Evening Star Newspaper, January 15, 1930, Page 29

EVENING THE ST AR, WASHINGTON, D, C., WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 1330, 15, This Strange Adventure By Mary Roberts Rinchart Oopyright, 1920, by North American Newspaper Alliance and Metropoliten Newspaper Service. SYNOPSIS. Missie Dexter's life has been one of tragedy and sorrow. Her father, Lambert Coljaz, a member of an aristocratic family. married Stella, a burlesque actres: a ntfle oirl her_father - and her mother. and Stel futile attempts at reconciliation, killed herself. 0 10 live with E n eraied her dauchter Adelaide. When Missie ¥ was 20 she was married off to Wesley Dex- ter. “She did not love him and his affection for'her was shortlived. Only the birth of a son, Eddie, kept their marriage from going completely’ on the rocks. Kirby Phelps, whom Missie met several wears ajter her marriage. was deeply in love with her and she returned his feeling, but because of the oy determined to foroet Phelps. Dex- ter's infldelities and brutality caused her to dut her love for Eddie brought Kirdy Phelps, after hoping for hat ‘Missie would decide to obtain Missie es " fro But Dexter's excesses Anally caused @ long’ iliness that ended in death. During his last days he tried to tell Missie that hi regretted his treatment of her. forgave him freely, olad that their son had alwavs regarded his father as a man worthy of lonor. lut others, particularly Missie's atepsister Eileen, secretly scoffed. When America entered the war Eddie lied about his age d enlisted, leaving his mother to comfort his frantic sweetheart, Mary Eliza- beth. After the armistice he returned and married Mary Klizabeth. The girl decame Jealous of his aflection for his mother and The thouoht was almost more than she could bear. DELAIDE died early that Winter. A One morning the cook found with the crumbs of a night lunch all about her. great journey. With Adelaide gone Missie was very luncheon, but they seldom stayed for long. frequent. They would call up, apologize, make excuses. She under- Mary Elizabeth had come to be very Jealous of Missie. She always sus- THIRTIETH INSTALLMENT. her in the pantry, stretched out on the floor stiff and cold, Missie, crying over her, felt a dread- ful pity for her, embarked now alone on_the' much alone. She lived very quictly. On Sundays the children came in to But as time went on the Sunday luncheons with Missie grew less and stood, as she always had understood. ‘They must be free, pected her of stealing off for some secret rendezvous with Eddie, of using her influence to undermine her own. | g At night “Was she would ask casually: your mother in the office “No. o “I just wondered.” Her jealousy frightened Missie. It made her constrained with Eddie, and time did not help it. Two years, three years, and still the small furrow - be- tween Mary Elizabeth's eyes when she found them alone together. “I'm not intruding, am I?” And Missie, looking guilty, coloring faintly, making her ineffectual protest. It was four years before the blow fell. BShe had lulled herself into a sense of false security. She no lcnger avoided Kirby. When he came to town he wouls in to see her, and she looked f to his visits. She had never heard that a dead passion makes & live friendship; she only knew that his coming warmed her, t he “alone was unchanged in a changing Between them there need be no secrets, no reserves. When he dined with her, she would dress carefully for him, wrap her soft gray or lavender tulles about her throat, go down hap- pily to greet him. And as before he would tell her his dreams; strange that he still had dreams. Zeppelins it was now, carrying freight and passengers across the seas. She would knit or sew by a lamp and let him talk; his plans, his hopes, his frustrations. He unloaded himself on her, and she took the burden and car- ried it for him. Perhaps after all this | th was the answer to many things, to have a friend at the end. She was grateful to him. His visits were something to anticipate. 8he planned the food carefully, She made little mental notes. “I must tell Kirby when he comes.” If Kirby's sentiment for her held anything deeper she was never to know it. Sometimes he would fall quiet, staring at the fire. Perhaps he was thinking then of how pleasant this was, he and Missie together there; of her long understanding silences, her quiet, capable hands, her kind eyes, her shy smile. He was there cne night when Mary Elizabeth came in. She gave them both a queer little look and backed out again, “Mary Elizabeth!” Missie “Come back. Come in, child.” “It wasn't anything,” she said from the doorway, “I was just going by.” She would not come in, and Missie knew then that she knew. Her peace of mind was definitely gone. Sometimes when they were alone together she would find the girl's eyes fixed on her, studying her, perhaps trying to recon- cile her with some flaming and pas- sionate picture of the past. When she looked ‘up, Mary Elizabeth would hastily avert her eyes. She never told Kirby, but from that time on the sword hung over her. Some day, some time, Eddie would know. to his bitter shame and anger. When that time came, she prayed that she might be dead. One did not hate the dead. The burden was growing unbearable. One Sunday she said impulsively that she might go abroad. Perhaps she hoped they would protest, but there was a sudden brightening in Mary Eliza- beth’s eyes, and Eddie was robustly en- couraging. “Why don't you, mother? You need a change.” She put her betraying hands in her P. “I mean, to stay. Not course, but for a year or twe called. forever, of Best Purgative f_or “Better and better!” said Eddie. “Who deserves it more?” She longed to cry out to them, to ask them to need her, not to let her go. But already they were planning for her. She went about her preparations methodically. Fortunately Kirby was busy. She wrote him that she was go- g, and he wrote back that he would see her off. She sat with that letter in her hands, thinking of the time she had met him on the pler when Eileen and Tommy had sailed. “Are you as lost as you look, Missie?” “I have my boy. That's enough.” She bought her trunks, prepared to close the old house. And the day be- fore she was to leave the final blow fell. Eddie knew. In some quarrel be- tween them, in some moment of jealous anger, Mary Elizabeth had told him. It was still new to him when he came. He was stil burning with anger, against herself, against his wife. If he had spoken about it it would have been better, but he said nothing. And she could not ask him. He was armored with self-righteous fury, hard, aloof. He would not even look directly at her. He got out the labels and tags, the steamship tickets, her letter of credit, and put them on the table. “Everything's here, I think.” She looked them over, her hands so uncertain that she dropped some of em. “I don’t see any ticket to New York, Eddle.” “I have that. course.” She was stunned. To have those two meet on the pier was unthinkable. ‘There was something ugly in Eddie just then, something sinister.” Anything but that. She steadied her voice. “I have a friend seeing me off. If I had known—-" ‘Who?" ‘Kirby. Kirby Phelps.” And then he swore. “Kirby Phelps!” he said. “Well, he's not. I won't have it. I won't have him hanging around you. Hasn't he done enough to us?” He flung away from her and ran out of the house. At midnight she knew he was not coming back. She got up then, moving heavily about the room. If he would not come to her, she would go to him. He would be up still, unhappy, desperate. She might quiet him, so that he could sleep. She let herself quietly out of the house, and the night air refreshed her. She felt almost strong now, full of courage. She would tell him, and he would un- I'm going on, of e for the night. He had gone to el "Even now, while she stood there, he was sleepin; He was not agonized, for her or for himself. He could leave her like that, and then sleep. She went on, apparently objectiveless. Some time later she found herself be- fore the little house—the old house in which she had lived with her mother. After a moment she fumbled in her bag, found the key, and went inside. After a while she went up the stairs, At the door to the back room she stood still for a moment, then she opened it. Just so, probably, had Stella stood, more than 30 years ago; stood and held the knob, hesitated, listened, maybe trembled. She went in, turned on the i:ght. closed the door, looked about er. There between the windows had stood th: old wash stand, with the splasher over it. Over the wash stand the bracket. It was still there, the bracket. Missie sat down on the cot and stared at it. How easy! And no one thought ill of the dead. They forgave them. Stella had known that. Odd to think how once she had thought this room was haunted; how it had frightened her. 1t was & good room, quiet apd shut away. It was sanctuary and peace. She got up, moving toward the gas bracket like & woman walking in her slezp. But once there she hesitated. Then she made an odd, futile gesture and turned the cock. When she had gone back to the cot, she Jay for a time with her eyes open, staring after her old fashion at the celling. Suddenly she sat up. What was she doing? Leaving Eddie to think that he had driven her to this! It was cruel. She could not hurt him so. She understood Eddie. He was not hard, he was only young. She would get up. In a moment she would get up. Just now she felt dizsy, dizzy and weak. She lay back a . Just a moment to rest, and then she would get up. But the dawn found her still there, that same dawn which found Eddie tossing on his bed, and Mary Elisabeth sunk deep at last in sleep. "Eddie had seen old Judge MacDonald. The old man had told him the truth about his mother and father. Soon he could get up, get up and set things right again. His heart warmed. He felt magnani- mous, gentle, loving. Perhaps she need not go abroad; she had not seemed to | want to He could turn in the It’s Always the “Open Season’s for Painting! “Murco” magic works just-as well in January as it does in July . . . making everything in your home as bright as a newly minted dollar! Use “Murco” Paint Products on furniture, walls or floors and they will bloom anew with their old time lustre! “Murco” products are all easy to use . . . they wear well, look well. Let our experts advise you on any paint problem. EJMurphy INCORPORATED 710 12th St. N. W, National 2477 RETAILERS throughout the country had can- celed their orders. Several American and foreign shoe factories were heavily overstocked. tickets; there would be & forfelt, bit after all— He looked at his watch. Missie lay very still. Now and then shs moved a little, but that was all. | The air in the room was rather heavy, but the crowning irony of that gasless bracket she had not yet discovered. She lay relaxed and quiet, her face | strangely young. She was dr-aming, and in her dream she was a gir] again, There was even a faint smile on her ips. As the sun rose it turned into bur- nished copper the tarnished gas. brack- et, through which no gas had flowed ‘millions of homes when quick, eary way it knocks a cold. 15 many $éArs, and beat pitilessly on her throat; .that throat on which her life was etched with fine lines, and iIn which now the pulse was still throb- bing, throbbing with the terrible vi- tality of women. (The end.) Cricket is becoming very popular in Argentina, international games being played with Brazil and Chile, and a British team will visit the country this ' Winter. You'll know why Hill's is always in ou enjoy lhle it gs relief in one-third the because it checks cold 3 wa; t woman say: hadabadcoldin 5 years, thanks to Hill's Ask any druggist for the red box of HILL'S CASC ARA-QUININE Sport Coats Very Sharply Reduced! These are in the smart, p and long wearing tweeds that women $ want. New shades and clever styles. Second Floor—Coats ractical don’t neglect &\ your child’s COUGH or COLD D old Musterole now made mild- er for babies and small children. So pleasant to use and so reliable— apply Children’s Musterole freely to the infected area once every hour for JSive hours. That's the safe, sure treatment that millions of mothers and leading doctors and nurses recognize and endorse. Working like the trained hands of a masseur, this famous blend of oil of mustard, camphor, menthol and other helpful ingredients brings relicf naturally. It penctrates and stimulates blood circulation, helps to draw out infection and pain. Keep full strength Musterole on hand for adults and Chile dren’s Musterole for the little tots. All druggists. Roadster Coats Formerly $16.75 and up Warm and so smart, these col- fabric. Trimly belt- legiate cut coats of $ 1 3 5. ed and well made. i fur-like alpaca pile Second Floor—Coats CHILDREN'S O B T 1 e T e S T 2 o T S e S S e e Important News About Our Children’s Department For the convenience of the many mothers who buy their children’s appare! at Sigmunds we have MOVED our children’s wear department from the third floor to our Basement Store. Values better than ever before! For example, we are featuring 75 newly purchasd children’s coats, in sizes 2 to 14, priced at 5 to 1} their actual worth. Such values as Germania Chinchillas (7 to 14) at $8.95, and Fur Fabric Roadster Coats, like big sister’s (7 to 14), at $9.95. Come in and see this NEW and BETTER home for our high-grade Children’s Wear. FINAL ) A ‘ CLEARANC Reductions on All WINTER COATS Women’s and Large Women’s Coats Plenty of Wanted 4lU-Black Coats FEATURING A SPECIAL GROUP THAT SOLD FROM $29 TO $39 TWe have illustrated two of the most popular numbers in this group of coats that are such outstanding values at $18.95. know bargains will Women who immediately recognize that the hand-picked fur trimming on these coats would ordi- narily be worth this clearaway price! And they're styled after the n of much, much pensive coats. Sizes for every one. Second Floor—Coats ! ALL BETTE Formerly Sold at $49, $59 and even $69! more ex- Reduced to [8% Nicely Lined! R e — R COATS 372 NOW Priced! Second Floor—Coats Regular $2.95 and $3.95 SPRING HATS We inaugurate a bigger and better millinery department in our Basement Store with this tre- mendous sale of Spring Hats. All the very latest shapes and shades in Felts, and new Felt Com- binations. Modes for misses and matrons. Large, small and medium head sizes, Baragin Basement—Milli We bought thousands of these high-grade shoes at ridiculously low prices. f All—now offered at the low price of.. ry Se. Main Floor SPECIALS! Regular $3 and $4 Coat Sweaters Reduced § .79 Lovely Spring Lines and Colors in These Very Recent Arrivals of Smart Silk FROCKS Oh! What Values at Sigmunds Famous Price 1 () 98 P ALL Colors SIZES Compare With Other $15 Dresses We've only space enough to sketch two of the lovely new frock: tl of Frocks in There are In Flat Crepes, C: Prints. A comple! 14 to 5234, DRESSES—SECOND FLOOR are of heavy all uch wanted sha Navy, Buff, Blue. 36 Ever so warm and practical. You don’t find such bargains more than once in a decade Dress Shoes—All Sizes Street Shoes—Sports Shoes All Styles—All Colors Don’t Miss This Big Event! Our Regular 69¢ Picot Top Rayon HOSIERY ity rayon in all the latest colors. Sizes 83§ to 1034. Square or pointed heels! heavy Regular $2 and $2.50 Blanket Robes Reduced § 1 .39 to waid heavy weight American and Imported High- Grade Shoes in the Greatest O S W TS VM) th & K Shoe Sale in Our History e 3212 14th Not at F St. Shop Of warm, Bll-nk.l Cloth nge of sizes from Be Here Tomorrow