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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (April 21, 1915)
EIGHT PAGE3 DAILY EAST ORKGONIAN. PENDLETON. OREGON. WEDNESDAY. APRIL 21. 1915. PAGE SEVEN OwrlfM, Uls, ky lrUl Fublletthm OorpsnUs. EIGHTH EPISODE Ber Husband's Enemies. CHAPTER I. TnE beautiful runaway bride opened ber tree In dated bewilderment, to And herself gaa log op Into (be dark, handsome face of the black Vandyked man I She wae In his armal She felt another claap about her tbe man with the while mustache. Gilbert Blye gently released bit bold of ber, and tbe white mustached man turned to carry ber op the hill iter eyet closed again, Gilbert Blye, freed of bla beautiful burden, bur ned op tbe embankment to where bli luxurious limousine stood by the aide of the broken rail. A be Jumped Into tbe driver's teat and pot bit foot on tbe clutch and bit band on the brake be glanced down at tbe tcene of tbe accident Tbe tail leaned against a sturdy tree, which bad stopped It from a ratal tumble. HI jet chauffeur, the wide featured 8catti, wtt bringing up the unconscious driver of tbe UjL Tbe vivacious brunette and the bear; man with the thick lidded eyes were helping Mrs. Vlllard. That gentle faced woman bad lnalated upon walking, but the came with a painful limp, and ber face waa drawn and white. Blye started tbe car forward with a Jerk, turned It dexterously In the narrow road and, Jumping down, arranged (be cushlona with a swiftly certain band. s When June again opened ber eyet Blye wat brush ing back ber tort brown hair from ber pale fore- ' bead, but he wat not holding ber. She wat in the luxurious limousine, with her bead pillowed on the ohnulder of tbe white mustached man, Orln Cun ningham, and bis arm wat about her. She straight neJ at the became aware of that claap, and Blye. us Mack eyet glowing down upon ber, smiled reas- .iingly. Tbe car started, and aha turned to look t Mm Vlllard, who aat beside her with compressed - The Injured taxi driver was op In front, sup , ...d by the heavy Udded man. The runaway ' ' 'e cloned ber eyet again and sank back Into the ,ilort which she so much detested. liiyel How much be bad been In her life since 'lie had run away from Ned! And little did June know (bat Ned, through bit detective, bad obtained the number of the auto In which abe had driven Hint day. The number wat M607707. Ilonoiia Blye received a telephone message from BUI Wolf a few hours after the time of the anto accident "You husband bet gone to hla club," be said huskily. Tbe wife drove hastily to tbe club entrance. She met Wolf, who pointed to the chauffeur Statu, aylng: "Tbere't your husband's driver." Ilonoiia taw Srattl standing beside her busband'a limousine. "I'd like to make yoo a little present," said Hono ris In augared accents, and, fumbling In her pocket book, abe produced a bill Scattl turned to ber with alacrity, and every Una In hit broad, low face widened. "Now you'll tell me where Mr. Blye wat thla evening, won't your tbe wheedled. The smile faded from ScatU'a lines. "Aren't yon going to tell me?" And the voice rose another notch. No answer. "Give me back that money 1" she screamed. There were thirty-seven llghtt to be counted be fore the perspective merged In a blur. Scattl calmly Inspected them all In deep absorption, but during the entire time that one narrow silt of an eye bad a dancing glenm In It Ilonoiia scowled back at the Imposing entrance to the club. The doors stood wide open, inside the tessellated vestibule were stiffly uniformed attend Hula. Beyond waa a marble columned hall, and at i he end of that, through an arched opening, was a paneled screen. Suddenly Hnnoria dashed up the steps which no woman bad ever trod and before any one could atop her bad rounded the paneled screen and stood In the grill room, amid a wildcrnesa of oaken tables, at nearly all of which snt men busy sending curling wreaths of Incense toward the high glided celling. There were glasses before most of the men, and a dense and painful alienee pervaded the place, al though as Honoris bad rushed through the hall ahe had beard the loud babble of animated conversation. The men In that club were turned to speechless clay at tbe eight of this fuming apparition. "There you art!" she screamed, and as her gaze settled' from lit twlft roving Into a fixed direction one msn came to life and rose the blnck Vandyked Gilbert Blye. "There you are!" she screamed again, and the ttarted to twist ber way among the tnblet toward ber long lost mate. "You will alay away from home, ehl Too will run around with other women I You will" A door In the corner oened and closed, and Gil bert Blye wat on the other side of It I A fat man laughed. Honoria Blye turned on them all and be gan to tell them Just what ahe thought of their dab. A balf dozen attendants regained conscious ness and crowded round ber. One of them. Indulg ing In toothing talk, accidentally laid hla hand on ber aleeve, and ahe left four red lines on his face. For the first time In Its dignified history that club resounded with the shrill echoes of a confirmed ccold. The chuckling fat man achieved an Inspira tion. Ha came np and said confidentially: "Tour husband is slipping out of the basement" When Honoria reached the Imposing entrance she si as Just In time to tee Scattl slamming the door of 1'ie luxurious limousine, and as that brilliantly light- d car tped down the street with Gilbert Blye re- n'ng comfortably amid the soft cushions a pen I 'Milliliter filled the blnck. 'onoria sprang Into her electric coupe and, turn i on all the "Juice," wheeled down the street In i d pursuit But at last she gave up the chnse and went home. A norse with pink cheeks awakened Jnne in the morning, and aa the patient opened ber eyet the two pretty glrlt tmlled their. appreciation of each other. "How are yon this morning J" asked tbe nurse, preparing to put a thermometer between June'a red Hps. "Perfectly well, thank yon," laughed June, tossing ier waving brown hair back from ber shoulders at abe raised op. "How It Mrs. VUlsrdT "A flight tpraln," explained the nurse brightly. "She will be able to go home In time for dinner tblt evening. My, but you folks bad a lucky accident! Ton mutt He down nntll tbe doctor comet." "I'm going to get np," announced June. "Against orders. My dear, you must stay In bed ontll Dr. Remert tays you may get up." "It be the one with the funny red sideburns?' and June looked down over the plain coarse white nightgown in which she bad been put to bed. "Where are my clothes?" "Tou're not ready for them," and the pretty nurse tmlled In triumph. "Come Inl" Thla last was In answer to a knock on tbe door, but before It could open June had hopped back Into bed with one spring. She and tbe pretty nurse were laughing at each other In tbe tbeer light hearted nest of youth when tbe doctor with tbe funny red sideburns came In. He was a Jovial doctor, and a very nice doctor In deed. He felt Jane's pulse, and looked at ber tongue, and prodded ber a few times, and examined her bones, talking to her all tbe while at If the were a little girl about ten years old. "Now I am going to get np," proclaimed June at toon as tbe doctor had gone away, and she twung her pink feet out of bed again. "Where are my clothes r "I'll get them for yoo." And the pretty nurse turned cheerfully to go. "Ob, no; wait a minuter June's big eyes were sparkling. "Please let me try on one of your uni forms." Tbe pretty nurse dimpled at the admired her pa- Sirfl , .i p t T-jy . I ...in II.I.I..I.1P.M. h.jhui, i i.j) iirnlii in in . ii i Vt INSIDE WERE UNIFORMED ATTEflDAMTV rl'kA XA ' J'J il l tlent June would look "fetching" In nurse's cloth ing. There could be no question of .that but the shook ber bead. "I'm afraid It wouldn't be permitted." "Just to try it on," begged June. "Left ask the head nurse." It teemed a tremendously dating thing to do. "I wouldn't risk it" And the pretty nurse puck ered her brows. Suddenly ber face cleared. It waa as If tbe sun bad popped out on a rainy day. "Yet, I can! Mrs. Wade Is on duty this morning. For a minute I thought It was Miss Simmons." Mrs. Wade was a smiling woman smiling lips, smiling eyes, and It seemed as if ber hair smiled but she was dubious about tbe uniform. "It would be a radical infraction of the rules," abe declared, with an absurd attempt at severity, "but we'll ask Dr. Kcuiert not to tell." They all three laughed at that and within a few minutes June was In a stiff white uniform, with a prim little cap on her head, and was walking se dately Into Mrs. Villard's room. She paused on tbe threshold. Gilbert Blye was there! As be caught sight of ber June saw the glow of admiration leap Into bla black eyes. She balf turned to go In ber embarrassment but Mrs. Vlllard stopped her. "Come here, you pretty thing!" she called, and as June shyly enme to the bedside Mrs. Vlllard laugh ed, and Blye Joined ber. Dr. Bemert came In and expressed bla profound astonishment at bow grownup June looked In a uniform and tweaked the pink ear lobe which peeped from beneath the trim little cap. Tbe bead nurse and the nurse with tbe pink cheeks snd tbe phe nomenally thin nurse crowded in to admire June; then Dr. Remert scattered them, so that Mrs. Vll lard should have some rest before her next bandag ing, snd he took June with him for a round of the wards. He gave her a thermometer to carry, so she should look useful as well as ornamental. She came back from that round of the wards rath er thoughtfully. She bad seen so much pain and sorrow and suffering, wan children and wan moth ers and wnn men who should have been strong, and in the light of all their woes ber own problem seemed foolish and Insignificant In Mrs. Vlllnrd's room as June approached tbe door she heard voices, among them Orln Cunning ham's. She turned away and went across the ball to the room where the Injured chauffeur lay. He was In considerable pnin, the pretty nurse siilrt, but he lay there smiling, with great cheerfulness upon bis roughly molded countenance. "I guess I'll be laid up for a week or ten days, "J be stated, with a grin. "Tbnt's a long time to be confined In a narrow little room," sympathized June. The head nurse brought her bit of sunshine Into the room. "How ere you feeling?" she asked. "nully!" "Then you can probably stand ple:innt sur prise." smiled Mrs. Wade "You hsve a visitor." "Oh!" The sunshine U'ft the roughly molded fnce, but the grin was back In a minute, "iir. tell nor (he doctor says I nlu't to be talked tn long Ami ciiii'l one of yon nurses stay here to make It strong?". Ills grin was so coiinMing that the livid nn no grinned back at him. She wat a woman of much experience. "Of coarse yoa must not be talked to very long," the agreed. "And yoa should have a nurse with you to take care of you." She looked at June a moment; tbea ber eyet twinkled. "I tblnk I'll leave thit one." "Much obliged." And tbe man turned bis cheerful grin to June, who aat down primly tt tbe bead of tbe bed. Tbe man ssnk back when tbe head nurse left and looked as feeble at ha could. Hit nurse wat smooth ing the pillows when tbe door opened, end there came in a large, heavy Jawed woman, with a long ostrich festber on ber bat naif a dozen cheap rings on ber fingers and two buttons banging loosely on ber coat one by a single thread. "Well, well, Joel" ahe said In a heavy voice, and she stared at June. "Didn't I always tell yon yoo'd get ltr She bent over and kissed ber husband as a matter or propriety. "Hurt you much?" "Something fierce!" huskily murmured Joe and half closed his eyes. "Tough luck!" said the woman. "Ton wouldn't take out that accident insurance I wanted yon to, and now I auppose I can starve." "Oh, well, yoo ain't done it yet!" objected the man, his tone losing some of Its feebleness. "I guest yoo can get' along till I can get out of this. I give yon every cent I ever make." "I guest tbat't a lott" And tbe woman tat down with a thump. "Thirty dollars last week." "And bow much tbe week before 7 "Well, It was a rotten week." And the man turned bis eyes toward June, who looked steadfastly out of tbe window. There being no belp from that quar-' ter, be proceeded In helping himself. "Ton got enough to ran yoa for ten days. Too know yon have. Come on, Allcq, be sociable." "Oh, I can come on ail right and I can be sociable all right, bnt suppose yon don't get out of here In ten daytt Tben what do I do? Starve, I guese! Say, how do yon come to be In a private room?" I ;! THE TAXI LEANED AGAIH5T A TREE f- 4 I I.. 111 ir'V.jK Iaz l i- v - - SHE WAS Ifl HIS ARMS She looked at June and sniffed. vate nurse!" "The good sport that picked us up put me here." The woman surveyed the bare little room. There were no curtains at the windows, no upholstering, no softening graces of any kind on the white enam eled fittings, but It bad an Immense superiority, tbe cause of which she could not fathom. It was abso lutely clean, and she paid an unconscious tribute to . that phenomenon. "Why, It's better than I got it at home!" she com plained. Tbe man turned bis bead over aud back again, but be said nothing. "Say," the woman went on, "the fellow that spent the money for this room and the private nurse would have done better to let you go In the public ward and give you tbe money for your wire!" June, at tbe window, moved Impatiently. "Nurse," said the man, 'tan you get me my pants?" June opened the door of the tiny white enameled wardrobe In the corner and brought out the man's trousers, handing them down with the tips of ber thumb and forefinger. The woman took them and deftly ran her hauda into tbe pockets. "Seven fifty-five," she reported and clicked tbe money Into her purse. She hung the trousers in tbe wardrobe and shut the door. "That'll belp a little. Did you get your pay for tbls driver "Not yet, Alice." And his head rolled restlessly. "Well, yon tell me who It was. and i ll go after ItP She had turned from the wardrobe and waa regarding a tray which stood on Its folding stand by the wall. She lifted tbe napkin. "My God!" she exploded. "A hothouse peach! And yon didn't ent It sll st that! You know what I had for my break fast? Coffee and sinkers and basbt And here you are living on the fat of the land!" "IxMiky here, Alice!" The man had raised up In bed, and there was t twitch of pain at the corners of his lips as be stretched out an oil blackened fore fin cer. June whirled from the window with a snap of her big eve. She still carried the thermometer which Dr. Bonier! had ulveu. her Now she thrii-t It In the man's mouth, put a hand at the back of his neck and gently forced him down. 'The time It np," she crisply told the woman. Her voice wat low and toft and the visitor puzxled aft erward at to bow it could be to effective without shouting. June went to tbe door and opened it aware that the eyes of Joe were fixed on ber in undying gratitude. The woman looked doubtfully at her husband, but tbe figure it the door wat to Inflexible that the tuccumbed to discipline. "Well, so long, Joe," she said. "See If yon can't get your money for that drive by tbe time I come again." She waved a wifely band at him and stalk ed out She turned to June In tbe ball. "If the fellow that's putting up for this room will give Joe tbe money instead we'll be a lot better off." , June was so shocked at tbe cold callousness of this speech that she could only dumbly nod ber bead, and abe walked down to the nurses' little desk at the end of tbe ball, leaving tbe woman to find ber way out alone. Joe, the chauffeur, lay, cheerfully grinning, with the thermometer In bis mouth. Again tbe everlasting problem the man, tbe wom an and the money 1 The runaway bride sat In the vacant chair at tbe little desk and pondered It all out Thit person who nagged, who followed her busband even to the hospital to nag, and whose husband welcomed the hospital because It was a relief from nagging this woman was tbe outcome of the custom by which the man, earning, possessed all, and the money be gave to bis wife was as a gift A selfish woman and one without delicacy, such as this nagger, made it ber business to get all she could, and the pursuit bad become a passion with ber. She waa like those beggars who continue to beg after they have become rich by It begging from the force of bablt and from tbe love of the art of making people give and from the sordid de sire to possess. It was wrong, all wrong, some where! - June shuddered as she remembered this wife going through ber husband's pockets, and then she recalled her dream of herself standing before Ned as a piteous pan per, holding out ber band for alms. She bad been right ahe decided, as she had decided time and again. She had acted wisely In running away before she bad committed herself to charity and before any barriers had been set be tween their love. She must earn her own way Mercy! June sprang from her chair and ran to "And with a ori- 1 V 0 ? '. i JUMEWAS IN A STIFF WHITE UfllFOKM tbe room of the chauffeur with a sudden violent wrench of her conscience. Joe lay there quite cheer fully with the thermometer still In his mouth, and he grinned as well as he could after twenty min utes of this exercise. When June removed the ther mometer that side of his face remained twisted and puckered for some time, aud It ached, but lie was perfectly happy. He could be alone for twenty four hours! CHAPTER II. T HERE was a consultation In Mrs. VlMard'a room. Tommy Thomas sat at the head or Mrs. Villard's bed. T. J. Edwards, the heavy man with the thick lidded eves, sat on the other side In stolid silence. Cunningham leaned negligently on the foot of the bed. Before Mrs. Vlllard lay a picture of June clipped from a Brynport paper on the day of ber marriage to Ned Warner. Tommy Thomas had Just found it and had brought It with her. Cunningham picked up the picture and looked at It with twinkling eyes, smooth ing his white mustache complacently. Gilbert Blye. sitting in the far corner on the window sill, with his Vandyke in hit long. lean, white hand, suddenly rose and, walking over to Cunningham, took the pic ture from him and laid It on the bed. The pretty nurse th the pink cheeks opened the door presently and heard these words lu Ulyes suave but forceful tones: "Tbe thing to do Is to gain her confidence. There must lie a con:pY;e chan-e of :;ie:h d " The voice stopped abruptly. Edwards, Cnnalng bam. Tommy Tbomaa and Mra. VUIard were all listening Intently. Mrs. Vlllard seemed troubled. Tommy Tbomaa, with deviltry In her eyet, waa laughing at Cunningham, who seemed uncomforta ble. Tbe round beaded Edwards sat slowly nodding as be looked at Blye. Mra Vlllard reached quietly forward and turned the piece of paper on tbe bed face downward. Sbe seemed even sad. "Beg pardon," said the pretty nurse, noting tbe sudden silence, snd. slipping In, sbe put ber bsnd under tbe sheet and felt of Mrs. Villard's ankle. Tbe entire group was motionless, snd there waa a strained tension In the room until the nurse went out She saw Mrs. Vlllard reaching forward for the piece of puer as she closed the door, and as she walked away sbe beard Blye's smooth, even voice again. When June came Into Mrs. Villard's room the con versation again stopped abruptly, but tbe group moved Immediately. "Oh, see tbe pretty nursle.'" hailed Cunningham And June glanced down in embarrassment In that moment of her downcast eyes Tommy Thomas and Mrs. Vlllard. Blye and Edwards, all glared at Cunningham. He flushed and walked nervously over to the window. ''.tally the costume is quite be niuing to you." be added In a tone he had never used to ber before, one of extravagant respei t "Indevd It Is, dear." said Tommy Thomns. She sllpiu'd an arm around Junes waist proiertitigly. and Mrs. Vlllard ejlanced up at ber companion wltb moist eyes. - "Well, we'll see yon later." said T. J. Edwards, with a clumsy attempt at heartiness, and. rising, tie bowed to the ladled. "If there's anything I can do let me know." His small eyes roved to June, but there was no patronizingly fatherly glance lu them and no disposition to pat ber en tbe shoulder. June was puzzled. There seemed to be a dlstiuct (hange in the attitude of sll these people toward ber. Yesterday they had pursued her with a mock ing certainty In which there was an underlying in solence, but now they seemed to have liwt Hint note of overfumillarity, and she liked the change. Only Blye was the same. His black eyes glowed when they rested upon ber, and be still wore his suave smile, though somehow be seemed more frank. June found herself suddenly liking this black' Vandyked man As she turned to smooth Mrs. Villard's pillows tbe three men exchanged glances, and the suavely smiling Gilbert Blye stroked his black Vandyke. They turned their eyes as by one accord to the beautiful runaway bride. Ned Warner at the very moment in which Blye and his crowd bad changed their tactics toward June was, after Interminable red tape, sc-urtng tbe address of the owner of car No. MGO7707, and. that secured, be hurried out to tbe beautiful home or Mrs. Vlllard np the nudson. He came to It by tbe lower road, and as be approached tbe house he saw Marie In the sloping hillside gardeu. He stepped In the shelter of the wall to consider. A few days ago his first impulse would hove been to rush up to Marie and seize ber and compel ber to teli what the knew, but Marie had proved herself to be a slippery customer. Sbe bad denied knowing Ned on his first meeting with ber after the runaway: she bad denied knowing earnest and eager and black Aunt Debby when that faithful servant of June's mother bad happened upon Marie In tbe mar ket, and only yesterday Marie bad run away from the entire family, taking June's collie. Bouncer, with her. There was little to be gained from Marie, ir Ned were able to force himself In and search the bouse June would tie hidden by some one or be helped to escape, as had happened yesterday at the Widow O'Kecfe's and also at the Bond Securities building and everywhere else. So there was but one thing to do to conceal himself about the grounds ontll June herself should appear He adopted that course, and the weary hours dragged on, noon, aft ernoon, evening. With the dusk the luxurious HmouMne of Gilbert Blye left the hospital, and in Its brilliantly lighted comfort sat the precious June and Mrs. Vlllard. Tommy Thomas, Orin Cunningham and Gilbert Rlye. Strange what a difference this day had made lu Juue's feeling toward the-e people. They liked her. If their views of life were not her views she could keep ber own. They seemed to have discovered that she meant to retaiu her ways of thinking and living, and It was so much nicer since they had npparut!y acknowledge.! this. Now her work as companion to Mrs. Vlllard would be much more pleasant They were chatting In gay comradeship tt they drew tear the Vlllard home. Ned Warner as the shades of n!ght drew In ven tured Into the Vlllard garden and nearer the house. As be crept up toward the back porch the door opened, and June's collie came bounding out foran evening run. Bouncer had no sooner hit the open than he gave a loud yelp mid came tearing straight In Ned's direction He Jumped mad circles around Ned. leaped npou lilm. barking his loudest welcome, ran halfway up to the hou.se. ran back to bark his Joy at Ned again and started to bring Marie! He had ti" need to go all the way Marie had come out on the rear porch to see what was the nutter with Ml .lure s pet. and the lights from the house glistened on her high cheek bones and ber lllieral supply of gums. Ned had stepped back among the bushes with the hope of edging himself over to the wall before Ma rie could arrive. To his surprise, however, Marie, though she looked down lu that direction, did not come. She called Bouncer, and together they weut Into the bouse. Ned t.x.k advantage of Marie's In difference and of Bouncers confinement to slip clos er aud lix'k In nt the windows, front, side and rear. The lower floor was brightly Illuminated, snd the front porch light was lit. as If some one were ex pected.' June! Some Instinct told Ned that she wts coming, lie concealed himself behind the shrubbery near the porte-cochere and waited. Suddenly he Involuntarily tened himself. Wheat were approaching Then a brilliantly lighted llmou. sine sped Into si-lit. and as II turned the curve Ke4 saw In It his beautiful runaway bride. Over he was Umi ling the dark, handsome fce of the blsek Vandyked Gilbert Blye. his eyes glowing and on bla llp th it despl -able smile. With an oath Ned stepped forward. At last hla moment had arched. Within another Instant aa Gillvrt Blye helped June frnrn 'the limousine 54 Would have the scoundrel by th I! -rot. to nic ". i im - i
