
was on the stage. That was number
of years ago-before had learned that
the world cannot bear to face honesty;
that its pretty words must be taken with
mock seriousness.
"Sheila had a roommate dancer
just rising to fame Her name was
quickly forgotten-you would not re-
member it. had never pretended that
my passing attachment to her was more
than-what it was. certainly could
not afford to have my name linked with
| hers: doctor must avoid scandal.
when she lost her job because she
was going to have a baby and could no
longer dance, it was strictly her own
business But she let her emotions run
away with her. In f1t of depression
she jumped into the Seine. But she left
letter behind her for Sheila, telling
the whole story.
81, fN
plain themselves. wonder? That would
be a good subject for monograph. I'm
doing it myself, when it comes to that.
1 may even be quoted as a case in point.
But the monograph won't be as good as
| if had written it."
Dr. Cavanaugh neatly deposited an
unbroken inch of cigar ash in the tray.
Peter noticed for the first time that he
had been putting strenuously for long
time at dead cigarette. He flung 1t
aside and lighted another.
"Of course Sheila had kept that letter
| She would She was the kind of fool
that keeps everything. But not quite a
fool. For once in my life I had met
a person like myself-one who let moth
ing stand in the way of what she want
ed Though with her what she wanted
was determined by her emotions instead
of her intelligence.
She threatened me with exposure II
I didn't dispose of Orme. And knew
what the silly world would think of that
story My carefully constructed mask
my studied adjustment to the worlds
foolish hypocrisy, would slip with ven-
geance!
THE world cannot look on the face of
reality, and live. Honesty is the one
thing it cannot bear. It shrieks for
vengeance. And, once started on the
track, it would find other incidents of
the past to dig up. No. I couldn't af-
ford to let Sheila OShay keep that
weapon in her hands. It would always
be there, giving her power over me. If
she did not use it then, she might later.
said very little-I was considering the
problem and how to meet it.
Then Orme Unexpectedly met 1t for
me. That threat of railroading him to
the asylum set him wild. She was con-
temptuous, as If he were a rag to be
thrown into the gutter. It was her con-
tempt more than her ruthlessness that
made him see red. She was standing
up, looking at me, presenting her ulti-
matum. Suddenly Orme seized the
metal elephant from the desk and