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Show 1 SlTOCMPliQ QUITE 1 oiars klein Y y ARTI1URDR0RNBL0W V ILLUSTRATIONS? BY RAY wyLTEH$ C-Tt.C?.'i , i9C0, &Y G.vy. DILLINGHAM COnpAHY 23 SYNOPSIS. Iloirr.rd .''ITrlra, banker's son. unclf Vi IMhcno of Robprt Underwood. fW.K--rttfdt-n nl ynle, leads a life of dis-pijutrn, dis-pijutrn, rn-.rrlca the daughter of a gam-tr( gam-tr( Yrt:o i.cl tn prison, and Is disowned fer b.'.t r.'tthr-r. He Is out of work and In t:Vsv:n(e straits. Underwood, who had twrv tvo-n rnrrng-ed to Howard's step-motlN-r, Atlcln, Is apparently In prnsper- livi.msumrcs. Taking advantage of h: tiM-'ni'irv with Alicia, he becomes a (tvrt sf oor-l'iil highwayman. Discovering true clitirncter Alicia denies him the how. llf sends her a note threatening ' eritl Art dealers for whom he acted ea ommtwloner, demand an accounting. He riinrt make good. Howard calls at h tnTtmnnts In an Intoxicated condi-Otin condi-Otin t rwuost tt loan of J2.000 to enable Mm Hi rnke up a business proposition. Hownrrt drinks himself into a maudlin romltllon, nnd goes to sleep on a divan. A osillor Is nnnounced and Underwood (travia a screen around the drunken rlwprr, Alicia enters. She demands a , limni! ft"m Underwood that he will not ' bio liis life. He refuses unless she will renerr her patronage. This she refuses, end takes her leave. Underwood kills himself. The report of the pistol awa-t-ens Howard. He finds Underwood dead. t Howard Is turned over to the - police. ' Capt. Clinton, notorious for his brutal treatment of prisoners, puts Howard through the third degree, and finally gets , tn nllrgrd confession from the harassed man. Annie. Howard's wife, declares her bel-'ef !n ner husband's Innocence, and rails on Jeffries. Sr. He refu;-s to help unless she vvill consent to a divorce. To pave Howard she consents, but when she Br-ds that the elder Jeffries does not Intend In-tend to stand by his son, except finan-rlallyshe finan-rlallyshe scorns his help. Annie appeals to Judge Brewster, attorney for Jeffries, Gr.. to take Howard's case. He declines. It is reported that Annie Is going on the Bta;re. The banker and his wife call on Judge Brewster to find some way to pre--vent It. Annie again pleads with Brewster Brew-ster to defend Howard. He consents. con-sents. Alicia is greatly alarmed when she learns from Annie that Rrewster has taken the case. She confesses con-fesses to Annie that she called on Underwood Under-wood the night of his death, and that she bas his letter in which he threatened sulfide, sul-fide, bill begs for time before giving out the Information. Aanle promises Brewster Brew-ster to produce the missing woman at a meeting at his home. Brewster accuses f'llnton of forcing a confession, from Howard. Annie appears without the witness wit-ness and refuses to give the name. Alicia arrives. Oapt. Clinton declares Annie has tricked them. Alicia hands him Underwood's Under-wood's letter. Annie lets Clinton believe the letter was written to ber. She Is arrested. ar-rested. Tho Underwood letter and Annie's An-nie's perjured testimony clear Howard. The elder Jeffries offers to take Howard abroad. CHAPTER XIX. Continued. i ITe waited and looked at her curiously curi-ously as if wondering what her answer an-swer would be. He waited some time, and then slowly she said: 'T think you' had better go!" "You don't mean that!" he exclaimed, ex-claimed, in genuine surprise. She shook her head affirmatively. "Yes, I do," she said; "your father wants you to take your position in the world, the position you are entitled to, the position your association with me prevents you from taking " Howard drummed his fingers on the tablecloth and looked out of the window. win-dow. It seemed to her that his Toice uo longer had the same candid ring as he replied: "Yes, father has spoken to me about it. lie wants t be friends, and I " He paused awkwardly, and then added: add-ed: "1 admit I've I've promised to x couslder it, but " Annie finished his sentence for him: "You're going to accept his offer, Howard. You owe it to yourself, to your family, and to " She laughed as she added: "I was going to say to millions of anxious readers." Howard looked at her curiously. lie did not know if she was jesting or in earnest. Almost impatiently he exclaimed ex-claimed : "Why do you talk in this way against your own interests? You know I'd like to be friendly with my family, nnd all that. But it wouldn't be fair to you." "I'm not talking against myself, Howard. I want you to be happ?, and you're not happy. You can't be happy under I hose conditions. Now be hon--. est wiih me can you?" "Can j'ou?" he demanded. "So," she answered, frankly, "not unless you are." Slowly she went on: "Whatever happiness I've had in life , I owe to you. and God knows you've had nothing but trouble from me. I jid wrong to marry you, and I'm filling to pay the penally. I've evened mutters up with your family; now let me try nnd square up with you." "Kvened up matters with my fam-v fam-v I!y?" he exclaimed in surprise. "What V do you mean?" With a suiile she replied ambiguously ambigu-ously : "Oh. that's a little private matter of my own!" He stared at her, unable to comprehend, and she went on. Bravely: "Howard, you must do what's best for yourself. I'll pack your things. You can go when you please " lie stared gloomier out of the window win-dow without replying. After all, he thought to himself, it was perhaps for the best. Shackled as he was now, be would never be able to accomplish anything, ir they separated, his father would take him into his business, life would begin for him all over again. It would be better for her. too. (11 course, he would never forget for-get her. He would provide for her eotnlort. Kis father would help him arrange for that. Lighting a cigarette1, cigar-ette1, he s::;d, carelessly: "Well perhaps you're right. Maybe May-be a li1 tie trip through Europe won't do me any harm." "Of course not," she said, simply. Busy with an obstinate match, he 4 Id not. hear the sigh that accom panied her words ot see the look of agony that crossed her face. "But what are you going to do?" he Inquired, after a silence. With an effort, she controlled her voice. Not for all the world would she betray the fact that her heart was breaking. With affected indifference, indif-ference, she replied: "Oh, I shall be all right. I shall go and live somewhere in the country for a few mouths. I'm tired of the city." "So am I," he rejoined, with a gesture ges-ture of disgust. "But I hate like the deuce to leave you alone." "That's nothing," she said, hastily. "A trip abroad is just what you need.". Looking up at him, she added: "Your face has brightened up already!" al-ready!" lie stared at her, unable to understand. under-stand. "I wish you could go with me." She smiled. "Your father's society doesn't make quite such an appeal to me as It does to you." Carelessly, she added: "Where are you going Paris or London ?" He sent a thick cloud of smoke curling curl-ing to the ceiling. A European trip was something he had long looked forward for-ward to. "London Vienna Paris," he replied, re-plied, gayly. With a laugh, he went on: "No, I think I'll cut out Paris. I'm a married man. I mustn't forget that!" Annie looked up i him quickly. "You've forgUen it already," she said, quietly. There was reproach in her voice as she conLinued: "Ah, Howard, you're such a boy! A little pleasure trip and the past a forgotten!" for-gotten!" A look of perplexity came over his face. Being only a man, he did not grasp quickly the finer shades of het meaning. With some irritation, he de manded: "Didn't you say you wanted me lo go and forget?" She nodded. "Yes, I do. Howard. You've made me happy. I want you to be happy." He looked puzzled. "You say you love me?" he said, "and yet you're happy because I'm going go-ing away. I don't follow that line of reasoning." "It Isn't reason," she said with a smile, "it's what I feel. I guess a man wants to have what he loves and a woman is satisfied to love just what she wants. Anyway, I'm glad. I'm glad you've going. Go and tell your father" fa-ther" Taking his hat, he said: "I'll telephone him." "Yes. that's right," she replied. "Where's ray cane?" he aiiked, looking look-ing round the room. She found it for him, and as he opened the door, she said: "Don't be long, will you?" He laughed. "I'll come right hack. By George!" he exclaimed. "I feel quite excited at the prospect of this trip!" Regarding her fondly, he went on: "It's awfully good of you, old girl, to let me go. Annie averted her head. "Now, don't spoil me," she said, lifting lift-ing the tray as if to go into the I kitchen. "Wait till I kiss you good-by," he said, effusively. Taking the tray from her, he placed it on the table, and folding her in his arms, he pressed his lips to hers. "Good-by," he murmured; "I won't b long." i As soon as he disappeared she gave way completely, and sinking into a chair, leaned her head on the table and sobbed as if her heart would break. This then, was the end! Suddenly Sud-denly there was a ring at the bell. Hastily putting on a clean apron, she opened the door. Judge Brewster stood smiling on the threshold. Annie uttered a cry of pleasure. Greeting the old lawyer affectionately, she invited in-vited him in. As he entered, he looked questioningly at her red eyes, but made no remark. "I'm delighted to see you, judge," she stammered. As he took a seat in the little parlor, he said:. "Your husband passed me on the stairs and didn't know me." "The passage is so dark!" she explained, ex-plained, apologetically. He looked at her for a moment without with-out speaking, and for a moment there was awkward pause. Then he said: "When does Howard leave you?" Annie stared in surprise. "How do you know that?" she exclaimed. ex-claimed. "We lawyers know everything," he smiled. Gravely he went on: "His father's fa-ther's attorneys have asked me for all the evidence I have. They want to use it against you. The idea is that he shall go abroad with his father, and that the proceedings will be begun during his absence." "Howard knows nothing about it," said Annie, confidently. "Are you sure?" demanded the lawyer, law-yer, skeptically. "Quite sure," she answered, positively. posi-tively. "But he Is going away?" persisted the judge. "Yes, I want him to go I am sending send-ing him away," she replied. The lawyer was silent He sat and looked at her as if trying to read her thoughts. Then quietly he said: "Do you know they intend to make Robert Underwood the ground for the application for divorce, and to use your own perjured testimony as a weapon against you? Y'ou see what a lie leads to. There's no end to it, and you are compelled to go on lying to "Then Why Do You Leave Her Here to Fiqht the Battle Alone?" support the original He, and that's precisely what I won't permit." Annie nodded acquiescence. "I knew you were going to scold me," she smiled. "Scold you?" he said, kindly. "No it's myself I'm scolding. Y'ou did what you thought was right, and I allowed al-lowed you to do what 1 knew was wrong." "Y'ou made two miserable women happy," sho said, quietly. The lawyer tried (o suppress a smile. "L try to excuse myself on that ground," he said, "but it won't work. I violated my oath as a lawyer, my Integrity In-tegrity as a man, my honor, my self-respect, self-respect, all upset, all gone. I've been a very unpleasant companion for myself my-self lately." Rising impatiently, he strode up and down the room. Then turning on her, he said, angrily: "But I'll have no more lies. That's what brings me here this morning. The first move they make against you and I'll tell the whole truth!" Annie gazed pensively out of the window without making reply. "Did you hear?" he said, raising his voice. "I shall let the world know that you sacrificed yourself for that woman." She turned and shook her head. "No. judge," she said, "I do not wish it. If they do succeed in influencing Howard to bring suit against me 1 shall not defend It." Judge Brewster was not a patient man, and if there was anything that angered him it was rank injustice. He had no patience with this young woman wom-an who allowed herself to be trampled tram-pled on in this outrageous way. Y'et he could not be angry with her. She had qualities which compelled his admiration ad-miration and respect, and not the least of these was her willingness to shield others at her own expense. "Perhaps not," he retorted, "but I will. It's unjust. It's unrighteous. It's j Impossible!" j "T8ut you ion't understand," she aid, gently; "I am to blame." "You're too ready to blame yourself," your-self," he said, testily. Annie went up to him and laid her hand affectionately on his shoulder. With tears in her eyes, she said: "Let me tell you something, judge. His father was right when he said I took advantage of him. I did. I saw that he was sentimental and self-willed, self-willed, and all that. I started out to attract him. I was tired of the life I was living, the hard work, the loneliness, loneli-ness, and all the rest of it, and I made up my mind to catch him if I could. I didn't think it was wrong then, but I do now. Besides," she went on, "I'm older than he is five years older. He thinks I'm three years younger, and that he's protecting me from the world. I took advantage of his ignorance of life." Judge Brewster shrugged his shoulders shoul-ders impatiently. "If boys of 25 are not men they never will be." Looking down at her kindly, he went on: " 'Pon my word! if I was 25, I'd let this divorce go through and marry you myself." "Oh, judge!" That was all she could say, but there was gratitude in the girl's eyes. These were the first kind words any one had yet spoken to her. It was nice to know that some one saw some good in her. She was trying to think of something to say, when suddenly there was the click of a key being inserted in a yale lock. The front door opened, and Howard appeared. "Well, judge!" he exclaimed, "this Is a surprise ! " The lawyer looked at him gravely. "How do you do, young man?" he said. Quizzingly he added: "You look very pleased' with yourself!" "This is the first oportunity I've had to thank you for your kindness," said Howard, cordially. "Y'ou can thank your wife, my boy, not me!" Changing the topic, he said: "So you're going abroad, eh?" "Yres, did Annie tell you? It's only for a few months." The lawyer frowned. Tapping the floor impatiently with his cane, he said: "Why are you going away?" Taken aback at the question, Howard How-ard stammered: "Because because " "Because I want him to go," interrupted inter-rupted Annie quickly. The lawyer shook his head, and looking look-ing steadily at Howard, he said sternly: "I'll tell . you, Howard, my boy. You're going to escape from the scandalmongers scan-dalmongers and the gossiping busy-bodies. busy-bodies. Forgive me for speaking plainly, plain-ly, but you're going away because your wife's conduct is a topic of conversation conversa-tion among your friends " Howard interrupted him. "You're mistaken, judge; I don't care a hang what people say " "Then why do you leave her here to fight the battle alone?" demanded the judge, angrily. Annie advanced, and raised her hand deprecatingly. Howard looked at her as if now for the first time he realized tho truth. "To fight the battle alone?" he echoed. "Yes," said the judge, "you are giving giv-ing the world a weapon with which to strike at your wife!" Howard was silent. The lawyer's words had struck home. Slowly he said: "I never thought of that. You're right! I wanted to get away from it all. Father offered me the chance and Annie told me to go " Annie turned to the judge. "Please, judge," she said, "don't say any more." Addressing her husband, she went on: "He didn't mean what he said, Howard." Howard hung his head. "He's quite right, Annie," he said, shamefacedly. "I never should have consented to go; I was wrong." Judge Brewster advanced and patted pat-ted him kindly on the back. "Good boy!" he said. "Now, Mrs. Jeffries, I'll tell your husband the truth." "No!" she cried. "Then I'll tell him without your permission," per-mission," he retorted. Turning to the young man, he went on: "Howard, your wife is an angel! She's too good a woman for this world. She has not hesitated to sacrifice her good name, her happiness, to shield another woman. wom-an. And that woman the woman who called at Underwood's room that night was Mrs. Jeffries, your stepmother!" . Howard stared back in amazement. "It's true, then, I did recognize her voice!" he cried. Turning to his wife, he said: "Oh, Annie, why didn't you tell me? You saved my stepmother from disgrace, you spared my father! Oh, that was noble of you!'.' In a low tone he whispered: whis-pered: "Don't send me away from you, Annie! Let me stay and prove that I'm worthy of you!" To the young wife it all seemed like a dream, almost too good to be real. The dark, troubled days were ended. A long life, bright with its promise of happiness, w-as before them. "But what of the future, Howard?" she demanded, gently. Judge Brewster answered the question. ques-tion. "I've thought of that," he said. "Howard, will you come into my office and study law? Y'ou can show your father fa-ther what you can do with a good wife to second 3'our efforts. " Howard grasped hia outstretched hand. "Thanks, judge, I accept," he replied, heartily. Turning to his wife, be took her in his arms. Her bead fell on his shoulder. shoul-der. Looking up at him shyly and smiling through her tears, she murmured, mur-mured, softly: "I am happy now at last!" i TfcLH END. I |
