Show THE HUSBANDS OF EDITH bu GEORGE BARR BARK GUTCHEON IT Copi daht bu dodd mead co CHAPTER I 1 boll what do you menn t 1 1 I thought flud that a facer just aist it you yon tire to go to vienna a roxbury Med croft not as aa your yourself ria in hill ha ripping ell eh ton ilon my iny soul rox you ate are not in eat ni never more tubre so but my benr fellow you wont vont do it what your bont ru means it in despair it that and you yon know it ive got ot nothing to lose its you that will laivo to r suffer youre known all over 1 ropp what will he said paid when the trick is discovered disc gad danl annl then you will go with beaming fy f eyes y 1 I know 4 11 would appeal to you itin is american v ant loa does it nil all mean it A nil all viry vi ry simple if one looks at tl il from the alit right angle brock up to alt ila I 1 was vaso blissfully committed to ro MO r n most delightful of outings so to spen suil 1 at 10 everything was waa ed mrs hirs Med croft and I 1 sat up wl nil billant discussing the situation with the germy ger my solicitor by tho way u siv nw vienna trip Is out of the 10 fair ns as 1 am concerned con cerneL it 14 nf etsil chati should re mini to london tonight but it Is even inon vit vialilly lilly important that the world li sly ay iy timit I 1 am in vienna see I 1 I 1 Il talf leall aly no ini ili hanged if I 1 do klisit I 1 have just heard from lon jl ilon ids UK ine shudder der to think of the consequences it if I 1 so go on east tonight I 1 tinty us as well vell tell yon volt that there diere la Is a plot lilot on oil root foot to perpetrate a gi gantle fratia the people the county Is it to he hoodwinked out and olit m into moving fo forward rivard ceri certain talu building ln pro projects jetts involving millions 0 tile the pe li limilo Mils our orni hns hits opposed it cerui tit imond of gr drafters grafters and when I 1 left elti I fland it wits was pretty well settled rhill we had blocked ked thel name they illey allive learned lc inird of my proposed absence 1 aind intend to steal a 11 march on ns Is while I 1 nm away without assuming tool too enuch credit to iny myself telf I 1 may atly blint 1 ytol your old friend roxbury I 1 till am tit alic oil inc mun who hits has proved the roal real thol 11 in the sides of these diels with nie ilie out of the way they butil that they nin can secure tit the adoption of all 1111 these infamous measures my partners and the leaders on our side have sent for tile me to return secretly they wont bring the matter to issue if tile they find tand that ivo ive returned it would lie ile suicidal therefore it 1 Is necessary necea sary we ve steal it a march on em I 1 know the inside workings of the scheme scherie if I 1 can steal back and keep under tinder cover as an advisory chief so to speak we ie I e can ill well wel lafford to betlem let em rush the matter through for then we can spring th alie t coup and defeat them for good and all but dont you see old man unless tiley they know that ive gone to vienna tiley wont undertake the thing why im asking you togo to go on to to vienna and poso pose as roxbury med aled t croft l oft wilile while I 1 steal back to london and sot set lua charge under these del dammed limed really you know its it a terribly serious matter brock it means fortune and honor to me as yell well as millions to the rate payers of CI greater london all youve got to do Is to register tit at the bristol get interviewed bv bi the papers attend one or two sessions of the ille convention which laste three days and then go off od akito into tho the mountains with the the society reporters will do the rest with the my dear fellow suppose that they object to the substitution ution really you know its not to be thought of douce deuce take it man the a are re not to know that there has icon boon a substitution perfectly simple cant you see tm im d d if I 1 dot doll what a stupid ass asa you tire are brocki brock 1 the have never laid eyes ou on me they know of me as editha husband till all they are to take you in as Med Aled croft of course at this point brock set up an emphatic remonstrance he begun began by laughing his friend to scorn then as Med Alede croft persisted went so far as to take 1 ke him severely to tusk task for the proposed imposition on the unsuspecting cys to say nothing of the trick he be would play piny upon the convention of architects id be recognized ns as an impostor he suld said warmly and booted out of the convention I 1 shudder to think of what mr rodney will do to me when he learns the truth why Med Aled croft you must be crazy there will be dozens of architects there who know you personally or by sight you my dear buy boy it if they dont see me there they cant very well reco recognize me can they if nev necessary necess essary nry you can affect till an Illi illness joss mid stay away from the sessions sess lons altogether give ti a statement to the 11 press S froidl h tun the privacy of tile the sickroom regret your inability to take part tit in tile the discussions and all that you know hire it 11 nurse it if necos sary you nit ml atit ht venture to ti express ito opinion or two ull aitio topics in my name I 1 dont it biting what you say I 1 only want em cm to lo think im there no doubt our en enemies vinies will have a spy or tivo lian glug about to see that I 1 am actually olf off for a jaunt with the Rodie ys but they will ae be viennese and aid they wont know me from adam the odds so long as edith la is there to stand by yon yok if illes willing to assume that flint you yoo tire ire tier let husband good aoi lord d liala h alf shouted brock leaping to tit bis teet feet wide vide eyed you dont mean to siy say that S stir ile Is Is 18 Is to go to vienna with me file emphatically yes aslie ashes also alao invited of course going you envall nie in that niles going just as you are going by b proxy murmured brock helplessly proxy the devil pon my soul brock youre downright stupid she cant have it 11 proy proxy thoy know her the are are in ill some vity connect dons of tiers hers und and till nil unit milt third cousins a 1 ants it if sin he there thera to vouch for you how tit the deuce vait you ex expect liecbt to Med croft you are cray no OM but an insane man would slI submit bIllit ill hla wife to wily why good lord loid man think or of tile the scan scandal fal she wont have it a shred left lef tp at the proper time the matter will be explained to tile flip not at borst you know filid and ill be in a post tion con to stop step into your shoes before the party returns to pat patis paris Is afterward the whole trick will he be exposed to the world and shell be a heroine im absolutely paralyzed 1 mumbled brock brace up tip old chap im going to take you around to the ritz at once to ro introduce you to my wife to your wife I 1 might say gay shell be waiting for us and take my word for it ashes in for the game she appreciates its imbor tance come now brook broek it means so little to you and it means everything to me you will do this for me for us w CHAPTER 11 mrs Med Mede croft OR bior ten minutes brock barovic protested his argument growing weaker and weaker as the true humor of the project developed in lits his mind he came tit at lust last to realize that Med Mede croft was in earnest and that the situation was us its serious as tie be pictured it the English mans plan was unusual but it was not its aa rattle brained ag a it had sr seemed at thi the outset brolli was beginning to see the possibilities that the ruse aunt to say tile least he would bi bb 0 running little or no risk rask in ili the event of its miscarriage in spite of possible unpleasant consequences quen ces there were vere the elements of a rare lark it in tle the enterprise ile he lit felt himself being skillfully guided past the ond mii dit 1 I shall insist un oil talking it over thoroughly with mrs Med croft before consenting 4 tie he sald in fit the end if ashes tiring bluffed into the game ill revoke like it 11 hash it if chos keen for tin the nd adventure venture ill gu go lox hox but ive aitt ot lo 10 0 o set tier first oui talk it all over 1 ton I oil tuv my word old elial chap sites ripping awfully glod sort mort even though I 1 say it myself aslie ashes 14 true blue and shell 10 lo do anything for me you you see brouk brock mid and ills his voice grew very tender she loves me im tit sure of her there a nobler wife in the world th than A mine nor a prettier one either he concluded with pride in its his eyes you wont be asti ashamed amed of tier her you will bo proud of the chance to point her bar out as your wife take my word for it then they set out for the ritz roxbury said brock soberly when they were in the rue do de la in paix after walking two blocks in contemplative silence my peace of mind Is poised at the brink of till an abyss I 1 have a feeling that I 1 am about to chuck it over nonsense buck up when edith tins has had bad a fling at you 1 I suppose im to call her edith certainly and I 1 wont mind a dear or two when it seems propitious its rather customary you know even among the unhappily married of course ive ilvo always been opposed to kissing or caressing in public its so middle class and I 1 daresay mrs Med croft will object to it in ili private 11 lamented brock good natu 1 I daresay said her husband cheerfully ashes your wife in public only bythe by the way have faveto to get used to the name of roxbury dont look around as if you expected to fand me standing behind your back when she says roxbury dearl I 1 shant bo be there you know shell mean you dont forget that oh I 1 say exclaimed brock halting abruptly and staring in dismay at hlll confident conspirator will I 1 have to wear a suit stilt of clothes like that atiat and an eyeglass and and good lord spats by jove you yon shall wear this very suit cried Med croft inspired were of a size and it wont tit you any better than it does me our clothes never fit us in london biever clever idea of brock to think of it and herel well stop at this shop and pick up a glass you can have all day for practice with it and I 1 say brock dont you think you yon can cultivate a er little move more of an english style of speech that twang of yours wont I 1 heavens man im to bo be a low comedian tool gasped brock as he was fairly pushed on to the shop three i ml minutes later they were on the sidewalk and brock was in possession of an object ho he had scorned most of all things in the world a monocle arm in arm they sauntered into the ritz rite Med Aled croft retained his hia clasp on tits his friends elbow as they went up in the lift after the fashion of one who fears that his victim la is contemplating flight As they entered the comfortable little sitting room of tho the suit a young woman rose gracefully from tho the desk at which she had been writing with perfect composure she smiled and extended her slim hand to the american as he crossed the room with med crofts jerky introduction dinging digging in his cars my aly old friend brock dear he has consented to be your husband youve never met your wife have you old man A blush spread over her exquisite face oh roxbury how bow embarrass embarrassingly ile he even proposed to mo me so glad to meet you mr brock ive been trying to picture what you would look like ever since roxbury went out to fand you sit here please near me roxbury has mr brock really fallen ligo into your terrible trap imp it if the most ridiculous proceeding nir mr brock call him roxbury my mv dear hes bes fully prepared for it and now lets leta pet get down to business 4 ile dp insists insist 4 upon talking M it over with wilh you yon you yon dont me being beans present to do yon voil brock I 1 dare gay any I 1 can help you volt out it lilt bit ive been married four years for till nn hour the ti trio tito to discussed til the V situation from till all sides aides and lit in nil all its ita phases when brock nrose arose to take lily departure lit he was irrevocably committed to the enterprise ile he wits wis moreover completely enchanted by the vista vast 1 of harmless fun full and sweet adventure that stretched before him tie lit went lit away with ills his head full of tit the bril ilant hunt quick witted wilted loyal doting yoting amerlean american who was entering en so heartily lie irtely into the plot to deceive tier her own friends for tile time being abeln in order that her husband might profit in high claves she is 14 ripping ile he said to Med Mede croft in the hallway hall why all of the plans had bad been made add all of them had been approved by tile the youns young wife she lind had shown wonderful perspicacity and foresight in the matter of details fler eler en for selection and disposal wit ans 4 even more comprehensive than tillit that of OJ I 1 the two men both of whom WON were soma what staggered by the boldness of more than one suggestion which came from her fruitful storehouse of roman tic ideas she had bad grasped the full hu mor of the situation from inception to denouement and to all appearance was waa heart bidd soul deep in the vent venture tire de the risks because she knew that flint succor was always at tier her elbow in the shape of tier her husbands loyal support there was tio no condl tion involved which could not tie lie explained pl affied to tier her credit adequate adeol tinte compensation epli pensa bation tion for tit the mervy merry tive wa 4 to by be had in the brief detachment from froin rigid english conventionality tit in the hazardous injection of into an otherwise overly healthful life of platitudes society had bad become tho the ize sepu acher of youthful inspirations ns sin welcomed the resurrection resurrect lon tile exquisite Illi site delicacy with which sho she analyzed the cost and computed tile interest won for her tile the warmest war niesi repard regard of her husbands friend fellow cou on spi in ili a plot which involved the subtlest test of loyalty and honor 4 yes y es sald said Med croft simply you won wont t have reason to chanke change your opinion brock ue he hesitated for a moment and then lien burst out rattler rather plaintively tarel sties an awfully rood good sort demme shot she Is and so tire are you brock it ita s makhty decent of you youre the only man mail in hi till all the world that I 1 could or would have asked to do this for me you yon are my best friend brock you yon always n I 1 ways have been he seized the Arne americans ricans hand and wrung it fervently their eyes met in a long lon look of understanding and confidence ill take t rood good caro care of tier her said brock quietly 1 I know yon volt will goodby good by then ill see you late this afternoon you leave this evening tit nt by thu tho orient express ive lind had the deservi liolis hooked booked and and alid lie ile hesitated it a wry smile on oil its hla alps 1 I 1 dare daresay sity you wont whid mind making a pretense of looking after the luggage it a lilt bit will you 1 I shall wap li this opportunity to plit myself in trall training illig against tile day when I 1 may be traveling ng away with it happy bride of my own olvil by the way how low long loin an am I 1 expected to remain tu in this state of matrimonial bliss that no detail you know even though tholet 9 it escaped for the moment three weeks three weeks no ne almost reeled a long time tit in these days of speedy divorces sat said Med iedy croft blandly the garc do de iest was wag thronged thron ged with people when broca iipp eared fully an hour before dej departing arting tivie time lit in no ito little dittli dismay liv lie round found himself wondering if the whole of burls purls wits was oli iju away or on tile the other hand it if tit the ret rest of tb the continent wits was arriving re de relt felt a fool in Med crofts unspeakable checked suit stilt and tile eyeglass was it much more obstinate lit nn tractable thins thim tie he had even suspected it |