The Washington times., 1931-10-01
NOw Go On With the Story
CHAPTER 13

The time passed rapidly and
Thad's secret divorce hearing
was due in a few days.
He had written me a letter
but I didn't answer it or tele-
phone him at his club, as he
requested.
Airline Parsons private detec-
tive came to see me as she said
he would.
"You unnerstan," he said,
all you do is lisSen' to what I
say. Then you get on tn stand
an swear I told tn truth-you
amt so dumb but what you
can do that are you?"
You'd be surprised how
smart I am" 1 said, laughing
at him.
Meet me here tomorrow at
ten," he said, giving me a card.
Don't be silly, give me the
address where this hearing is
to be and I'll meet you there
and follow you in"
"All right by me-and don't
forget-you just swear all I say
is gospel truth, get me?"
You'd be surprised how I
have got you " I answered him.
"I amt kickin,' but most girls
is dumb in court matters" he
grumbled.
Before A Referee
I was on hand for the hear
ing. It was held before a Judge
or referee or something like that.
I'm not up on those things but
they called him judge and your
honor
Thad sat beside his lawyer.
Near them sat two Of the three
witnesses who had secured the
evidence against Curt Lawlor
and Airline for Mrs. Lawlor.
There was also girl in black
with q heavy veil.
I was nightly interested in
her.
It sat over behind Airline and
her two lawyers. The detective
was there AMI three or four
people who, as I learned later,
were character witnesses. It
was plain that Airline intended
to fight Thad tooth and nail.
If he won she got nothing. If
she could turn the tables, pre-
vent him from getting a decree,
and then get one herself, she
could get big money out Of him.
For quite a while Thad didn't
look toward ne but finally he
did. I lifted my chin as though
to defy him.
He scowle" like a ham
tragedian and Airline turned
around to me and slipped me
q tiny wink.
Evidently she was highly en-
tertained by all Of this.
Since Thad was seeking the
divorce he had to put his evil
dence in first. It seemed quite
simple. The minutes from the
Lawlor divorce case were read.
The two detectives Susie Law
lor had used with such good
results, testified as to Airline
and Curt 1awlor. Sanders,
Thad'S lawyer. used a lot of
legal phrases but from what I
could make of it he rested his
case there. He contended that
all this proved sufficient grounds
for Thad's divorce.
The Defe Sc Starts
Haben, the tricky little law
yer Airline had secured, promptly
started his defense. First he
declared that the Lawlor case
had been a frame-up, a matter
Of collusion. Mrs. Parsons, he
said, merely consented to pre-
tend to give Mrs. Lawlor
grounds for divorce as a favor
to Lawlor, who had long been
her esteemed friend.
When Haben was told, curtly,
to produce evidence as to such
collusion, he ranched off again.
He was certainly a glib chap.
He maintained, and without
mincing words. that Thad had
broken his brides heart. That
the very first week Of their
return from le south and not
a month married. Thad has
neglected his bride and gone
back to a former mistress.
That made my cheeks burn.
I hadn't expected anything
quite like that. and yet
should have expected it if
had given the thing serious
thought.
Thad occasionally looked
steadily at me and Scowled.
Airline was all in black. And
the way she tried to look heart
broken and forlorn. and espe
cially her efforts at appearing
innocent and shocked, gave me
an even bigger kick. At timeI
I wanted to grin.
Only the seriousness Of the
situation in which I had volun
tarily placed myself kept mC
from giggling now and then.
Arline's lawyer seemed al
sure and cockey about it as Il
Thad had already been refused
decree.
Then the detective told. ir
great detail, how he hac
started out with Mrs. ParSon!
On this certain night and final