Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1930-04-18
TRUSTED
HIM FOR
ELEVEN
YEARS
20 by D. J. walsh,

T*+****+%***@ **@*****
20 by D. J. walsh.) .3
A NINA MAINS stared at the note
"A which a messenger boy had
1 "A just placed in her hand. Her
hand. Her husband had writ
ten 1t. 1t said: "Wife, Pm called away.
Back tomorrow.-Ed." Wife crushed
the note in her small, plump hand.
Her cheeks famed with indignation.
But tears of disappointment filled her
dark eyes. She went into the living
room and sat down on the davenport
1t was the eleventh time In as many
years of married life that this same
thing had happened. Ed would eat
breakfast and leave home with his
schedule apparently made up for the
next twenty-four hours. Then about
noon he would either send note or
phone-"Called away" When he came
back he never explained where he'd
been. Once she had asked him and he
had evaded telling her. After that
she had been too proud to ask.
For eleven years Anna had been a
model wife. She did not question Ed
about his business affairs. The office
was his, the house was hers. He gave
her a generous allowance. All the
women Of her acquaintance envied
Anna Mains. #ILt itau
And she had invited the Stones and
Culvers to dinner tonight. 1t was the
anniversary of her marriage and she
had felt like celebrating. Yet Ed had
forgotten all about 1t or else he had
ignored 1t for the sake of keeping his
mysterious date. F
Anna didn't see how she could ex-
cuse Eds absence to their friends. 1t
wasn't as II he were accustomed to
going out Of town on business. No, she
couldn't excuse Eds absence from his
own anniversary dinner. Neither
could she at this late hour call off
her party.
The plump, pretty little woman, with
gray threads ~ her light hair, curled
upon the davenport, buried her head
In the cushions and sobbed. Anna had
cried seldom in the whole course of
her life and her tears came hard.
Suddenly she ceased crying. She was
angry. More than that, she was sus-
piclous for the first time
Hastily powdering out the traces of
her tears, she went downtown to Eds
place of business. -.
She found Miss Pettls as usual 81
her typewriter. Anna nodded TO 3iiss
Pettis and went on into Eds t{ie
private office. The room was full Of
his presence. Anna had had a desper-
ate notion of rummaging through Eds
old desk. But suddenly she had an
other and terrifying Idea. Maybe that
pain he had been complaining about
meant something after ALL Maybe he'd
stolen away to see some particular
specialist. She returned to the outer
office.
"Did Mr.. Mains seem bothered about
anything when he went awayT she
asked. r-.
Eyes, he did. He was downright
glum," Miss Pettis shuffled some pa
pers on her table. "He got letter
that upset him terribly. It's here II
you want to see It," ....5
Anna took the letter. It was written
In a woman's hand on cheap white
paper. Dear Ed, l want to see you
bad Come right down. Carrie Hol-
comb" 1t was dated the day before.
The place was a small nearby town.
Anna tried to smile. "All right,
Julia" She got away without betray-
ing her feelings, went back home,
called up May Culver and Alice Stone
and explained quietly that she and
Ed had both been called out Of town
But the dinner Invitation was good
for the same day next week. She
phoned for taxi and was driven to
the station.
When she reached the tiny depot
at Pine Grove she asked bystander to
direct her to Carrie Eolcomb's house.
He answered promptly. laws, every
body knows where Carrie lives. Go
right up the street till you come to a
white house with green blinds and a
wlller tree" Anna found the house
easily. Lights were glowing behind
the green blinds Through one un.
yelled window she could look In an
see her husband. He was sitting down,
talking earnestly to some one who
was out Of sight.
Annals lips quiyered. Suddenly she
turned and walked away. At the sta
tion she waited long for a train that
would return her to her home. She
stole Into the house, she went to bed
but she couldn't sleep. All night long
she lay thinking. Shame and regret
bllstered her soul. For she had known
somehow as she looked into that hum.
BILE lampllt room at her husband that
whatever Eds mission was 1t was in
nocent.
Noon came. She had lunch ready.
Ed came breezing into the house with
the usual, Hello, old girl !" But when
he came to the table he slumped over
his food. He looked unutterably
weary.
. "Don't feel much like eating" he
said. IT never got TO bed last night ut
all" Anna clasped her hands hard
under the edge OF the table. "Tom's
dead" he said, simply, and covered
his face with his hnnd
'TomT Anna spoke In whisper.
Ed took the hand from his face.
II never told you never told any
one. Tom HolcOmb ana I we're boys
together IN Pine Grove. lie was the
best pal I ever had, present company
DIR. r. ERNEYHOUGH,