Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1936-08-29

and saw 1t clearly for the first time
She and Eleanor must have all tn
cards
zone heart" she said.
zone spade" This from Eleanor
zone no trump"
Two hearts" They were havini
things their own way. but Eleanor wa.
making It clear that there was no Sian
in the offing.
Three hearts"
-Four hearts"
She could settle back and play ths
hand But the room and the familiar
faces around her grew dim. The cues.
ton was, Of course what IL had beer
for months Reimbursement may b.
necessary" Harrington had said. H,
had realized the situation How wa,
she to continue to meet the terrific
expenses OF Georges illness II thai
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. 1t had ended then
but 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 one Of the nurses go
But how to get on 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
hol ~ NH - =
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 herseIf2 Not
with two husky men to feed three
times q day. But could she continue to
meet the cooks wages? And the chill
dren's school bills? No. Nellie and May
must leave school al the end OF this
term. No summer camp for any Of them
this year. But--merciful heavens. IL
these expense went on three or four
years there would be nothing left.
They would ali end In the poorhouse
{. She had been foolish that first
year. It had been SO important TO keep
5eorge comfortable And all the
months One thing was sure. She
wouldn't send George away TO a hos
pital for incurables, as she had al
ready been advised to do They'd re-
main together
She heard Eleanor,s voice.
Five, but that finesse you made was
Just luck. Our hands were worth exc
actly the four we bid i. :"
''One 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 was set ex-
preston about her jaw. Kate Desmond,
Too. was hearing voice as she dealt
and was feeling again, as when she
had heard 1t that morning, the lev chill
That ran down her spine as 1t con-
sinued.
We've got to face it, Kate. I'm an
Migrate, hound. I'm the lowest thing
hat crawls, and you're the best wife a
nan ever had. admit IL all. But I'm In |
sne grip Of something that's a he'll of
) lot stronger than / am. Don't think
haven't fought it. I've fought It to /
finish-my finish. Now I've thrown up
NY hands. I'm going to leave you. and
m going TO marry Rose Paxton. That's
liked. That's final. For Gods sake take
{ and make the best Of it. III divide /
III I've got with you. I'll settle enough
m you to make you secure for the rest
II your life. It's Gods mercy we have |
40 children, but IL would have been
lust the same II we had You've always
been a good sport. For the love Of /
heaven be one now. Give me a break. 1
let's part friends"
when are you going?"
Right off-tonight."
Can help you to get ready?"
Yes. she had taken it well. She
hadn't even weakened under his &C.
'tatic, incredulous gratitude, his tears
It the last. For he had went. She
hadn't She had seen the thing coming
90 long. Nothing, she knew, could
vert it. And yet when 1t had come
{ had been as numbing as IL she had
rot known 1t was approaching.
Her fellow players were looking at
Ter.
zone diamond" she said hastily. and
heard Eleanor Drake pass and Honore
Jriscoll bid one no trump. The game
rent on. She bid four hearts and made
Ter contract. She entered the game on
Ter score card. Jim wouldn't be home
Vhen she got back. He would never be
lome any more. A CHASTITY finish to 20
ears of happy married Hfe-no, 10
ears. For the end had really come q
ear ago, when Rose Paxton came TO
Varrenton to keep house for a hache-
Dr. brother. Since then Jim had been
making his losing fight, and the whole
own had been goSsiping =. Every one
these women at the table must sus-
ect that the crisis was due. But no
oubt they thought, as her few init
hates did, that she would hold Jim
that it wasn't really serious
NO" she told Honore, Il don't think
e could have made the game at no
Pumps. You see those little clubs Of
l4112
Jim would never be home any more.
Iow was she going TO face that7 But.
course, she wouldn't be home. either.
he would dismantle the house at once
nd go 10 her sister In Detroit TN she
ad time to think and make her plans.
me thing was certain. She would leave
FarrnnEon forever . That was what
"a expected her TO do. He couldn't
lrUw up his business and go away