Show S I TAL 1 llE A sti l Jl 1 1929 d' d Ni I SERVICE INC j n THIS flAg KAS HAPPENED n. Nan han Carroll secretary to John Curtis Morgan lawyer discoverS she l lIn Is III In love with Hh her employer Bel Being honorable hon lion she ehe determines to resl resign n ite Her Her resignation Js' Js postponed when she ehe learns Morgan la 13 staking hi his professional honor on th the innocence of his s Bert Cr Crawford lord Wh who la Indicted for tor embezzle embezzle- ment Nan dislike Crawford distrusting ng him and Iris beautiful wife of ot the lawyer Nan overhears a converSation conversation conversa converSa- tion Uon In which Crawford fixes a a wit witness ness fleas and admits his bia Interest In Iris Nan confronts him with the facts lacta telling Crawford the price of her silence nce 1 Is that he give up Iris Morgan at once On the last lut day of ot the tle trial she ebe finds convincing proof of or his bl guilt and his Intention to elope with Jn a ft note which litti little Curtis Morgan Morga has hag evidently stolen from lila his mothers mother's handbag She arrives In the courtroom Justus justas the Jury brings in a a. not not not- guilty verdict Morgan Mor Mon gan refuses refuses' the tee fee or of which Crawford offers hIm and erlY suggests he Ive It to Iris Crawford announces he be Is 13 leaving having town When Iris Iris' Morgan on a a. supposed a-supposed pleasure trip to tD New York lork Nan s to tD desert ler husband and child She throw be- be sel self vehemently vehemently- into assisting him with will Ills Ills' next case th the detents defense o ot of a a. nurse nurse- who is It accused of her patient nt an elderly woman whoso whose shiek husband Is Js known to b be In n love loe with the nurse LOls Lois Downs A delivery letter comes from Iris while while- they working are Nans Nan's heart stops slops as she aha watches Morgan Mor Mon gan san open It KOIV OW GO ox TH THE TUE STORY CHAPTER Nan wanted desperately to run from loom the room so EO that Morgan should ui th the added humiliation humilia humilia- tion ot of having a a. a witness witness' to his shock and grief But he s so pitifully pitiful pitiful- ly unprepared had bad told her to toi stay while he r read d his lef letter leter er from his wife And now before time to collect her wits and m make ke an excuse excuse to go Info into her own of fi e Morgan was drawing the cra crackling klIng sheets of f expensive not notepaper paper from the big big- square envelope addressed in Iris Iris' handwriting Out of sheer decency decency and and pity pity- she did close chose her eyes so that when he looked at her her her-as as at length he must he would he-would would think still c concentrating on the Ix Lois ls Downs Do mystery telY would that t she had not seen his face o before he be had time to control It It it- it l Nan fan never kne h long she sat there with her hei ey eyes s 's screwed tightly shut and her mind r ell n- n ly 11 from thought to thought However However However How How- ever l long ng It was as there was no sound at all from the theman man maci man who sat less than two to feet from her until his Voice oice ice unrecognizable bl In tn Its r vp restrained strained hoarseness io called to her Nan uNan Nan Yes Mr l She Morgan She tried tomake to to- make mait her voice sound r cheerfully expectant expectant- In case ease he lie was was' looking at tt her she blinked bUnked h he her eyes e rapidly and d. d Put But the bit f bito at acting was ess essar essary ry The mans man's long thin body Wu Was Hunched forward a against ai 1 ns t hi hI hla Wu Was Hunched forward a against ai 1 ns t hi hI hla g s desk Ms his face shielded from her sight by a cupp cupped d' d hand Ills His words came came Jerkily with ith the of ot labored breathing between en en phrases Tm rm sorry sorry- but sorry but I dont don't think think ill Ill I'll n work ork any more mole onig Tomorrow Tomorrow- But he ho could not drag his past that can b be the terrible in the English language S Nan Nan feel In her own heavily throbbing h heart art the mans man's horrified recoil from all aU word meant days days clays stretching endlessly ahead ahead- The need to annihilate e those those- two fe feet f at of f space space between thein them thiat that small y yet t I infInite distance if distance that that had l luid d always separated Nan Carroll Carroll- private private private vate secretary from John Curtis J. J organ Horgan em plo er nd m married man man became such an an un unbearable arable ache that tl the e girl was was was' impelled to Io her her- feet feet- was bending ov over over- r him her het arms outstretched hed in a pa passion ion of ot tenderness an and to clasp his be beloved beloved be- be loved head Morgan Morgan Morgan Mor Mor- gan straightened in this Nans Nan's arms ms dropped to to her her- her Isdes sides Sho stepped backward just in ln time timeto timeto timeto to prevent his head hea head striking her Mr Thank God she hadn't betrayed herself s seen seen en lie would think she ehe was was was' sImply the leaving leaving leaving- the room at t his hiis implied bidding I r 1 for for r-for- ac accusing you OO- OO of oe curiosity Nan Nan Amazed the then mor more mor profoundly moved than she had ever b. b been en in her life me Nan halted on ket- ket herway way vay to the door waited Availed scarcely to darlng breathe 5 He Ke was not buckling up weakly under the the- blow Nothel Not he Oh shei she might ight known have he would be lIk like this S His HIs v voice l e was jerking oh on on But 1 want I you you to know to I ni afraid I 1 cant can't talk lk about if it yet Will wm y you yOu read read u-read read this thi letter Nan C C From the expensive pale gray sheets sheets' rose rose the faint but t odor of Iris Iris' favorite favorite- perfume perfume per f fume me a a flacon of ot which which- had bad been one of t Jphn Christ Christ- Christmas mas gifts his to-his o his wife Now h ow its ts s seductive se- se odor was helping Iris to enslave enslave en en- slave the senses of ot another r man Hot Hot- anger cleared Nans Nan's vision Her c eyes es leaped down the p page Dear Jack I am not coming ba back k You mu must t have suspected for fora Ol Ola a long time that I did did you My ch chance nce for fOT freedom has come at last Jast and I have taken ft It You told me rile le the was mine to as I pleased and I am am using It to start life lite over You lou must not worry wor wor- ry 7 about me for tor I am safe and hap hap- py 11 If I told you my plans you would try to find me and that you po positively must not do Of Of course I I. I wanted to take Curtis With ith me mc- but I know how liow deeply you love him and I did not think It would be fair fall to take your son from you I know that you ou will wilt take the best bes care of ot him and that you will no not teach hl him to hafe ate ate- me No n man tn could have been a a. a. a better than Is fault faull you ou you Jack It not your our that I do not riot Jove love you ou But It Isn't mine either Is It Do one last generous generous gen gen- erous thing for or me me J Jack k do not try try- to find me It would be worse than useless Iris C r. r Nans Nan's first t reaction to n nto to the letter was a a deep ol of reU relief f Whatever her hr m motive and mOtive am Nan knew that Iris Morgan had not riot been a actuated by pity the pity the d de desertIng desert desert- sert- sert lug Ing wife had not m mentioned bert er 9 ft g. Crawford rd Morgan was still spared the time supreme humiliation He need never know now that the mail ma mailhe h he had call called d friend arid and whom he lie he hac had 1 pd d ag against ins a 3 crIminal charge had been planning all the time to use the freedom Which v Morgan Mor- Mor gan haid ap won for him and the money he had stolen to run rtin away aay with his defend defenders defender's rs wife F For r that Nan w was s profoundly grateful ful flu But eli oli ih the diabolical cleverness s so o of the woman woman In s a afred flare of ot anger anger- Nan saw saw Iris's Iriss m motive tive as clearly Iris had written In a det detailed postscript t. t If It Iris IrIs hid had mentioned mentioned- Crawford either either- by by byname name or anonymously as the man who had w won n her loye bye from her husband Morgan would have hae hunted down his false falsa friend and the des of hI his wife If It had taken him hint th the rest ot oi it his life lite to to- todo do so 80 Trl Iris Ilig must must have been sure oJ ot that If it not Crawford himself over ove Iris Irs and ana censoring Ul the letter lter she wrote had taken no nc chances She had not even dared suggest that her husband get a a. di divorce dl- dl vorce for fear fer he a would ld jump mp to t the vo c con conclusion n lusion lulor that she wanted anted lea legal freedom in order ord r to marry marr another m mar man n. n Ad And how ho cl very the letter leter had been I worded to appeal to every gen oua genei-oua and chivalrous is Instinct ol ot th the deserted husbands husband's huband's nature No man could have been a a. better beter mat e 1 husband husband th thin than n you JO J Ja Jack ck k t It Is i not your fault that I do not e 10 you yo But Bt it i Isn't mie mine either is Is It I Do D one ont last generous thIng for me Jack Jack Jack- Jack Oh Ph the biter bitter cr cruelty ely of f her holding her holding hi love his love loye making de demands demands do- do mands upon uron It It even as she flung tung It i back bach bak at him as a burden burIen buren she she- could no longer be bear C S C Morgans Morgan's Morga's swivel chair creaked as aslie h lie he straightened his liLa bowed squared square his his- hi shoulders slowly lk lka like a a. man adjusting j himself sel to receive and carry carry carry-an a an a intolerably heavy load loa loaThe The faint sound aroused Nan from the welter the cIe of emotions and speculations speculations spec u lations Into which Iriss Iris's Incredible letter had plunged her She stepped softly to the te d desk k laid lad laid the stiff sheets of cf notepaper upon the edge of ot It i. i S Sue She must say something of course curse It I was to his friend not to his secretary ary that he had hd shown tho fletter fleter Im Tm m sorry Mr Morgan l forgan Her ITer er was was' and with voice oice husky rough wih tears tear T there there anything anything I l can I-can can cando an ando do m s so terribly so t terribly rr bly sorry sorry- SO I Nan an anha ha hated words then h n t they ey were such e sl silly futile things If Jl oTI sl eie e could touch him hini hold hIs hIs' head against her br breast at so that he could feel how her heart throbbed with wih ion cO-ion e But th that t was wassilly silly sUy too Only on one womans woman's arms ars arsand and love could comfort comfort him now Thank you Nan Xan I thought I.-thought I you'd-beter you'd better you'd better know Sorry to todis dis dIs- distress tress tres you lie He did not look at ather tle her heras heras as h he spoke in ln a a flat fat dead mono monotone monotone tone Im Im afraid there isn't anything any any- thing thing ou you can n do just do-just just jur now ny night night Go-night Nan S The n ache acie to t ch him was a too to great eat to tp- be be borne rne His right lay Jay c clenched upon the d desk sl the knuckles gleaming through th the th a skin and nd nd before dis dl ceton could cud stop atop her her own ow hand nt Ills Ills' w went out fell upon u her little hittle cold fingers pr pressing slig tight for for a f taking breath g Instant She was was' Ws' Ws abo about t to t withdraw her had hand after f r. r that contact cOtet when Morgans Morgan's fist unknotted and his hs hs h long pg g t thin in fingers lg rs r reached ached up P and Imprisoned ed hers There were no no spoken words words' b between between be be- tween t-een them as lor Morgans Morgan's ans an's hand clung to t Na Nana Nan's h the grip giP of Cf his fingers fingers-al ers almost 8 al- al most crushing hers her b but t If i the man mn had bad only known it U. U one one- woman was wa dedicating her het heart and her life to t thIs his service cervice feIe while lie le was va striving irvIng irv- irv triv- triv ing to another that tat another had de deserted de de- s rt d h him n. n When his clasp wa was loosened Nan Nar withdrew her hand gently genty and slipped from lp ed from the room She knew that tha h hi wanted to t be alone but when wen she was putting on her hat hat hatsh sh S1 she realized that she could r not t l leave ave him yet I Il It would woul be like hilts 8 1 leving leaving leaving- a man to t sit it up alone with th his dead She removed her hat ht then tiptoed silently about abolt her of ot- ot fice nee If I he lie found her working lie could not Snot be so very Ve angry wih with 1 her r The Th court stenographers stenographer'S tran transcript tn- tn testimony test test- sc script rpt of or the tho prosecutions prosecution's test test- lay on mony against Lois Lois' Downs her desk She star stared Blared d' d dat at it f for a n a along long minute her lg fingers S pressed Into her hey throbbing temples What tr tremendous lendo discovery h had she shebe be been bon n upon verg erg o jf f ma making in when Iriss Iris's tl letter had come The TheLIs LIs Lois Downs cu case seemed vastly unimportant unimportant un un- un- un buthe buther buther but but- but but- important and d far fai away way now her he conscience jerked her herup P shortly short short- ly ly not not unimportant to lo LIs Ix Lois Is Downs Tomorrow morning John Curtis Morgan would have nave to to go Crts the tho life oftIe of Into court curt to fight for lf pretty ty nurse accused of it the tIe pre young oung poisoning her he patient p tl nt pl There was wa after fer all alt thing something that she could d do Silo She She could help him go J Into court ourt certain of vie vic tor tory His Hi work anti and his and his his' son son were al at Iris Morgan had left had left lef him Eagerly Nan drew the bulky transcript transcript transcript tran tran- tran- tran script toward h flor- flor florand r a and b began an to o read red pausing occasionally to dot dot- Jot a a her notebook m memorandum memorandum- upon upon and at other tm times tima to dash r tears from fro her e eyes es S SAt At t a little after after 11 lithe the door of Morgan's Morgans D ans an's office oen ed opened 1 and Nan looked up startled and and apprehensive apprehensive sive to see ue him hirn standing in the thedora dora doorway Twice T I during her career reer as private c secretary to l Morgan when he had been district at attorney attorney torn tor- tor n ney y Nan Carroll had seen convicted murderers receive te the death sen sen- en- en tence tenee One man mn bad had sunk to his knees after the awful words had llad b been en spoken and h had d been ben half dragged half carried carrle sobbing like Ike Ikea a hysterical woman from the courtroom court court- court court- room m The other had ha stiffened his body hody r. r and hl his spirit to meet w like m-e a a man His hopel hopeless yet et courageous eyes ees had ha not flinched fac face from the Judges Judge's fa A As Nan an looked up st at Morgan nw now standing straight and stiff suf and very very- tall taU his dee set deep et eyes yes two two fathomless wells wels of des despair meet meet meet- ing hers B steadily a Uy it was was like looking looking look look- ing ing- into the face of ot the theman man who had ha been been- strong strong enough nough to n receive a a. sentence of deth death unflinchingly Y Her HM love leaped leape i 1 proudly in her herh h heart art She did not not give ghe to ask ak h her wh why she was still there Ive Ive Iven been n going over the Downs case cae and Im I'm Im sure sure pure my mv hunch my-hunch hunch is right Want to hear bear it it I She held her breath for hi his hip reply Would John ohn Curtis Curts Morgan Mc show as aF ni much c courage in receiving |