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Show Confiding in a Woman The Weekly Short Story By LILLIAN MOSSELLER DILI. CASSIDY put the cover on - his typewriter and closed his desk. Tomorrow the whole world would he let In on what had been a political secret and his paper would be the first to divulge the news because he Bill Cassidy had been quick witted and on the job. Only Bill knew the secret. Only Bill? Well not quite. He had told his girl in the strictest confidence. confi-dence. She would never tell. Wouldn't she? Sampson had trusted trust-ed Delilah. Well, this girl was nol that sort. She was not a vamp-she vamp-she was not tricky. She was Just a simple, sweet, beautiful but he was beginning to feel a little uneasy. un-easy. Well, he had told her, and that was that. She had not Invited his confidence except by her habit of reticence yet the words of his secret he poured Into her ear. She had beauty without vanity charm without guile, could she keep a secret? Tomorrow the world would know, but today no one must know. A political secret divulged to a woman I A scoop for the press his scoop! What Inherent weakness weak-ness In him had made him respond to that Impulse to tell? He had always al-ways been absolutely sure of his strength where women were concerned. con-cerned. Yet Sampson had been sure of his strength until Delilah cut off his hair. Was Margaret lovely Margaret his Delilah? No. She had not wanted his secret. She was not to blame she had protested protest-ed that she did not like secrets they were a burden to her. Perhaps Per-haps that was a trick to get It out of him women even the best of them were full of tricks they were born that way I Well, she had gotten It out of him shame to her. He would go to her. His secret must not be divulged this night I When morning came the news would be broadcast, but he must somehow, some way, keep her from seeing any one tonight She hud had time even now to let a word slip just a few words and he would be ruined. His imagination imagin-ation traveled dark highways. He had wanted to marry her. He bad planned to ask her when the Big News his political scoop was flashed over the world. Then be would get a raise then they could marry. But she was a reporter, too. She was on an evening paper. pa-per. Perhaps she had used his no, he couldn't think that of her she might let It slip In a feminine, stupid way but she wouldn't use it to advance herself wouldn't she? Sampson had trusted Delilah I He hurried to Washington place where he must walk up six flights of stairs before he could reach her apartment. He stood panting out of breath as he rang the bell. She did not answer. The bell must have been out of order. He tried the knob. The latch had not caught and the door opened. He stepped into the corridor and paused. Margaret was In the next room talking. Only some heavy portieres separated them. He had not Intended In-tended to stand there and listen but her words electrified him suddenly there was murder in his heart I "He told me a secret," she heard her say quite distinctly, and she laughed delightedly. "He told me a secret." There was a pause. "Tomorrow "To-morrow the whole world will know," her voice was so low he could scarcely hear "and tonight, only you and I know it except " So she had divulged it! Perfidy, thy name Is Woman I "Darling," she continued In a warm, resonant voice. "It Is you, I love you only !" There was a sound of a long kiss. He clinched his fists. "A wordless thing of beauty, that comes to fill the soul of me. In love. Love that is brought to me by you, dear. Love came not to me until you came. For only you could bring me love." Bill groaned audibly. She had said the same thing to him with her eyes that very day. "Who is there?" she cried In terror. ter-ror. He flung aside the curtains. She was seated upon the rug In front of the fireplace with the firelight shining on her hair. She was alone. Bill glanced around the room quickly. Had the devil escaped? He looked at the girl who was as still as though she had been turned to stone. She was clasping something some-thing to her breast and looking at him in consternation. He stooped and snatched It from her. Then he wilted. Ills anger left him. He was filled with shame. He knelt beside her. She had been holding his photograph she had been talking talk-ing to him. "Oh, Bill, you heard?" She hid her face on his shoulder. He raised it to his. Her beautiful mouth was soft and responsive and her hair was a golden halo about her head. "Bill, dear," she told him, when she was nble to speak, "I discovered discov-ered I really loved you when yon told me the secret Most men think women are capable of nothing but seduction and guile. Bill, ft thrilled me through and through to learn that you really trusted me I" "Oh, Margaret I" Bill looked" at her with adoration In his eyes. "Oh, Margaret I" (Copyright) |