The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1928-10-05
CHAPTER VIIi-Continued

Nevertheless, she was intelligent,
and there came a time when with the
best will in the world she could no
longer shut her eyes to the fact that
all was not well with her husband. He
did. Ii is true, manage occasionally to
make good some of the amount which
she advanced him. but on the whole
the balance was heavy on the wrong
side of the ledger. His luck, as he
called it, ran pretty steadily against
him. His nerves played him false with
Increasing frequency. He found him.
self drinking in the middle of the day.
a thing he had never done before in
all bis life. Occasionally Doris saw
him little the worse for wear. She
thought little of this: she was no
prude. She had made up her mind
that she would have no wrangling with
her husband, and in view of his grow
ing irritability, she feared that any
reference to this matter would pre-
cipitate a quarrel.
Bitterly she regretted the absence
of Stanley, for she began to suspect
that his had been the influence that
had kept her husband straight for
years. She believed that If Stanley
had not gone away, things would have
continued well.
81 wonder" she said one evening at
dinner, when Jim's coming back"
Waterman started slightly. Stan
Ieys name had not been mentioned be-
tween them for months. Il have no
idea," he said.
81 wonder if that confidential man of
his-what was his nameT
WILSON,"
Eyes, Wilson. Do you know his ad
dress2
"No, don't. WhyT
81 thought would write and ask
him"
why? What difference does 1t
makew He spoke with a touch of
asperity.
II was clear that the subject an
nOyed him, so she abandoned 1t; but
she did not put the thought from her
mind, and the next day she telephoned
to Waterman's head clerk for Wilson's
address, got it, and wrote him a note
In response, Wilson appeared at the
Waterman apartment at three o'clock
of the next day.
Forgive my asking you to come
here in the middle of the business day,
Mr.. Wilson, but could not very we'll
find another hour free. | am anxious"
said Doris. "for certain reasons, TO
know when Mr.. Stanley is returning"
81 am sorry cannot tell you" re-
piled the secretary.
Haven't you heard from him?"
"Oh yes, got cable when he
landed at Yokohama"
"And that is all?"
Absolutely ALL"
"He has buried himself, hasn't he?"
"That, Mrs. Waterman, was his
idea, think" He decided to expert
ment a bit and added, 81 have some
reason for thinking that when Mr..
Stanley went away he wasn't quite
happy"
Cbaracteristically the blue eyes
widened just a bit. Really" she
said. do you know why?"
mot positively. but ! could make a
guess"
do you mind guessing for my ben
etit?' she asked "YOu know ! am a
very old friend"
''Pm sorry. but IT is so vague a
guess and touches on so intimate a
matter, that ! scarcely feel justified
in charging upon II"
Suddenly her old affection for Stan
ley revived. Complicated with 1t. too,
was an abrupt realization of a fact
of which she had been dimly con-
scious for some time, the fact that she
was intensely worried about her hus-
band. Under the spur of these min.
gled emotions. she said:
mir. Wilson. | wish very much that
MIR. Stanley would come back"
81 wish so, too"
''tJl see speak so frankly to You,
knowing more or less of the intimate
rel tions that nave existed between
you and Mr.. Stanley l have heard