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Show 1 x I I 1 jg I A Fool t There Was K ' V! I ,.-,. .1 raa.it r.Tju S I By H.M.EGBERT t (Copyright. 1915, by W. Q. Chapman.) Mortjmcr Strango snt on tho veranda veran-da of tho Oloss Country club and sipped his whisky and soda. Ho was thinking hard so hard that pretty Mrs. Lydla Emmons, at his side, tapped him playfully upon tho nrm. "What Is tho matter that you aro so silent, Morty?" sho asked. "I was thinking." returned Mortlmor Strango, gulping down his drink. Ho had been thinking extremely hard. Ho had been thinking over his past. At tho ago of thlrty-flvc, four years ago, ho had suddenly found himself him-self transformed, through a mlxturo of luck and ability, from a hard-working clerk In tho war olllco to manager of tho Glnovcr powder factory, at a salary of fifteen thousand. Tho powder pow-der factory was In iiitlmato touch with tho government at Washington, and was tho only maker of tho fumous now thcrmollta powder. As a clerk, Mortimer Strango had lived contentedly with his wlfo, who was a couplo of years older than him- self, In their pretty cottago outside Washington. Doris had worked hard for him; at thirty-seven her beautr wila llttlo faded. But they bad cared sincerely for each other. Then had come tho removal to Glosaj, and Strango found hlmsolf In an entirely now atmosphere. For tho flrst timo in his lito ho realized that evening clothes wcro an lndispcnsablo item in a man's wardrobe. Then thero was tho social life, and tho country club and, In Bhort, ho had coma into tho world of which ho had often speculated spec-ulated but which ho had novcr thought to enter. Doris had tried to keop up with tho now Ufa. But tho motherly llttlo woman had hated tho glaro and glitter: glit-ter: sho pined secretly for tho kitchen and tho flrcstdo. At last sho had given up tho attempt to llvo Mortimer's Morti-mer's llfo. Gradually they had driftod g f iiiy ffi 1 n rim . I ft U 11 ffl 1771 lL! RJ-1 "That Was Why I Came to You." apart. Tho wistful look on his wife's face wns tho hardest thing that Mortimer Mor-timer had to bear. And tho friends that had grown up around him as if by magic woro of the faBt sot. Thero was Mrs. Lydla Em-i Em-i mons, for instance Nobody know I whero Mr. Emmons was, but sho had I money and spent It royally. Nobody thought It strango that sho and Mortimer Mor-timer woro always together. Tho man had lost his head In his I surroundings; they wcro j too hlg for him. Ho was n llttlqjilltatuo on a . mighty pedestal, tho Important man agership of tho powder factory. Nono of his business acquaintances entered into tho social whirl. A Btald lot, ho loft them nt tho factory door nt four o'clock: Ilia llfo thereafter was his Qwn: .. "Whafa tlitr uso of thinking?" Inquired In-quired Lydla, pouting. "No uso!" criod Mortlmor hilariously, hilarious-ly, starting up. "Corn's in Thoy'ro going to dnnco." "7" In the danco his enigma seemed to resolved ltsolt. Ho know that ho had outgrown tho old llfo. It had becomo Impossible Ho had won a high post, ' but ho had given hostages to fortune In tho shapo of his little, negloctod wlfo. Tho danco with Lydla Emmons soemod to cap his decision. Ho drew her outsldo. ' "I'vo been thinking things ovor, Llddy," ho began. i "So havo I, Morty," answered Lydla Emmons, looking curiously Into his flushed face. "This can't go on. I want you to come to Europe with mo and let us start in now. With my knowledgo of tho manufacture of thermollto I can command any prico. Tho Reich company, com-pany, who aro tho agents for tho Gorman Gor-man government, would pay mo a million mil-lion dollars for tho process. Thoy havo been trying to work mo for a long timo. And It Isn't a government secret p.itogothor, remember. It is tho factory's proporty, and I Improved it. Why should we alavo hero when we can havo a palaco abroad?" , "Morty, you'vo boen drinking," answered an-swered Lydla lightly, trying not to let him soo how his words agitated her. "I lovo you, Lydla. Why don't you bcltovo mo?" "Becauso you haven't proved It." "How can I prove It?" "Glvo mo tho formula." a a In her apartment In tho town Lydla was enjoying her afternoon cigarette ' tho noxt day when tho mnld showed ' Mrs. Strango in. Lydla, who of course could not refuse to see her, prepared , uncomfortably for tho Interview, i Whllo sho was dressing sho pictured In her mind somo awkward country woman, somo "gawk" of a creature, us j she phrased It to herself. Sho van ' surprised at the refined, delicate little woman who stood boforo her. Sho bowed. "Mrs. Strango?" sho Inquired. In-quired. Doris stood looking at her stcndlly her hands clasped In front of her. "Do you lovo my husband?" sho asked. Lydla lhnmons, entirely at a loss how to answer, remained silent. "I havo not como to you to make trouble" Doris went on. "But, you seo, I lovo Mortlmor, and wo havo no children. So that will mako It easier." "Easier for what?" "To lot hint divorce me." "I will answer you truthfully," said Lydla, "I do not lovo your husband at nil." "Then why is your nnmo coupled with his constantly? Why does ho spond nil his timo with you? Oh, won't you either tnko him, If you want each other, or glvo Ulm back to me?" wept Doris. Lydtn looked nt her, and nn Intenso curiosity stirred In her. Sho put her hands upon tho other woman's shoulders. shoul-ders. "Why does ho mean so much to you?" oho asked. "Ho Is not worthy of you." "Ho Is! Ho Is!" cried Doris indignantly. indig-nantly. "It is I who am not worthy of him. I havo not been nblo to llvo ,ns ho wished me to livo. Ho Is my husband, and it is my duty to mako him hnppy. I want a chanco to try." Lydla Emmons was still more as-toundod. as-toundod. "But but I.don't want to rob you of him," sho stnmmored. "Tell mo, Mrs. Strango, what sort of woman do pcoplo say that I am?" "Bad 1 'oMgDorls, liko a resentful resent-ful chlldlBKt, "Very OT" Thoroughly vicious and depraved?" "I don't pay hood to gossip unless I havo to. But pcoplo in our circles nro talking. That was why I camo to you." What would sho think if sho know what Mortlmor had asked her? Lydla was suddenly nppallcd. "Mrs. Strange," sho said quietly, "I am not what tho world would call n good woman, I suppose Maybo I am nnturnlly bad, or maybo I never hnd a dog's chanco when I wn3 a girl. But I am not as bad as somo think, Do you know, I havo often wanted an opportunity op-portunity to mako somo sacrifice to show that thero Is somo good in me It isn't much of a sacrlllco so far aB your husband is concerned, Mrs. Strange but I'm going to mako It. I am going to bring him to your feet forever." Doris looked up swiftly Into tho other's face, and sho put her hands In Lydla's with tho samo childlike confidence con-fidence "Oh, I bollovo in you!" sho cried. "I am so sorry for; what I said. You aro a good woman, and I shall tell everybody every-body so." Lydla smiled and kissed her. - r On tho vorandayaf'tho club Mortimer Morti-mer Strango was 'waiting for Lydla Emmons. Ho had boon waiting most of his sparo timo during tho past threo days, and ho wns uneasy and perplexed per-plexed at not having seen her. It was growing dark, and a sort of Jaded ro-manco ro-manco was growing In tho mnn's soul. And when nt last she camo tho spurious spu-rious passion that leaped up In his heart threatened to sweep him from his bearlngB. Sho was dressed all in wh'ito, and thero was n look on hor faco that reminded him,' though ho did not know why, of Doris In tho days of their courtship. -t.''- Slio sat down at his sldo and they two woro togothort'at'la'at, as Mortl-' mor had hoped. Ho took hor hnnd.Wi "Lydla!" ho cried exultantly '!I havo brought tho proof with mo-the nroof for which you asked." Ho drow tho paper from his pocket and gavo It to her. "Horo is tho valuo of a million dollars," dol-lars," ho said. "What tho brlbos of' tho Itolch company could not effoct Ib yours. You shall keep It, and tho proceeds, pro-ceeds, as tho proof of my lovo." "Morty," Bald Lydla quietly, "did you ovor toll any other woman that you loved, hor?" 'Not anji toll you," ho answored. ' "Your 'vlfe, then. You didn't enro forhe!' when you aBkcd her to share 'your lifo In tho long ago?" Mortimer wriggled In hl. chair. "Why uj you mention my wlfo?" uo asked. ' "Becauso you havo tho best wlfo In tho world, and nro tho least deserving of her," sho answered. "You aro a fool, Morty, just a common llttlo fool. You aro going to got tho worst turning turn-ing down that you havo ovor had. You aro going to bo made to seo yourself as you aro a llttlo man In a big part, who tins lost his bearings and taken tho Bpurlous for tho real. Go homo to your wlfo, Morty, and ask her forgiveness forgive-ness upon your bonded knees, becauso you need It badly." Tho man rose, furious, trombllng. "You lod mo on, oven It I am a fool," ho shouted. "What was your gamo, then? You havo thrown away a fortuno. Whoro do you come in?" Lydla laughed icily. "I was promised prom-ised ten thousand to get this for tho Reich company, that's all," she r,s-iwered, r,s-iwered, handing him tho paper, t , |