Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1931-12-23
WEEKLY SOCIETY STORY FOR
EVENING round THE LAMP
READING TO WHILE AWAY
TIME AFTER DAYS CHORES
housekeeping ON the Other Man"
an Interesting Short Story Writ
ten by Allen John Adams

door, and sneaked in quietly-as If
he were burglar, instead of the
owner. Opening the back door
softly, he peered about and crept
down the hall to the living room.
His return from town was two hours
earlier than he had planned. He
felt thrilled as he thought of the
surprise he would give his bride of
a week.
He grasped the handle of the liv-
ing room door and started to turn it
slowly, but a strange voice from
within the room stopped him. The
words that he had heard seemed i'm
possible; he doubted his own hear
ing. But there it was again-that
low masculine voice that radiated
with such assurance; now it was
saying suggestiyely, 81 knew you'd
come back to me. You couldn't love
anyone else that way, as long as we
were together" And then ST.
lence damnable silencel
1t was unbelievable RUTH OF
all the women in the world-untrue
to him. Only this morning, she had
chung to him so tenderly, and she
whispered that she had never loved
anyone else.
But there was the irrefutable evil
dence again coming to his ears
that low vibrant voice that sound
ed just as the perfect lovers should !
Now, it was becoming more dra-
matte and at times
a trifle muffled-as if they had their
faces close together. He could think
only of the lovely face that he had
thought belonged to him.
1t was more than he could stand.
He felt very sick inside, as IL he
wanted to fall to the floor. and never
rise again. He was aroused by the
sound of that same insinaating
voice again thrusting Itself INTO his
suffering mind. Strain as he might,
he could not hear his wife's voice.
The torturing thought, that she sell
dom spoke above a whisper when
he held her in his arms. scared his
feverish brain.
She must be in this other mans
arms now, whispering endearing
phrases to this new-old lover as she
had to him.
He felt dazed and helpless. Who
was so all-powerful as to come in
and take his wife away from him?
His blood seemed cold at the
thought of the thing. 1t was mad
deningl
Then he heard the mans voice;
it was soft. persuasive; it seemed
like a very intimate whisper, but he
caught: "And wen run away togeth-
er, dear-tonightI
Rodger Manning suddenly saw
red; and the blood that had seemed
chilled in his veins began to feel as
if it were on fire. He reeled away
from the door. staggering with a
blind rage that knew no bounds. The
long restrained temper had burst its
leash, and his mind was filled with
fiendish thoughts of revenge
actioni anything to destroy
this sOul-torturing visionl
He went into their bedroom and
opened the right-hand top drawer
of the dresser. Yes it was
still there. all right. He picked up
the cold and dark-looking automatic,
that now seemed like such a strange
device to snuff out mems lives-and
even women'sI Turning it over In
his hands. he stared at this black
metal thing that could deal death so
quickly.
He was in the stupefied daze of
person whose mad rage has reached
temporary insanity. Seeing his re
Election in the mirror in front of
him startled him.
He saw a man with dilated eyes
and slightly open mouth, who looked
very pale and ghastly-a strange
man. who held a weapon of death
in his hand. and prepared himself
for murder.
He thought slowly murder
death-meant separation
from the only thing in this world
he loved; he didn't want to live
without her--he'd kill himself, too.
But the mantle other man: as
he thought Of the one who had
wrecked his dream of happiness. his
Jaw frightened fiercely; and the lips
that had been open, set in a hard
line of determination. He would
carry his plan through to its bitter
end.
After the shots people would
come in and they would find
three bodies-all dead; and the gun
that had spoken revengeful justice
and death would still be tightly
gripped by his hand.
He examined the automatic very
slowly. and carefully-like a man
who had eternity. Yes It
was fully loaded. and in perfect or
der: so he moved the safety-catch
and took a firmer grip. They say
that Every man kills the thing he