The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1933-12-07
TANGLED
WIVES
BY
Peggy Shane
Copyright BY Peggy Shane
wNU Service
CHAPTER xII-continued

u,un,e Don't you see? George
Tortimer was jealous and he said
had never let Howard have me. so
,ust as we came out Of the side
await a minute, dear. I'm not
snre / understand. Was George
Mortimer the man In the cabT
aWhy-" she paused. why OF
course he was. How could I have
Thought he was my husband. No.
10 shot Howard right after the
wedding when we were leaving very
secretly for our honeymoon. ! re-
member It now-I am so thankful. !"
She seemed to be looking clearly
through a long mist Of hope. Il
came through the aisle with my ia
ther to marry-to marry Howard"
She was ineoherent. H..
Rocky held her closely.
Howard valery. But l didn't"
she looked back at Rocky, all doubt
gone from her eyes. II didn't kill
Howard. Oh Rocky, I'm innocent
of that. Thank God. / remember It
all now" Her eyes contracted sud-
denly with the memory Of a new
pain. "But George Mortimer killed
him. He shot him and III must
have tainted. / can't remember
what else" 4.#>
sWhat happened just before the
shot?"
aWhy, we were coming out Of q
side door to escape the crowd. Fa-
ther managed that. He was in the
front Of the house trying to keep
everybody amused-and unsuspect-
ing. Then George came from behind
the hedge and shot Howard. He
said to Howard, You'll never have
herr He shot and tainted"
They were silent. The low voice
Of the bishop patiently reading the
wedding ceremony came to them
over the hedge.
Rocky said, There's just one
more thing l want to know-did
you love HowardT'
She hesitated. Il didn't know
about love them" she said. I'll
preferred him to George, I'm afraid
that was about all. I know that
sounds foolish. But sometimes girls
marry for no better reasons when
It Is a case of having two men to
get rid Of"
"But Doris-the note? DO you re-
member the note you wrote"
Her eyes searched his face. "The
note? Oh. Yes. / did write How
ard note. l told him not to marry
me. / was afraid he'd be killed. I
didn't want to have that on my con-
science. Oh-yes. 1t was awful. I
kept thinking of Georges threat all
through the wedding. Then-when
his face came out OF the bushes as
we left the house"
But the note said, I don't want
to kill you That was the part that
made people think 1t was premedi-
tated.n
Doris thought. II can't remem-
Der exactly what / said In the note
now. George turned up the MORN
Ing OF the wedding. He threatened
70 Kill Howard II / married him. I
called Howard up and told him. He
wouldn't listen to me-" Her face
contracted. "Oh poor Howard
poor Howard"
Rocky held her closely. .Don,t
mink OF 1t now. You mustn't, I'm
brute to ask you all these ones
TONS" $50,
No, no. | want you to under
stand. After l saw George that
morning there was a terrible rush
couldn't get any time for anything
sao all the time l felt that the wed.
Jung ought not to 60 on. But the
FAMILY had been to so much trouble
! Knew nothing could stop 1t unless
howard did. nearly went out Of
=! mind worrying. Then l couldn't
s.. 70 talk to Howard. He had a
-. VI Ihings to do. Finally sat
uo~n and wrote the note, and gave
70 Bill Grant-he was the best
uah-and told him to be sure How.
ard got It."
r.a But why did you say, I don't
want to kill your"
! felt as If that's what I'd no
ooing II ! married him. I knew
asoise was In earnest, and | couldn't
convince Howard"
Rocky nodded. 81 understand
ns Just as you say to someone who
. saals to leave your house in a rain.
s.olm' l don't want to give Won
pu soi Was that it?"
,,, oh yes. I'm afraid I'll never be
,ha. " make anyone understand
ABOUT that note" '
III call up the hospital and get
do, - put George Mortimer un-