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OTHE PERFECT HUSBAND-By Charles G. Nerrfc
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One 0
fPHERE was sullen silence across
' the breakfast table. Lucy Val
ltntine bent her head, and unseeing
yoked at her feed. Her husband
finished his ham and eggs deliber
ately, pushed away his plate and,
lounging bnck in his chair, sucked
'the wind through his teeth with
little smacking noises of his tongue.
Then he leisurely folded the morning
newspaper, rose, took his hat arfd
coat from the closet and stalked out gjeusly stupid, se self-satisfied, se
of the apartment without a word, blind. She could have forgiven his
sharply slamming the outer deer be- obtuseness, but she could net for fer
hlnd him. j give his rudeness. Every day of his
. Lucy sat en, thinking. A leek ( jfe ,e unconsciously afTrented her,
f hopelessness, almost of despair, anfj ameSt ns frequently did se de-
ettled upon her face, mat was ,
Tem that was the way Tem acted; j
ttiey were in for another dreary ,
1
L.
An Introduction te
Charles G. Pierris
Probably wr have no ether author
in this country who hits mrt with
surh Midden ninf laituifi lurccii as
Charles (i enis. It came with
tire books, "Halt" anil "Urass."
He teas an editor for many years.
until the chance came te give his
ichelc attention te writing.
Yeu feel m his work his power te
portray phases of the lives of the
American people, phatrs that are
universal m their knowledge, and
perception even the kitchen and
the furniture in the parlor are alive.
lie is a maitn craftsman in the
handling of his material.
"Brats." which deals with marriage
and has gene inle meie than forty
four edition, took yeuis of labor
before it was published.
"The Perfect Husband." written
partieulaily for this all-star pro
gram of American fiction, tilh 1(1
own story. It touches upon a
preblrm nf tnarriid life that holds
vast possibilities for discussion.
pell of his surliness! She thought
lever the thirteen years of her mar
ried life; she visiened the thirteen
that might fellow the twenty-six,
perhaps. That was te be her fate
yoked te a churl, uncouth and ill
Biannered, who was insensible of
hew he offended her.
And the thought that infuriated
her most was that Tem regarded
himself as a perfect husband, faith
ful, geed, generous, devoted te her
nd te his home. It was true
enough.
In fairness, Lucy had te admit
that Tem was generous; he was
faithfulness itself; he earned a geed
salary; he saved; he spent every
night and even Sundays at home,
and gave her an nmpic allowance.
He considered that by this he dis-
charged his duty as a husband nobly
and regarded the cause of their con-
WHO'S WHO IN Tier. &TORY
ANDREW Tll.l.KXTC -bnl'lnnt slattstnan
approach na vudtlle aae. tut t II yn a In
pinr. vfjtmtn ter rannmfiu - -
comet inltr'Mti m n ntw pelltlrnl parti
camel 1rtlfrjlre m a tu peiirirni pant,
afmine at m antral en of cnrltnl nnd labor
'tlr Pren?r.He l"'!"u" " " '" """"
)JRB. TALLEKTEit-ha hm married Adrtw
areiVamXr TVHraiJp"
Furlou nt hi rf.r litfue n nrraat'. sM
Plots with M x-pr-Mrt; A1.1I10.11 Viliw.
in wham she has a sfiitlmciifel interest
ASTHOSY PALLISCR-" ha let slelm vaU
liable jollllrel jinp'ri from Andrew, and
XavsiaVtira ,"ar"'' '"" "W"-'01"'!"115-.
XtADY JAh'E PARTiyr,TOS- tttirni' near-
est miphber irlm slim hli interest greatly
alter Mu separation Iren in calculating ,
elf. Thevph the daughter of a PuUe,
She (j mmewhat neclaliMi, conductriie her
eitatt en juri iirlnclplf. Sh Is in lev
.BTBPHES DARTREY-th ertat .cber-f.lb. I
NOBODY'S MAN
rnl chief, a itatmmnn b'ir iHfneut ability the place of her first amaMment, ill
as a parti kadr, ter uhi'h he picks Tal- . , , , ,T j 1 1 . u.
ltf. Itexiented him. He drew her Inte hl
NORA SJIA.LL a asclnatlne youne feminist
ana radical. i lave u UK partrep.
ninr ii -..i
s44 a v cum t-y iuiium inur n
Tjn passed down the street ngain and
there seemed something unreil In the
bread pnvement, the frowning houses,
tbe glow of the gas lamps. The hnrm-
less little key burned his flesh. All
the passionate ncuteness of life seemed
throbbing again In hK vein-. He re-
traced Ills steps, ranking no plan-., obey-
lng only an ungovernable Instinct. The
street was einptj. IU' thrust the key.derful you are:
Inte the lock, opened the deer, replaced
tbe key under the scraper, entered the
house nnd made Ills way into the. room
en the tight.
Tallente steed there for a few minutes
with fnst-bcatln.; heait. lie had the
feeling thai he hud burned his beats.
He was face te face new with realities.
There was no sound from nnj where. A
bright fire wns burning in the grate. An
asy-cliaii' wan drawn up te the side of
, a small tnble, en which was plnced a
i tumbler, borne blbcuits, a box of clga-
' rettcs 'and seme matches. A copper
Saucepan full of milk steed In the
hearth, side by side with some slip-
pen dainty, fur-topped slippers.
Even these slight evidences of her com-
tif presence seemed te thrill him. Time
3
Ae Evening Public
stant bickerings, which recently he
had chosen te treat In moody
silence, as being entirely his wife's
responsibility. He never missed an
opportunity te point out te her that
he had no vices; he did net even
smoke. He regarded her sourly as
an ungrateful spouse a cranky, un
reasonable, nervous woman.
Lucy rocked her head in her hands
and moaned. Tem was se egre-
hberately. He grewled at her,
sncered at her and, when crossed,
touted her into silence.
SHE had rebelled this morning. The
Incident that hud precipitated the
whole trouble had been of trivial Incon
sequence ; It always rent, Tem had wild
the eream was sour, and she had
I casually remarked thnt she didn't see
hew thnt could be since It was themorn themern
Ing's delivery, nnd then he hnd shouted
nt her thnt lie guessed he knew what
1 he was talking nbeut, nnd that when he
paid the crenm was Four, It was sour.
She had fnld nothing In reply ; she
hnd considered bis ungraciousness dis
passionately for n time, and then In the
mldt of the breakfast she had suddenly
put her clnsped hands down before her
en the tnble, and said her say tem
perately and earnestly, urging her right
te courteous treatment. She was
familiar with the leek of displeasure
that came Inte his fare as be listened,
and reaching for nn argument that
would strengthen her words, she had
alluded te Mr. Gray and his wife, who
Ived In the adjoining apartment, and
thnt bad proved the spark te his anger.
Ter Tem hated the Grays, hated
everything about them. The suite of
rooms these neighbors occupied was en
' t!jp Funic flcer as the Vallcntin's' ; an
ift--e'l 'epnrnted the two establish
IP nt. and upon this source of light
r id ventilation a bedroom window of
t-r.i h apartment cave vent. Much that
, went en in the Graj household could be
I heard by the Valentines, nnd Tem nnd
1 I.twy listened te the stray words and
I casual onvcrntiens that went en be
tween their unsuspecting neighbors un
, abashed.
1 Lucy loved the way in which the
Grays spoke te each ether. It was se
different from that te which she was ac
customed. The man had extraordinary
nuances in hi eice; It was beautifully
1 modulated, and when he happened te
nddres' his wife ns "my dear" it was
like a care's. Tem chose te ridicule
the little intimate things they said te
one another, and te Imitate Mr. Gray's
manner. It made Lucy acutely uncom
fortable, for she admired Mrs. Gray,
was genuinely fend of her, nnd was in
terror lest Tem should be In turn over
heard. Lucy had had her misgivings as te
the decency of listening te her friend's
confidential murmuring with her
husbnnd. but she assured herself thnt
her metlv was net unworthy curiosity.
It was merely that she enjoyed with n
hungry soul the manner In which this
particular husband and wife spoke te
one another. It was beautiful; It
seethed her; It was like exquisite dis
tant music.
She bad come te be mere or less In
timately acquainted with Mrs. Gray
niwe that lady had moved next deer.
The two women visited one another,
made frequent shopping trips together
and sometime-, lunched In ench ether's
a.sgXed Iheldlred'
her the most fortunate woman bhe
dissolved away into a dream of antlel-
patlen.
Minutes or hours mlcht have passed
- -
before he heard rhc meter sten outside.
her voice bidding some friend a cheer- I
tul geed night, the turning of tne key
in the deer, the drawing of a belt, a'
.. .. .. ... . , .1 t
"Sit step in me nnu. ana. men .mn.
,p wng wrapped from head te feet
. ... . .. .. ..,.
in white furs, a small tiara of emer-
nMs an.) diamonds en her head. She
entered, humming a tune te herself,
., j.i-i,i
serene, rlCSlrnDie.
"Andrew"'
"
Her exclamation, the light In her
f8, the pleasure which swiftly took
.arms and his voice shook.
... ... , . ,,, . . .
"Jane." he confessed. "I tr ed te
"June, he confessed, "I tried te
. , ,
stele in
keep away nnd I couldn't, I
x(.rP t0 wnt for y0U, And you're
I glnd thnnk heavens, you're glad!
I "Put hew long have you been here?"
'she asked wenderlngly.
I He shook his head.
' "I don't knew. I walked down the
street, hoping for a miracle Then I
saw your key under the scraper. I let
myself In and waited. Jane, hew wen-
Unconsciously she had unfaMened
and thrown aside her furs. Hpr nrmn '
nnd neck shone like nlnhnster In th
shaded light. She looked Inte his fnce
unci began te tremble a little.
"Yeu ought net te have done this,"
she said,
"Why net?" he pleaded.
"If any one had seen jeu if the
servants knew !"
He Inughed and stepped her mouth
with a kiss.
"Dear, these things are trifles. The
thingn that count lie between us two
only. De you knew that you hnve been
In my bleed like a fever all day? Yeu
were there lu the Heuse this afternoon,
jeu walked the streets with me, you
drew me here. Jane, I haven't felt
like this since I was a boy. Yeu have
brought me back ray youth. I adore
yeul"
Ledger's Series of Unpublished Short Stories en Married Life
knew. She had leeks, plenty of clothes,
an exquisitely furnished apartment nnd
she had an ndering husbnnd. Ne won
der Alice Gray could be hnppj.
Mr. Grny was nn interior decorator.
He was often away for several days at
a time when he went te supervise the
work of some rich man's country home.
He returned home always with 11 trifling
preBcnt for bis wife a bangle, a pair
of silver buckles, a lacquered box or
perhaps only n handful of jonquils. Fre
quently he took her out t dinner and
,the theatre and once, te Lucj's posi
tive knewledce, he had Inveigled her
downtown in order te buy her a lint.
That hnd semed te I.ucy the
upotheesis of conjugal devotion. Her
own husband had never hi ought her
home unexpectedly a present in all his
life. Once in a grent while she
Induced him te go with her te the
theatre or the movies. He hnd never
commented en anything she were or took
the slightest notice of hat or gown.
LUCY, considering her own let nnd
the happy clrcumstnnces thnt were
Mrs. Gray's en this particular morning.
snld te herself with considerable bitter
ness thnt while she was in no danger
of coveting her neighber's: husband, 'he
did Ions with all her soul for some de
gree of contentment with her own. And
upon these reflections came Alice Gray,
her sweet, composed face free of worry,
her serene beauty glowing today with
unexpected interest.
Alnn70 had telephoned, she explained,
that he was obliged te go te Bosten.
He would have te be away for several
davs, and he wanted his wife te aceom aceem
panv him. Could she arrange her affairs
te be ready te leave with him en the
late nf ternoen trnln?
Could she? Alice Grny's eyes danced
with excitement as she caught Lucy s
hand. There wns nothing te detain her:
she bad necr visited Bosten; she
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Heppineis Through an Unusual Weman's Leve ! Fascinatingly Told in This Story or Intrigue, Politics,
Mystery and Remance by the Noted Auther of "The Great Impersonation' "The Profiteers," "The Great
Prince Shan" and a Score of "Best Sellers"
1 Again she rested willingly enough in
his arms, smiling at him. as he drew
I near te her, with wonderful kindness.
...,.,l
The lire of his llPB. llewever, seeniccl
te disturb her. She felt the envelop-
lng turmoil of his pnR?len, new be-
come almost ungovernable, nnd extrl-
n.,..l v,..t..lf -.. Ul A.n.c
"Put ray saucepun en the fire,
please," she begged. "Yeu will find
some whisky and Feda en the sideboard
there. Tarklns evidently thinks thnt
I ought te have a male escort when I
come home lute."
"I don't want whisky and soda,
Jane." he cried passlenutely, "I want
I you
She rested her hand upon his sheul-
der
nd am I net veurs, dear, she
akcl.
"foellihlv, unwisely, perhaps.
talnlv Tours? Thev were nil
Smr ,rtnlnlt
out certainly
'talking about veu tonight nt dinner nnd
1 1 wnh ,n pr0(i Rbe went en, a little
feverishly.
"Our host was almost e'e-
A Gwan-te-Bcd
Tlir. VENTRILOQUIST'S DUMMY:
ONCE upon a time, dear children,
there was a ventriloquist named
Napeleon who had a little dummv
nnmed Eddie. They were gnat friend"
i f"'l ceum always ne seen leiM-r.
On the stnee Eddie would wit en
Napeleon's Inp. Off the stage Napeleon
would sit en Eddie's trunk.
And thiw they went around the
countryside, filling the populace with
cheer nnd nmnwlng enough te keep
Napeleon's innards supplied with feed
and Eddie's nee and face painted e
lovely red. (Johnnj , WILL you get
off the piano,)
New Eddie, the dummy, wns an ob eb
scrvnnt little cuss and he noticed that
when he was sitting en Napeleon's
Unco and uiiriwer.ni! him back in tne
crowded theatres the people always
lnughed nt what he said and nccr nt
what lils mater Napeleon said.
"I must be the whole show," said
Eddle te himself. "All that guy docs
s ask me questions. Nebncl ever laughs
at blm, but evurjthutg I "y is funny.
I'm geed, that 'a what. I'm geed and
"Oh, Tem, I don't car? hew moral
want you te de is te be kind te
thought It perfectly sweet of Alen70 1
te want her te go. There was the whole
dnj before her In which te get ready.
Slit needed 11 new hat, a veil nnd a bng,
and she urged Lucy te come with her
nnd help her pick them out.
Luc;, i-iui'cl net rest. She wns net
mull enough te refuse te share this
friend' pleasure, even though she felt
the injustice of Alice Grny's having se
ininli and herself se little. And the
hitter fce'ings of the early morning were
feigntten. ns she hastily piled the un
washed breakfast dishes In the sink te
senk, gnve nn Indifferent glance nt the
unmade beds, thrust head and arms Inte
her trim, tailor skirt, nnd reached for
the smart litt'e jellew straw hat which
she had only been able te wear once
since she bought It 11 month before.
Later, seated beside her radiant
friend en the top of a Fifth avenue bus,
the spring sunshine flooding the city,
the street gay with fashionably dressed
women, she caught something of Alice
Gray's exhilaration.
The two women threaded the aisles of
department stores, priced fabrics and
exclaimed' ever the neeltles. Alice
Grny bought a charming bat, the veil
ami a neat little handbng with nickel
clasps, nnd Lucy Indu'ged herself In a
much-needed electric iron. In buoyant
spirits they made a leisurely progress
nt n late luncheon hour te one of the
smnrt, new Trench restnurnnts en Park
avenue.
A D almost in the entrnnce way,
in the
nbeut te
nbeut te pass through the revolving
glass doers te the street, absorbed and
gaily chntting together, they encount
ered Alenzo Graj and n linndsemcly
dressed wemnn. A happy exclamation
hurst from Lucy and she staitcd for
ward with a delighted greeting.
"Why, It's your hubband it's Mr.
Grny "
quent. He said that democracy led
by ou. instead of proving a curse,
might be the salvation of the country,
because you have political insight and
imperialistic ideas. It Is these terrible
people who would make a parish coun
cil of Parliament from whom one has
most te fear."
I'nllente made no reply. He was
standing en tne nearin rug, u ipw
rn.t nti'in 1 rmh nnr u'niniimir tin mui
stirred her milk, watching the curve
of her body, the grace of her long,
smoothly shining nrms. And bejend
thee things he strove te rend what
win nt the nncK et ner minci
V C mUSl IBIK nilllUBl 111 wumiitu, i
she went OI1. "Alld de have OUri
..... .. .-11. -1ua.. la. H.Ula.nnM. 11
whisky nnd sedn, Andrew, becnuse, you
m'M go very seen.
"it weuiu cnscuru ;u , ii.utu
' your servants were n mu 01 my
presence here' he asked, In a queer,
even tone.
"Of course It would, she answered,
without looking at him. "As you
Story
he lakes nil the hews nnd gc-u nil the
cndlt.
Drat mm!"
L J
i kVvgRaJ-N Bv-Vs'y-N''
AND i'.ddle uegnn te hnte Mipoleen , 1P,1 him nil the hr.ilns nnd tin-.Ideas
wish he wns out of the wny se he nnd lie himself wns nelliim; b'nt n
riiii'd get the whole net for himself. ' dummy. There nre n let of Napoleons
"I'm just carrying him along, that's and Eddies In the world, niv denr chll
nll," said Eddie. ''I could get ulen,; . drt-n, but that's the end et the story,
jubt at, geed and probably lets better Gwan te bed.
..... . .. .
you are. I don't care whether you
me, Tem arid sometimes just new
But her words died en her lips. Alice
Gray's fingers closed like a vNe upon
her arm, and the hand drugged her
aside. K"int'thlng ugly and iiuplensaut
flashed into Lucy's mind. There wns a
whirling silence, a dlzz.Wng moment
while her ptlses raced, nnd her breath
was still. Then, unconscious nnd still
chatting amiably, Alenzo Grny nnd hit
companion passed Inte the street.
"Twe please and In the corner. I
like these upholstered seats." Alice
Grny composedly addressed herself te
the hend waiter, nnd serenely followed
him into the cool and flewcr-scentcd
icstaurant.
"Come, Lucy."
Lucy, shaken, bewildered, the sig
nlficance of what had occurred still
half guessed, mechanically obeyed.
Mechanically she ungleved her hancH
inechunically she pushed htrny locks of
hair up under her hat. mechanically
she ordered. But when the obsequious
head waiter had murmured, "Bien,
mndame," and had departed she ceulcl
only keep her eyes en her plate and sit
tongue-tied, fearful of any comment
she might hazard, miserably conscious
of what mutt be her friend's humili
ation and discomfiture.
That unquestionably had been Alenzo
Grny, nnd the woman with him hnd
been Lucy knew with unmistakable
intuition thnt the woman was net of
her world or of the world of decent
women. Alice had seen it nil. She hnd
understood nnd had saved Lucy from
precipitating a frightfully embarrassing
encounter. And it hnd been Alenzo I
Alenzo, the devoted, attentive, con
siderate companion the "sharer of her
inarringe vows her mate, her man, her
lawful wedded husband! About Lucy's
head came tumbling a castle' walls,
and In her ears there renred the sound
of crumbling masonry. She shuddered
knew, I have lived, from my stand
points, nn extraordinarily unconven
tional life, but thnt was becnuee I
knew myself nnd wns snfe. Put I
have never done anything like this be
fore in my life."
"Yeu have never been In the snme
position, he reminded her. "There
I has never been anv one else te con-
slder except yourself.'
"True eneuifh." she admitted, "but
oughtn't that te make one nil the mere
careful? I loved seeing you when I
enrae In, and I have loved our few min
utes together, but I am getting a little
nprvmis. De vnii unit hnf It iu rnur '
I . . A.. -
e CI0C t
"Them Ih nn nn In irlinm -nn nra
j accountable for anything In life' except
i te me," he told her passionately.
jsne laugnca settly out a little un-
easily.
"Dear Andrew," she said, "there is
my own sense of what is seemly and
must I use the horrid word? my repu-
tatien te be considered.
as it is, you
By J. P. MeEVOY
without him. flig "stlir." Se one day
the stage hand left Eddie en the stage
just Dcninci one or the curtains, and
when the curtain went up there win
Eddie sitting right In the middle of the
stnge nnd all the audience sitting out
in front looking at him.
"New's my chance," thought Eddie,
"I'll tell 'em a geed joke nnd get 'em
going and I'll show Napeleon that 1
can get along without him."
And then Eddie tried te open his
I mouth and wasn't he surprised when
he found he couldn't! And then he
t'lrd te say something funny, hut lie
wouldn't even innke n noise. Ne, sir.
Ne matter hew hard he tried. And the
audience began te get ietk-ss nnd some
body hollered. "What's that feel
'dummy deinlg there? Threw It in the
alley."
I Put Just then Nanoleen walked en the
I singe picked the dummy up nnd set him
en his knee. And then Eddie dis-
UP V II I
covered that it was Kupeliiiii who fur-
by the Best American
gi
and then-
try te love me a little!"
nnd bent her face closer te the white
cloth.
"My dear my dear " Alice Grny
laid her hand en Lucy's arm. "Yeu
mustn't feel se badly. I understand
what's pasHing In your mind, but. my
denr, jeu mustn't concern yourself en
my account. I knew. I knew ull
about it."
Lucy met her friend's unruffled erne
with widening eyes nnd parted lips.
Mrs. Gray smiled at her, n wrj. twi'-ted
little smile.
"Oh, yes, I knew all about It, and
nnd I don't enre! Alenzo Is all thnt
I need In a husband ; he Is considerate,
attentive, deferential ; he llkp; te be
with me, nnd te have me with htm,' and
he loves me. Oh, yes, he docs; he loves
me. Oh, jes, he docs; he loves me truly
There have alwii been women
In Alenzo's life! TIiIh one happens te
be a clever nrtlst, Alenzo employs her
as a decorator. I even knew her name.
She's Flera Balznnnl. Yeu knew Bnl
zajnl, the opera singer! She'tj his di
vorced wife nnd Is quite promiscuous.
Alenzo has been well attentive te her
for mere than a year. Of course, he
has no idea I knew anything about It,
and I wouldn't have him susp'ect I've
learned for anything In the world. Yeu
flee, he wouldn't want te hurt me, and
he would think thnt If I knew I would
be offended. But I have no mere feel
ing of jealousy for this passing fnncy of
his than I would have for a geed cigar
he enjoys after dinner.
"Oh, I knew my views are anything
but conventional. I am shocking euj"
Alice interrupted herself, smiling n
rather hard, cold little smile; "I would
shock uiebt women. But I believe al
together tee much emphasis Is plnced
upon fidelity In marriage. As long as
my husband in no way jeopardizes my
III,. MUi'UUU ... ." MJ JlUIUl.i;a lll,
rlelits as his lawful wife, why should
I concern myself with what he does
after ether women. All I vv
y E. PMllips Oppenheini
may be seen leaving the house in the
small hours of the morning."
A little shiver passed through blm.
All the splendid warmth of living
seemed te be fndlng away from bis heart
and thoughts. He was back again In
that empty world of unreal persons.
Jane had been a dream. This kindly
faced, beautiful but anxious girl was
net the Jane te whose arms he had
come hotfoot through the streets.
"I ought net te have come," he mut
tered. "Dear, I don't blame you in the
least," she answered, "only be very
careful ns you go out. If there is nny
one passing in the street, wait for u
moment."
"I understand," he premised. "I
will take tbe greatest care."
He took up his hat and cent mechnn
icnlly. She thrust her arm through his
nnd led him te the deer, looking fur
tively Inte bis face, as though afraid
of what she might find there. Her
own henrt wns beginning te heat faster.
She was filled with a queer sense of
failure.
"Yeu are net angry with rae, An
drew? Yen knew that I have been
happy te see you?"
"I am net angry," he answered.
There was a little choking in her
threat. She felt the rush of strange
things. Her eyes sought his, filled with
almost terrified anticipation. It chanced
that he was looking away. She clenched
her hands. His moment had passed.
"There is something else en your
un..- m P.....T....I.J, rice uu ,.iiu i Hi- iiuiHu weuriiy nemeward, tilled with
, Andrew, I knew, but tonight we ' 'lc atrange, almost maniacal satisfy
tit talk any longer," she said, in i Jj" of ,,1C ma" who has killed the
thlug resembling her old tone. "He tnlS he leres.
mind
ennnet
bemcthlue
very enreful, denr. Tomorrow you
will come tomorrow."
He walked down the hall with the
footsteps of a cat, let himself out si
lently Inte the empty street nud walked
wl(h leaden footsteps te his rooms. It
wns net until he had reached t'ie se
clusion of his study that the change
came. A sudden dull fury burned lu
his heart. He renred himself out
whisky and drank it neat. Then he
, x.iuk ..steMj
Writers of Modern Fiction
outside his home? Frankly, I would
rather have him unfnlthful te me in en
occasional wny, ns he Is, than have
him drink himself into besettcdness, ns
many a man does, and bring home te
me a throbbing hend, a nasty temper
nnd a rancid breath. Alenzo satisfies
me; he mere than adequately fulfills his
pnrt of life's companion with me. I
am thoroughly content; what else mat
tei.sV" HEK own apartment smelted close te
Lucy, when later the same day she
closed the deer behind her. It seemed
cheerless, empty, desolate. The mood
with which Alice Gray had Infected her
all dny dropped from her like n clenk
suddenly falling te the fleer. She gazed
wearily ai the familiar walls about ber.
There war. the old faded sofa, the ugly
yellew-rased piano, the carpet with the
stain of ink near the table, the table
itself with its nilsslns caster. Even
her father's portrait hung askew from
the melding. In the bedroom were the
tumbled beds, and the kitchen smellcd
of stnle feed and dirty, soaking dishes.
It wns just like her life empty and
stale nnd drab.
She put away her things and set
nbeut getting dlnncr.wnshing the dishes,
whipping the unmade beds together,
setting the table. After nil, her bus
hand wns probably no worse than nny
ether woman's. She made him a pan of
het biscuits, of which ehe knew he was
particularly fend.
At fl o'clock she heard him come in.
She heard his crenking steps te the
closet, where he nlwnja huns his hat
and coat. She henrd him creak his
way back te the front room, where she
knew he had thiewn himself down en the
befa, and was reading the evening paper
( . , - , ,, .
wlth cct ceckei1 evcr ne hard, un
bolstered arm. He had no word of
When they searched the mur
dered man's clothing they
found nothing but a little
box containing a mysterious
drug and a playing card,
THE JACK OF CLUBS
jTh's sordid tragedy begins
a fascinating romance of
crime and relentless retribu
tion in ivhich a playing card
is the baffling accompani
ment. Begin te read
ti
Jack e' Judgment
an Wednesday, July 26'
seated himself before his desk and
wrote. He did net once hesitate. He
did net reread a single sentence. He
dug up the anger and the bitterness
from his heart and set them out in
flaming phrases,
A sort of lunacy drove him Inte the
bitterest of extremes, His brain seemed
fed with the Inspiration of his suffer
ing, fed with cruel epigrams and biting
words. He dragged his Idel down Inte
dust, scoffed at the piecemeal passion
which measures its gifts, the compla
cency of nn analyzed virtue, the sense
of well-living and self-contentment
achieved In the rubric of a dry-as-dust
morality. She had failed him, offered
mm stones instead of breiul. n
signed Hip letter, bleitpd it uih a.
lingers, addressed the envelope, stamped
it and dropped it himself In te the plflnr
Dnx lit the corner .if th. u V.i "
I he turned wearily homeward. Illied with
CHAPTER XIX
There followed days of sullen battle
for Tallente, a hatt e with luck iiEulnst
him, with his back te the wnl gHi?t",
dcMinlr mere than once ,BwnlngV ,"
his fec-t. The house In Charles tr..i t
was closed. There h, come m, w, ,Vl
iy" J,'"m. .'II!!.': " even of
.... ...,.....,- '-) my semew int sur.
S.r LL .She., he had
called en the following ofterneon.
Hlrfl(V) i
i'-t-
greeting for ber; he would hare nenet
a dark and sullen silence would enwm
bim for days te come.
She put the feed en the table at th
half hour and called him te dinner. He
did net step te wash his face or hands
or comb his hair. He came just as ht
was, sullenly, silently and hunched hit
chair up tp, his place. Without a glance
at her he bffan te eat. She watched
him lifting the feed te his mouth ; Bh
watched him spreading the het biscuits
she had made for him with thick, hard
dabs of butter; she'watched hlm'as ha
moved his heavy muscular Jaws, slowly
and deliberately masticating. There b
sat, glum, lowering, unfriendly.
Suddenly something snapped in her,
She screamed ; she screamed piercingly'
one wild, sharp shriek. She buried her
(ace In her hands, forcing the fingttt
deep Inte her eyeballs. Then she began
te sob, brokenly, pasienately, all the
grief pent up In her bursting out in an
agony of weeping,
TN THIRTEEN YEARS Tem VaJ.
L lentlne had never seen hit wife cry,
He was startled new alarmed and
shocked. He watched her In pained un
easiness for some minutes, groping
about in his mind for some way te check
the flood of sobbing that beat upon bit
ears. It had been a long, long tint?
since he had laid a hand upon her la
I affection, yet new he was moved by thi
tiqsciie 01 ncr ini ami mc uniamilltf
Impulse came te hire.
He laid down bis knife and fork and
stared at her stolidly," frowning detply.
He thought of getting up and patting
her shoulder; he tried te think of sem
thing te say, and In his preplexlty begat
te talk at random. He did net knew
hew te be gentle ; he had forgotten bow
te be tender. The iron bends of habit
were tee wall forged about him. He bad
always treated his wife with centumily,
and new when he strove te reach ber
troubled spirit with gentler words hi
found himslef only mouthing a juitl
flcatlen of his actions that morning.
Lucy could net suspect that behind
the harsh voice and slew, clumsy werdi
there stirred within him the first con
cern for her he had known In years.
Only the dogged reiteration of the facti
about the crenm reached her conscious,
ness. Her sobbing fell silent, but bi
still pressed her palms te her cheekj,
her fingers te her eyes. Presently thi
was aware be had forsaken the topic of
the cream ; new it was of his virtues ha
discoursed.
" I let you live your ewa
life ; you go and come as you please j
you have your own friends. I never
ask you hew or why you spend thl
money every month', and I never let tbt
first go by without depositing your
check -in the bank. I never question
what you de with yourself all day; all I
ask of you Is te run the house snd
keep things nice. I don't Ml
hew you've get much fault te find wits
inc. I don't drink or gamble or 6inelie
I don't go out nights, and I've never
looked at another woman in all ray lift.
New Berne men"
Lucy listened until she could stand
no mere. With wet tears staining her
cheeks nnd her face convulsed she ud'
denly straightened herself and faced
him, her lips trembling, her hands ball
outstretched te him across the table.
"Oh, Tem. Tem," she cried. "I don't
care hew moral you arc. I don't cara
anything about ether women. I don't
care whether you go after them or net
Seek them, kiss them, have them de
an thing you like! Gnmble, smoke and
drink. Denv yourself nothing en m
account. I don't care hew wicked ye
are. All I want you te de Is te m
kind te me, Tem be kind, be kindl
Don't be se ugly and mean te me. And
semellmes jusf new and then try te
love me a little!"
Corvrleht. IHIM. bv Unlltd Ftature SuniUntt.
All rights rtitrved. Ksprciuetlen preMbtttl,
"Her ladyship left for Devenshire,
sir, by the ten-fifty train."
Tallente went back te the fight with
these words ringing in his ears. H
hnd deliberately tern te pieces his house
of refuge. Success or failure, what did
it matter new? Yet with the dogged
courage of one loathing failure fir
failure's own sake, he flung himself
intu the struggle.
On the fifth day after Jane's depart
ure, the thunderbolt fell. TnllenJe'i
article was printed in full and th
weaker members of the Democratic
I'arty shouted at once for his resigns
tien. At a question cunningly framed
by Dartrey, Tallente rose in the IIeun
te defend his position, and acting ea
the soundest axiom of military tactlci,
that the best defense is attack, t
turned upon Miller, nnd with cauitle
deliberation exposed the plot framed fort
bis undoing. He threw caution te tblr
winds, nnd though repeatedly and i
gravely called te order, he poured out '
his scorn upon his enemy till a j
latter, white as a bheet, rose te demand
the protection of the Speaker. There
were very few in tbe Heuse that dW
who ever forget the almost terrify!"
spectacle of Miller's collapse under bit
adversary's hurricane assault, or the
proud and dignified manner in whlca
Tallente concluded bis own defenM.
Hut this was only th6 first step. The
Laber Press throughout the country
took Berleus alarm at an attack whit,
though out of date and Influenced w
conditions no longer predominant 1'
struck n very lusty blew at the reri
existence of ttielr great nervous ci-wi"-:
Miller, as chairman of the Assoclatee
Trades Untens, Issued a niniiiiew
which, notwithstanding his declining
Influence, exercised considerable enecj.
It seemed clear that he could rely "',
Commens. Ilorleck became m?"
cheerful. He met Tallente leaving i
Heuse one windy Murch evening ""
the two men shared n taxi tugetWi
wcstwaid. 'Si
Te be continued Men-'iy
Copyright, tots, by ths Bell Bynilcatl, lJL-
Mjffm