s jj
Maroed Maim By lucian cary
HE BEE: OMAHA, SUNDAY, JUNE 19, 1931.
Like An v
)
ft
4
Being the Sorightlv Adventure of
w t o
a Suburban Siren and a
Citizen Without a Vice.
SPAIUiOROUCH Is one of those immensely
respectable suburbs In Westchester, be
tween tha Bronx and White Plaint. It la
literally a town without a slum. Hurlbut was
one of the Immensely respectable citizens of
Sparborough. He was literally a man without
a vice.
Hurlbut was in charge of the credit depart
ment of a great wholesale house, and what ts
more reputable than a credit man? Being a
credit man is like being something in a bank.
Hurlbut was so correct that he reflected a kind
or righteousness on tho credit man's Job Instead
of the job's reflecting it on him. Ho was so
correct that nobody called him Bill, although
his first name was William. He was often point
ed out as a model to other husbands.
The Hurlbuts had lived in Sparborough for
Ave years," William was chairman of tho greens
committee of the Sparborough Country club
:iud Margaret was president of the Sparborough
Improvement association. They had twins, a
white house In the Colonial manner, and a Ran
kin sedan. There is something as inherently
respectable In twins as there Is In a Rankin
sedan, and everybody knows what the Rankin
sedan Is so well made, so economical, and not
In the least sporting.
Margaret Hurlbut was a Bryn Mawr girl.
All Bryn Mawr girls are nice, but Margaret was
extremely nice. She was extremely patient also.
She did not believe in corporal punishment and
ii lie had brought up her twin boys to the age of
Q without once spunking either of them.
4f Now there is probably no reason in the na
ture of things why William Hurlbut should not
have gono on exemplifying all the virtues to
the very end of a long and useful life. But the
fact Is, ho didn't.
On the last Saturday In April, William Hurl-
hut took his friend, Arthur Tompson, to Spar-
i borough for the week-end. . Arthur Was
bachelor (who expected soon to be married, and
he was earnestly considering the purchase of a
house in the suburbs. William had volunteered,
after tho fashion of suburbanites, to show him
Sparborough.
After lunch at the Hurlbut's one should, of
courses say luncheon in speaking of the Hurl
but's they visited the Sparborough Country
. club. They were standing on the veranda ot -The
club house, from which one has almost a
blrdseye view of the course,' when Maisle Blaze
drove up in the yellow Speedster she affected. -Mateie
parked the car and nodded to William
as she walked Into the club.
"Who's that?" Arthur asked.
Mcu who didn't know Malsie Blaze Invariably
asked "Who's that?" when the went by. Malsie
was slim, dark, and full of the elan vital.
"That's Mrs. Blalsdell otherwice Maisle
Blaze," William said. ,. '
"Yes?" said Arthur, raising his eyebrows
I after the fashion of a man who wants more in
formation and doesn't want to ask for it in so
many words.
"She's the locul siren," William explained.
He did not mean to be insinuating; his tone
quite unconsciously expressed his disapproval
of Malsie Blase. She was rather the leader of
tho younger set in the town and in the club.
This set irritated William, though it would have
puzzled him to say precisely why. If pressed he
would have said that they were irresponsible, cr
that they lived only for a good time, or some
thing equally damning and equally general.
"What d'ye mean, siren?" Arthur asked.
O. she's perfectly nice," William answered.
t'Ait she's Just like any young widow looking
(JAIL
fcpr tr
.Jllj
trouble." ., . . N
uch a speech was really not like wmiam
but. He was a Utte astonished at himseir
fo.t. making it. And when he turned to snow
Authur the club cups and saw that Malsie
Blaze had stopped almost In the doorway and
was standing there talking to Mrs. Green, ho
was a llttlo worried ..for' fear she might have
overheard. He wouldd not have liked her to
overhear a remark so unkind. But William Im
mediately reflected that Malsie had been at least
a dozen feet away when he had made the re
mark and that he had spoken In rather a low
tone, and tha it wasn't in reason to suppose
that she could have overheard. William was
entirely governed by what was in reason, or so
he believed. . , ,
William showed Arthur the cups, and played
a round with Mm. and Introduced him to the
people he ought to know. Arthur spent Sunday
with a real estate dealer and went in with Wil
liam on Monday morning quite completely sold
to Sparborough. William was pleased. He felt
that Arthur would make a solid addition to
Sparborough. He was the sort of man William
sometimes wished there were more of a man
of 30, u business man, a man who wasn t light
minded. Sparborough was, he would have ad
mitted, chiefly populated by solid, respectable
citizens. But there were people like MIsi
Blaze and her crowd the Greens and the Med
ways and Phil Barker and- Ann Follett who
were perhaps too young to feel the seriousness
of life and people like Mr. and Mrs. Bronson
who. though mature, had the frivolity that
sometimes accompanies Inherited money.
On Monday evening when William Hurlbut
got oft the 6:15, which regularly dropped him
o nthe Sparborough platform at 6; 50, he, saw
tha yellow speedster of Malsie Blaze drawn up
beside the walk in denance ot me parens
William experienced a strange, for the moment,
- and inexplicable, desire to turn his head the
other way as he walked past But Just before
he reached the speedster he remembered the
' remark he had made about Maisle Blaz and
-Vknew why ho wished tr void speaking to her.
it was part of William character that he in
stantly turned toward the speedster instead of
away from It. Malsie Blaze was Standing be
side It watching the passengers coming down
the platform with an expectant eye.
"How do you do, Mr. Hurlbut." she said,
i William paused. .
r , "Hello, Mrs. Blalsdell," William said cor
( Uially. "Expecting some one ?"
"Yes," said Malsie Blase. 'm expecting
1 s Mrs. Walker out from town for dinner, but I'm
I afraid she hasn't come."
V William turned to survey the platform. The
- last half dozen commuters were hurrying to
ward the ramp. The train was moving out of
the station.
"No." William said. "She didn t come.
He hesitated. He wanted to be on his way, yet
he wanted to say something pleasantly hopeful
to tho disappointed Maisle. "She may be on
' the 6:10," he added.
, Malsie Blaze slipped intrthe scat of her low
r car. in which one did not so much sit as He.
"In the meantime," she said to W llliam, "1 11
take you home."
William was in the habit of walking to and,
from the Sparborough station. It was Just a
mile, and he felt that a mile walk morning and
evening was the least he could allow himself,
even if he did play golf every Saturday after
noon during the season, and take a stroll every
Sunday afternoon when the weather permlttca.
Besides,
, . "Jump in,1 said aMisie Blaze. She started
the engine.
' O. I wish you wouldn't trouble yourseu.
said William." -
"I shan't. I'd much rather drive you over
than sit hero waiting. It's chilly, and besides I
never did like waiting."
William rather awkwardly took the seat
beside her. He felt exposed in the low cat,
without the enclosing sides of his Rankin sedan,
without a top, without even a windshield. He
did not.approve of speedsters. "He did not ap
prove of Malsie Blaze. He instinctively re
coiled from permitting her to drive him home,
a Cut, after all, there wac no harm in it ana
W $L m ill i U I .vaSSS' pM
" Ther' nothing for it bat to wakt up
. B rontons' chaufftur," MaitU taii.
there was no getting out of it, either. He hoped
she wouldn't drive as fast as she usuallydia.
She had been arrested once for speeding. . .
But Maisie Blaze did not speed. The large
90-mile speedometer under the cowl gave a pre
monitory quiver or two and settled at a point
Just beyond 10. Indeed, the car moved so slow
ly through the streets of Sparborough that Wil
liam was uncomfortable. He felt that as lons
as they were going so slowly he ought to talk
and he did not wan to talk to Maisie Blaze:
he could not think of anything to say to Maisle
Slie said nothing. She seemed to be think
ing. Or did such a woman ever think?.
William was mildly occupied with this, ques
tion, when Maisie Blazo turned her head and
smiled at him. William fait a curious and In
credible thrill when she smiled at him. It was
a slow smile, and yet a smile that somehow
lighted up her whole face: her eyes positively
sparkled when she smiled. William was aware
of the scientific fact that eyes do not and can
not sparkle. But-he observed that Maisie Blaze's
eyes did sparkle there were little points of
light In their brown depths when she smiled.
"You know, Mr. Hurlbut," said Maisie Blaze,
"I have an odd feeling about you." She paused.
Her eyes were again on the road. T .
William was more than a little surprised.
He had not been aware that Malsie Blaze had
any feeling about him. Also, he was-curious.
He could not Imagine what was coming. There
was no precedent in his experience for such a
remark. He turned expectantly to Malsie Blaze.
But she seemed to have forgotten her speech.
She seemed to be completely engaged in driving
her car. They were within a block of the Hurl
but house. In another moment he would be
getting out of the speedster and going Into the
house.
"Well?" he said.
Maisle Blaze drove her car the remaining
100 yards and stopped it oposite William's front
door. But naturally he turned to Maisie Blaze.
a. "Do you mind my being quite frank?" she
asked. And as she spoke she looked straight
into his eyes. The little points of light were
gone now; her eyes were velvety; it occurred to
William that Maisie Blaze waa not, perhaps, an
altogether happy woman, even if she was frivo
lous. "I should be glad to have you speak frankly."
William said.
, "Well," said Maisie Blaze, and dropped her
gaze, "It's an odd thing to say-but I have some
times felt that you didn't approve of me." She
paused.
"Why," William began. "Why " He really
didn't know what to say. . The truth was, of
course, that ho didn't approve of her. Mar
garet didn't approve of her. But William could
hardly say as much. Besides, he didn't seriously
disapprove of Malsie Blaze. It was only
"Not that you've ever said anything I mean
snubbed me," Maisie Blaze continued. "It's Just
a feeling I've had. Perhaps there's nothing
in It But you see how It Is, Mr. Hurlbut. You're
one of the best known men in Sparborough and
I have a tremendous respect for you everybody
has. And well, it's Just the way you look at
me when I speak to you in passing. It makes
me feel as If I were a naughty little girl."
"Why why," said William, "I don't think
anything of the sort."
"I'm glad," Baid Maisle Blaze simply. "I was
afraid yo id. And of course I'm ' not a a
very usctul citizen or anything."
William held out his hand. He couldn't
quite assure Maisle Blaze that she was a useful
citizen and yet he wished suddenly to assure
her of something.
Maisie took, his hand and pressed it. Wil
liam felt that she had a nice hand. Indeed,
William felt that she was a nice girl a sur
prisingly nice girl. 4
'Thank you," said Maisie Blaze. "It's good
of you to understand. I knew I could trust you."
William lifted hisThat and smiled and Maisle
smiled back that slow smile which lighted up
her face and made the little points of light spar
kle in her eyes and gave William a curicis a:CL
Incredible thrill.
Ma iff met met him In the hall.
rf Blue
v (mtm)
V Hctkm
tha
"Wasn't that Mrs. Bialsdell you were talking
with?" she asked.
"Yes," said William, "she was at the rail
way station to meet some woman who didn't
come and she volunteered to drive me home."
"Hm-m-m," Margaret said. "I wondered
how on earth you happened to be with her. It
must have been rather trying."
"Why, no," William, said honestly", "it wasn't
trying at all. She" He hesitated. He had
been about to tell Margaret what. Maisie Blaze
had said. He always told Margaret everything.
But hadn't Maisie implied, by that phrase about
trusting him, that he wasn't to repeat what she
had said? Of course he could tell Margaret
he wasn't bound to confidences that excluded
his wife. But it might sound rather silly when
repeated.
"She what?" Margaret asked.
"She -a a a " Again William hesitated.
"William," Margaret said, "your trick of be
ginning a sentence and then pausing indefinitely
before going on is most annoying. Will you
please go on."
"She struck me as much more well, a much
nicer person than I had always supposed she
was," William said.
"It's a habit of hers," Margaret said tartly.
"What?" said William.
"I say it's a habit of hers to strike men as
being a much nicer person than they had al
ways supposed."
Heart Secrets of
By RACHEL MACK.
The Background of Love.
Everybody's heard the old wheeze
about the world being moneymad.
To listen to some of the wise birds
talk, you'd think the entire popula
tion, of this old globe was out be
fore sunup doing a Marathon after
the elusive dollar.
i But seven years and more in the
fortune tellin profession have taught
me that more people are cravin
love than are cravin' money, and
when the cards of destiny are dealt
for this little game we call life, you
find hearts trumpin' diamonds four
times out of live!
She was just another one looking
for happiness the little lady with
the sad eyes who dropped in this
morning and asked for a consulta
tion. "A palm reading dearie?" I
asks, fallin' for the lonesome look
in her eyes. i '
"Yes," she answers, "I want you
to read my future. There is so much
I need to know and yet," she hesi
tates, "my longings, and hopes are al
most too vague to express in words.
I suppose I just want love, and 1
don't know how to get it! Tell tfie
what to do to win it. Help me find
a talent to develop some charm thai
will appeal to men, and make some
body want me. I'm only a nonentity
now, with none of the attractions
that men fall for. I haven't beauty
or education or talents. I can't sing
or dance or even talk brilliantly. I'm
just a little brown wren that wants
to be a bird of Paradise and hasn't
the money or the cleverness to get
the plumage 1"
"Dearie," I says when she pauses.
'"1 grasp the idea perfectly for I be
lieve I've talked to several thousand
Other 'little brown wrens' just like
you! And I want to say by way of
a cheerful openin' that when it
comes to getting a mate, the Little
Brown Wren generally wins. Love's
got a way of favorin her over the
Bird of'Faradisc! I believe you'd
call it tho Law of Compensation
"Well," suld William Judiciously, "aha has
aeemed rather flirtatious."
"Rather," said Margaret.
William, with a guile that he did not know
he possessed, changed the subject abruptly with
an inquiry about the twins.
He did not see Maisle Blaze for several days
after their chance meeting at the railway sta
tion. He found himself strangely expectant of
meeting her. He 'intended to be Just as friend
ly as he could be when he did meet her. Ha
found himself remembering her smile and those
lights in her eyes. It was pleasant to remem
ber them. It would be even pleasanter to ex
perlence them again. . ,
He experienced them again at the country
club on Saturday. He was going through the
club on his way but after playing 19 holes when
he ran plump into Maisle Blaze.
"O, Mr. Hurlbut, do come and have tea with
me," said Malsie Blaze.
"I'd be delighted," William said.
; He was an hour late for dinner and Mar
garet was inclined to be petulant about It
"I wish you had telephoned," she said.
"I hadn't any idea it was so late," William
protested.
"But it isn't like you to forgt?" Margaret
countered. "What were you doing, talking to
Mrs. Blalsdell?"
William knew, It was a chance shot, but it
wasn't any easier to meet for being that He
felt his face grow red. He felt that he must
look guilty.
"Why, yes," William said, "I was."
He hoped his voice sounded matter of fact.
"Well," Margaret said. It was one of those
noncommital "Well's" which promise nothing
except a "to be continued."
"I'm perfectly serious," Margaret replied.
"Mrs. Blalsdell is a dangerous woman and
you've been with her twice In' the last week."
"Just chance," William said. "I probably
shan't so much as meet her on the street while
you're away."
"Well," Margaret said, "I really think you
ought to be circumspect in my absence. You
know what a gossipy place Sparborough is."
"My dear Margaret," ald William testily,
"are you seriously considering the possibility
that I might be gossiped about?" ,
"Very seriously," Margaret said slowly. "I
think, for instance, that you oughtn't to call on
Mrs. Blaisdell while I'm away."
William rose to his feet and strode across
the floor.
"Good God, Margaret," he crlad, "have I
ever called on Mrs. Blalsdell while you were
here?"
"No," Margaret admitted; "that's why it
would be so pointed if you called while I waa
away."
"But who said I was going to call , on . her
while you were away," William roared.
"You needn't shout," Margaret said sweetly.
William opened his mouth; to speak, thought
better of it .and stood staring at Margaret.
"I must say you surprise me," he said. "I
feel as if I didn't know you at all. Five min
utes ago I couldn't have imagined you saying
such things."
"Five days- ago," Margaret countered, "1
couldn't have imagined you running around
with Mrs. Blalsdell." -
"But I'm not running around with her,"
William groaned. "I haven't the slightest de
sire to run around with her. I don't care if
I never see her again."
William was instantly conscious that this
last statement was a lie. He had not meant to
lie. But what he said was a He. He wondered
ir he ought to modify the statement He wished
he had said, "I don't particularly care If I never
see her again." That would have been strong
enough.
Arter dinner Margaret reminded William
that she was going up to Boston to visit her
mother for a few days.
a Fortune Teller
if you're interested in big words
with a meanin'l"
"You see, girlie," I explains,
"You're thinkin of Love as some
thing you've got to trap with flashy
clothes and talents and looks.
You're thinkin' of- Love as some
thing as hard to catch as a moth in
a wood clothes closet in July!
You're thinkin' of it as something
as hard to find as the plot in the
seven best movies of the month,
and as evasive as an oil-stock pro
moter that's just been asked how
many barrels his well's puttin' oul
per dayl You're picturin' Love as
a hummin' bird that's got to be
caught with a grain of salt, and all
the time it's as simple and tame a
proposition as a hungry pet pigeon
ready to cat out of your hand.
Get me?"
"No," she admits, "I'm afraid 1
don't understand what you mean."
"Well, girlie, I mean just this:
Money and brilliance are the right
bait for admiration, and popularity,
the world over, but they aren't al
ways the right bait for love. A cost
ly little trotteur suit on the Avenue
may get you an invitation to lunch,
but a little blue organdie in the fire
light is just as apt to get you a
proposal.
"Do you really think," she asks
still unconvinced, "that love is as'
easy to bait as that Do you think
men really care for such simple
things, a.s rosebud dresses and old
fashioned sofas and pink shaded
lamps?"
"It's my firm belief, dearie, J
answers. "I've got a theory thai
more women have been proposed to
by the firelight than by cabaret light,
and more men have been inoculated
with the marry in' fever over a chafin'
dish out on the kitchen table than
over all the lobster Newburgs ever
dished out by a head waiter down in
the bright light zones 1"
"It's the background, dearie, thai
counts! Make t lie scene simple and
sweet and homelike, for the mascu
line mind is open to suggestions. He
plays up to the right background
yesterday, today and forever!"
(Copyricbt, 19S1, Thompion Faturt
8rvi.)
"I hope, William," she said lightly, "that
Mrs. Blalsdell won't occupy all of your atten
tion while I'm gone."
"What nonsensel" William said.
"I'm awfully glad to hear it. William," Mar
garet said.
William spent the first evening ot Margaret's
absence, reading a new book on business man
agement. It occurred to him that it would be
pleasant to call on Malsie Blaze. Ha caught
the Idea in the very act of occurring to him.
He was shocked at himself for entertaining tt.
He went so far as to realize that he might ac
tually have called her up on tha telephone if It
had not been for what Margaret had said. He
might even have gone to see her.
The next evening passed In a similar fashion,
except that he was now bB"'I9'.tf,sed to this
astounding Impulse
He rather enjoyed
-1 1 1- -
urn lung tim no
refused to act on it. A he could not act on
it. A" he coi
it. He resolutely put the , Idea out of his mind
Ave evenings in succession and then on the sixth
evening, the last one before Margaret's return,
Maisie Blaze called him on the telephone.
"O, Mr. Hurlbut," Malsie Bald, "I'm so glad
you're in. It's Phil Barker's birthday and
we've Just. discovered it. We're going to cele
brate and we want you" to help. Can we call for
you in half an hour?"
"Why why," there was certainly no harm
in joining a birthday party of which Maisle
happened to be a member; even Margaret could
not object to that, "why I'd be delighted,"
William concluded.
"Good for you," said Maisle Blaze. "We'll
be round in 20 minutes, or half an hour at
most. We're going to the club and dance."
William hastened into his dinner clothes.
He had no means of knowing what tha others
were wearing. But dinner clothea could hardly
be out of place at an Informal party. He waa
dressed in 15 minutes, except for his tie. Mar
garet always tied his bow ties. But he man
aged In 15 minutes more to do a passable bow.
It was another 15 minutes before they drove up.
, There were three cars besides Malsle's and
William was simultaneously invited to enter
all of them.
"You're coming with me." said Malsie Blaze.
"I haven't room for mora than one and you're
chosen."
"I'm flattered," William said to her.
"We're going around to pick up tha Greens,"
Maisie explained.
"It's 10 o'clock now,'' William said. "And
It's eight miles to the club."
"It won't take long," Maisle assured him.
They arrived at the club at 11 and then
William discovered that the party consisted of
the Greens and the Medways and Ann Follett
and George Hemenway and Gertrude Barker
and Phil. It was precisely the crowd he had
always felt to be Irrltatingly irresponsible. For
a moment, William wished he hadn't come.
But he did want to dance with Malsie Blaze.
William found it a curiously upsetting ex
perience. He hadn't danced with anyone for a
long time. He had supposed that putting one's
arm around a girl In dancing was a formal con
vention, like shaking hands. But he was curi
ously embarrassed in putting his arm around
Maisle Blaze. He wanted to and he was afraid
to. He danced a dozen times with Malsie Blaze.
He suddenly realized It was late.
"Maisie!" he said.
"Yes Bill," said Maisie.
William colored. He had not meant to call
her Malsie. He never had called her anything
but Mrs. Blalsdell. But he had got to thinking
of her as Maisle."
"It's it's " he stammered.
"It's what?" asked Maisle Blaze..
"It's 1 o'clock," ho said. .
"O," Maisle said, "it's time fo
We've got two bottles of champagneV. ast
Phil." - f
It was half-past two when the supper was
'over, and the party began to break up., Maisle
couldn't first find the key to her car. And
when she did, the battery refused to turn over
the engine. Tho rest had gone on ahead. Wil
liam dug the crank out of the tool box and
started the engine. '
"It's raining," Maisie said, as the car moved
off. " .
"Yes," William agreed.
"I'm afraid we're In for a wetting."
"No harm jdone If we are," William said
lightly. He was sitting beside Maisie Blaze,
his shoulder Just touching hers, and he cared
, nothing whatever for a bit of rain..
Malsie stepped, on the throttle and the low
car shot out of the club drive Into the road to
Sparborough. 'v
The rain Was coming hard now and the
speedster was splashing mud over the hood and
into their faces.
"There's a marshy place just below Bron
son's," William warned-her.
"I know it," Malste answered. "We'll stick
to the middle of the road."
But she didn't. She ran off a yard or so as
they passed the Bronson house.
"Look out," William cried.
It was too late.
The car slowed down sickeningly, slowing
in the mud and stopped.
"We're stuck," said Maisle Blaza.
William got down to see. They were stuck;.
One rear wheel had buried itself to the hub in
the mud. The lower side of the engine pan was
resting in the mud.
"I wonder if it would do any good to put on
the chains?" William asked.
"I think we'd better wake up the Bronson's
chauffeur and get him to pull us out," Maisle
said.
"Let's try the chains."
"It's an awfully dirty job."
"I'm game," said William. (
The mud seemed bottomless, but William
knocked a board off the Bronson's fence to rest
the jackon and got the wheel up. He had to
stand In mud up to his knees, to dig mud away
with his hands, to wallow in mud, but he did it.
"Don't you suppose we could run out on a
board?" Maisle asked.
William got another board, but after two
tries they gave that up. Each time the car ran
off the board he had to jack the car up again.
He was beginning to tiro and he was plastered
with mud to the eyes. Ho finally got a chain on.
The motor spun the wheel. William tried push
ing from the rear, but still the wheel spun.
"There's nothing for it but to wake up the
Bronson's chauffeur," Maisie said. "It's nearly
5 o'clock now."
. "Why don't we leave the ca here and walk
in?" William suggested. He did not like the
idea of waking up the Bronson's chauffeur.
There was no reason to advertise their predica
ment. And the Bransons would think it was a
good story. William "didn't want to be a good
story.
"It's six miles," Maisie said. "I'd rather
sleep In the car."
"Well," said William, "I'll go and see what
I can do." " i
"I'll go with you," said Malsie Blaze.
"You stay- there," said William. "I can do
it."
"But I don't want to stay here all alone in
the dark while you goway up to the Broneons."
"All right," William said. He took her
hand and started up the road. It was sloppy
going. . '''
"Let's be very quiet," he whispered to
Maisle as they entered the Bronson's' gate.
"We don't want to wake up the whole family."
"I should say not." Malsie whispered.
In that moment the air was split by a fierce
bark. Instinctively they leaned against each
other. The bark was the signal for a volley of
barks, barks that rose In one vast crashing
ere
escendo.
'It's that damn kennel of his," William
t id. "He's raising police dogs."
V N "I hope none
Man Blaze,
of them ara looue," said
"If any of them were: j wouldn't be here.
said William grimly. ) l"h6
They stole tword h. (1jKKm-, over which
tha chauffeur had his qua. ner nc'fa dogs con- x
tlnued to bark Ilka mad things. )am and
Maisle crept forward like a pair of bia,.,.
They had reaehed tha chauffeur's door whNj,,,
night auddanly blazed with light. v
"Hands up," said a voice behind them.
William and Malsie turned and faced the
voice. Bronson was standing in a second story '
window with a shot gun in his hands.
"It's us," walled Maisle Blaze.
Bronson slowly lowered his gun.
"Why, it's Hurlbut and Malsie Blaze," ha
said. "Walt a minute and I'll be down."
"Now we are in for it," said Maisio Blaze.
William made no comment He knew It
made little difference whether Margaret was at
home or not if aha was going to hoar about it
anyway.
Bronson beckonod to them from the kitchen
door.
"What on earth are you two up to.. Lord,
but you're a sight, Hurlbut what have you been
doing?"
"We're stuck in the mud." Hurlbut explainod
with dignity. "We were going to wake up your
chauffeur and get him to pull us out."
Bronson began to laugh. When he laughed
ha shook. And when he shook he laughed
harder.
"It Isn't funny to us, Bob," Interposed
Malsie Blaze.
"I'm sorry," Bronson apologized. Tra aw
fully sorry. But do you know what time it Is?
It's nearly B o'clock. You'd better let ma put
you up for the night and you can get the car to
morrow." ."We'd like to get It out tonight," William
said. . i
"Well," aald Bronaon thoughtfully, "parhapi
you'd better." i'
Bronson waked up tha chauffeur and, at tha
earnest solicitation of William, returned himself
to bed. The chauffeur was irritable. But he
got out a big car and dragged tha .speedster
out of the mud.
It was o'clock when William got the mud
out of his hair and turned In, and he had to get
up at 7:30 In order to be at tho office by 9. Wil
liam neVer missed a day at he office.
V.
In the morning William snatched time to put
his dinner clothes and his overcoat and his hat
and his shoes in a suit-casa. Ha thought they
were still good, but ha intended to drop them
at the cleaners on his way to the station; they
were not, the kind ot things one leaves about
tha house.
Ha decided, in the Interstices of a somewhat
crowded day at the office, that It would be best
to tell Margaret about his experience In" comlni
He could describe it briefly and humorously an
without too much insistence on tha hour whei
he got home.
But when he was face to face with Mar
garet at dinner that evening, he began to con
sider the possibility of not telling Margaret
He had neither the skill nor the control to glvv
Margaret the true picture to sketch In th
casualness of the occasion, to show the uttei
fortuitousness of his misadventure, and to sug
gest firmly the triviality of the whole buslnesi
Margaret's mind would be certain to seiz ,
upon the more outstanding facts. Instead of ov
the significant ones. Margaret would note th
hour at which they had left the club, the houi
at which they had awakened Mr. Bronson.. th
hour at which he had got to bed. Above all
Margaret would insist on the fact that he hao
been alone with Maisle Blaze. How could h
make her see that time really had nothing its
do with it? Or that his being with Maisle Blaza
was the merest chance It might have been any
'her woman. That is, well, It might concelv-
ably have been soma other woman. ,
He wished he could consult Malsie Bta-'Li
Ha wanted to talk to Malsie Blaze. Half the
fun of a thing like that was in talking it over
afterward. But he couldn't have that half, un
less he met Maisle by chance.
William arrived at the station the ( "exl
morning five minutes early. He opene? 7
mornlng paper, as he stood waiting on the!
form. But he did not read. He was suddenly
aware that one of three men standing in a
group behind him had mentioned his name.
"There's Hurlbut," one of them said.
"Extraordinary chap," another remarked.
William was aware that they were talking In
much louder tones than necessary, that indeed
they were talking for his ears.
"Regular old mud turtle," said the third
member of the group.
"Yes," said the first man," they say he likes
to get out and slosh in the mud."
"Just buries himself in it"
"Any time of the day or night."
"But he prefers it just before daylight."
William turned and faced them and they all
burst into loud guffaws.
' ' Margaret was strangely tense at dinner that
night. William knew that she knew. , But he
did not broach the subject He didn't know
how much she knew.
After dinner Margaret took him upstairs.
She dragged a shirt from tha laundry bag be
hind his closet door. It was tho shirt When
he looked at it now William was astoniahod that
ona shirt could carry so much mud: it looked
as if you had washed it in mud and then stood
off and thrown mud at it, to see how much
would stick.
Margaret held that. shirt up and looked at
William.
William looked at Margaret
And then Margaret burst into tears.
William essayed to comfort her. He put his
arm around her shoulder to draw her to him.
But she flung him off.
"No." said Margaret. "No."
William made another attempt.
"Don't touch me!" Margaret shrilled.
William let his arms drop to his sides
Helpless, he surveyed the wreckage he had
wrought. Ho couldn't put his arms around her
she wouldn't let him. He couldn't speak:
there was nothing to say. '
"I'm going away from Sparborough." Mar
garet said distinctly between sobs. "I won't
live In the same town with that woman, and,
be-be-besides, our reputation is ruined."
. "Nonsense," said William.'
"E-e-everybody knows." said Margaret
William discovered in the week Jhat followed
that everybody did know. Bronson had made
a story out of it and told it everywhere. Wil
liam met the story, or somo reference to It.
every time he poked his head out of the hous.
He wished he could talk to Maisie Blaze
But he couldn't. The first time he saw her yel
low speedster wailing at the station he hesi
tated. But he didn't dare stop and talk to her.
He hun ted past w ith a nod and a lift of his hat.
A couple of days later he received an odd
note from Maisie Blaze:
"Dear Bill:" (U, began) "I Judge from th
way you avoid, me you've had somo explaining
to do. Just like any married man anythtng tc
keep out of trouble. I did som of it on pur
pose, Bill. But I'm sorry. I'm really sorry.
Because 1 liked you. Bill.. I liked you awfully
and I wanted you to like me. "Malsie."
William read the note and re-rcad it and
then he put it in Ills inner vest pocket. H
carried it there until tt was quite worn out did
William Hurlbut, who had " been one of the
immensely respectable citizens of the Immense
ly respectable suburb of Sparborough.
(Opjrlsht, 1Jl. by I.urtan Cry.)
NEXT SUNDAY!
"THE ITINERANT LOVER"
.By MAY EDGIN G TO N
A tale of what may hap
pen to any man w ho, like
, the sailor, has a sweet-
heart in every port.
V
Ll
I
