The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1936-09-04

one bid, steady and reliable as always.
Mrs. Driscoll. Anne looked at her hand
and saw it clearly for the first time.
She and Eleanor must have all the
cards.
lone heart" she said.
"One spade" This from Eleanor.
"One nc trump"
making it clear that there was NO slam
in the offing.
Three hearts,"
-Four hearts,"
She could settle back and play the
hand. But the room and the familiar
faces around her grew dim. The cues
ton was, Of course, what it had been
necessary" Harrington had said. He
had realized the situation. How was
She to continue to meet the terrific
expenses of Georges illness if that
Illness was to go on and on? His sal
airy as general manager of his COM
pany had been continued for a year
after his stroke. It had ended then,
U the illness and expenses had con-
tinued. Dividends had stopped and Sc
curities had declined to one-fifth Of
their former value. Two male trained
nurses to Ray. Specialists, x-rays, con-
situations. She had cut down the house,
hold expenses to the last possible point.
She and the children had had no new
clothes for a year. She had already de-
cided she must let n Of the nurses go.
But how to get OF without him?
George was so big, so heavy, such a
dead weight; and they we're constantly
changing his position, rubbing, mas
saying -. Still she could get a second
man of a different type. Some one
strong and willing to work for less
than half of what the second male
nurse received, some one who could
be trained to fill his place.
She had long since dismissed the
chambermaid. Could she dismiss the
cook and do the cooking herself? Not
With two husky men to feed three
meet the cooks wages? And the chill
dfen's school bills2 No, Nellie and-May
must leave school at the end of this
term. No summer camp for any of them
this year. But-merciful heavens, II
these expense went OF three or four
years there would be nothing left.
They would all end in the poorhouse
year: It had been so important to keep
doctors had given him only q few
months . One thing was sure. She
wouldn't send George away to a hos
plta! for i~ncurables, as she had al
ready been advised to do. They'd re-
main together -.
She heard Ele.anor's voice.
Just luck. Our hands were worth ex-
actly the four we bid -"
Zone twenty below, thirty above,
vulnerable" Anne entered the score
on her card and watched Kate Des-
mond's well-kept hands dealing the
cards. Kate looked, as always, poised
and efficient, but there wa a set ex-
preston about her jaw. Kate Desmond,
too, was hearing a voice as she dealt
had heard it that morning, the lev chill
that ran down her spine as it con-
tinued.
We've got to face it, Kate. I'm an
migrate, a hound. I'm the lowest thing
that crawls, and you're the best wife a
man ever had.I admit it all. But I'm in
the grip Of something that's a hell Of
e lot stronger than I am. Don't think
a finish-my finish. Now I've thrown up
my hands. I'm going to leave you. and
I'm going to marry Rose Paxton. That's
fixed. That's final. For Gods sake take
1t and make the best of it. I'll divide
all I've got with you. I'll settle enough
on you to make you secure for the rest
OF your life. It's Gods mercy we have
just the same If we had. You've always
been 2 good sport. For the love Of
heaven be one now. Give me a break,
Let's part friends"
fright off-tonight."
Can I help you to get ready?"
Yes, she had taken it well: She
hadn't even weakened under his &C.
static, ~incredulous gratitude, his tears
at the last. Fol he had wept. She
hadn't. She had seen the thing coming
too long. Nothing, she knew, could
avert 1t. And yet when it had come
1t had been as numbing as if she had
not known 1t was approaching.
Her fellow players were looking at
zone diamond" she said hastily, and
heard Eleanor Drake pass and Honore
Driscoll bid n no trump. The game
went on. She bid four hearts and made
her contract. She entered the game on
her score card. Jim wouldn't be home
IWhen h got back. He would never be
nome any more. A CHASTITY finish to 20
years Of happy married life-no, 10
years. For the end had really come a
Warrenton to keep house for a hache-
Tor brother. Since then Jim had been
making his losing fight, and the whole
Town had been gossiping -. Every one
OF these women at the table must sus-
pect that the crisis was due. But nc
doubt they thought, as her few init
mates did, that she would hold Jim
. that it wasn't really serious .
mo" she told Honore, II don't think
we could have made the game at no
srnmps. You see those little clubs of
jim would never be home any more.
How was she going to face that? But.
. course, she wouldn't be home, either.
She would dismantle the house at once
q go to her sister in Detroit till she
time to think and make her plans.
One thing was certain. She would leave
Warrenton forever That was what
Jim expected her to do. He couldn't
throw up his business and 60 away.