The 165th Quartermaster Company out of Marietta, Georgia assisted the G4 air drop branch at JRTC for the airborne operation at Fort Polk, Louisiana today. The 165th has been a tremendous help to us due to our low manning personnel with our jumps and rigging that we do here at JRTC Fort Polk. They assisted the technical rigged inspections before the G4 soldiers conducted their free fall jump operation, the 165th training with the jumpers ensuring they had the safest means of completing the job. I'm helping other people, I'm helping the mission first off and I'm knowing that my job depends on whether someone makes it to the ground safely or alive, it's a big part of it. The 165th, first mission at JRTC 18-7, and it's successful. Additionally, the soldiers in the company now have more knowledge and experience they can utilize in their home unit to improve the unit's capabilities. I would love to go on another mission like this, I've learned a lot on this mission and I'm pretty sure if I go on another mission I'm going to learn other rigging stuff when I go on other missions. I'm going to teach my other soldiers back at my unit the maintenance that I've learned and help get maintenance started up too. Reporting from Fort Polk, Louisiana, I'm Specialist Geron Walker.


So this was actually interesting. We we put up a poll a couple of weeks ago and I wanted to see where people stood on the topic and So we just basically said should marshards be allowed or taught in prison and we're gonna go ahead and bring up the results right now Just so we could take a look at it, but It's as of now as of the time of this stream It says that 40% of our viewers say yes should be allowed in prison 60% of our viewers say no and what I find really interesting about this is Normally when we put polls out the numbers will fluctuate like we'll see you know a heavy shift towards Yes, the heavy shift towards no We'll see a wild swing this never did this poll kind of started out at like 39 Yes 61% no and it only kind of wayward about two percentage three percentage points at most But I think pretty much locked here So what is your impression of just the initial poll results the need the reaction to to this question? Typically my reaction is you know Well, I mean that pretty much answers it that people feel that you know prisoners do not need to Study marshards. I guess also make some feel that martial arts they automatically feel that it's more of a deadlier not deadlier, but It's almost as a giving a prisoner a weapon. I think I have a funny feeling. That's what most people Feel that's what's going on is that it actually Increases the chances of violence and that's my gut refueling of it And I can see that I can see that being the first gut refueling like I do not want to give You know a prisoner more chances of doing violence and everything. I Mean, what do you read by the first reactions here? I'm actually a bit surprised There's actually a lot more people that said yes They expected there to be I thought it was gonna be wildly unbalanced It this actually kind of triggered the thought because I actually came across an article There's in the UK. Apparently they had prison or they had boxing programs that were in prison And the politicians came in they put a ban on it and there's been a struggle back and forth between that And the debate is raging over there whether or not they should bring that program back and that got me thinking it's like well Yeah, I mean, I mean that it's a double-edged sword but I do Believe that there's a lot of gray area and maybe that's why the poll is a little bit closer than what I expected like I thought We're gonna have like a 20% yes 80% no sort of balance But I want to read off just a couple of basic points of what some of the people that said yes, what they're what their inclinations were A lot of people said that you know people have had life improvements to the martial arts. So martial arts is definitely great for that Many people felt that yes, there should be martial arts in prison But only if it's kata or tai chi or something more on the pacific side They say yes, it's because it's life-changing and if you can change one person's life through it, then it's worth it Martial arts makes us better people and prisons are supposed to be about rehab anyway Even though the treat like a punter system martial arts is also a way to rehabilitate oneself brings balance the body mind a spirit It might even serve as Confrontation Prevention, you know a lot of people in martial arts. They learned conflict resolution. I mean we're talking about a different environment So I'm not sure how well that plays in there But then something else was really interested too is um some people were saying and I'm curious if there's any Statistics after that we can look up a lot of people commented that when martial art programs and boxy programs were allowed in prison That they saw a sharp decline in stabbings or or violence outside that this provided an outlet So I thought these were a lot of really good points and just kind of curious What are your impressions on these points like the positives like what do you think comes to mind from that? Well? My my my my thinking over the points are a lot of them are valid and actually interesting on points My my first reaction like I said is like whoa wait a minute You don't want to be should teach you people but once again There's a lot of people that go to go to prison for Methable reasons not everyone goes to prison for for violent crimes and not everyone should go to prison You know that's a whole different story with America about everyone going to prison But also too is some people go to prison because of robbery theft non-violent violent crimes and I think actually having something that gets them stimulated into a Culture or something that they didn't have before Is actually a great thing, you know if it's if it's through art music dance or even martial art because I mean You know, I'm a big proponent for that martial art can definitely change someone's life So yeah, I absolutely do believe that martial arts even teaching But the other thing too is I also Look at it the other way Which the guy was talking about that when prisons had some sort of martial art program or boxing program The stavings went down I also think it about the people that go to prison that not go because they're Because they're nonviolent and they're in with violent people and they feel threatened They feel in danger that they will lash out more more aggressively with weapons They will you know the whole we all heard the whole stereotype of first day You go to prison you find the biggest guy in the room and you beat them up So that was that but if you know how to defend yourself.  That's a whole another story too. If they use it against let's say prison guards My question is you know, we should have you know added to it prison guards in there that they'll never be threatened because if they're If one person could threaten a prisoner's guard that I'm like, hey, we you know, we should have more prison So that that never becomes an issue This is we got a couple of interesting comments here Dan Strickland says that he thinks a lot of people have very little experience with prison and prisoners So they tend to speak from spirit stereotypes that might not represent reality and I think that's actually a great perspective I mean no matter how much you and I talk about this and we kind of contemplate the topic is We don't have the experience of being there. We don't know the environment firsthand So this is all just kind of subjective thinking and what you know Trying to look at it the the topic from all angles, but I think he's absolutely right There's a lot of people and maybe that reflected in the comments as well too that don't have the experience with the prison system It might be speaking on that gut reaction or whatever stereotypes and like you said it was pretty pretty Obvious that a lot of the assumptions were violent criminals because when you think of I mean What is the number one word that comes to your mind when you hear of convicted prisoner like what what image pops in your head? Yeah, very violent gang gang Person in a gang person that's tended to violence your standard. Yeah. Yeah. I mean we all have seen the shows, you know HBO Oz Orange is the new black so we always predict the worst of people But I mean also too is I heard once from a prison guard He mentioned the fact is the one reason that they give all the perks to prisoners that the fact is if you're in prison and You have nothing to look forward to every day then you're going to be more violent more I'm basically be more out of control versus if you have a lot of things such as art classes and Different recreational things to go to because you're going to keep you busy instead of idle hands But also too is it gives a tool for the corrections or the or the guards to take away those Things as punishment. So a little more controlling issue. I Agree with that now. We also have a comment from my wife Tracy. Hi, Tracy mentions that she says the mediation caught the aspect would I think help with emotional fortitude anger and management and respect and She said that when mediation is introduced to children school detention programs the students in school and home behavioral issues Improved in test programs and that that's actually true because the little bit of experience that I've taught again This is different than the prison system, but just teaching it in school with kids There were a lot of kids that came through that had a lot of problems So that they'd be at home or behavioral issues or whatever struggles were going on and we did see an Improvement to the March starts and it wasn't always about teaching them how to fight But I'll just get in the focus on something finding a rhythm finding a path Put that energy into you can sometimes be a benefit and we definitely saw that so maybe that is an aspect that could Play a role in the prison system as well. Oh, yeah I mean basically anything that that can connect with somebody and also to is let's also face it to a few people even people that end up in prison they're usually More type a type of people more aggressive more manly in the in the male prisons All right, even if I don't even know the female prisons even but more aggressive more type a Having an outlet where that you actually get to channel some of that actual aspect of it into Some positive reinforcement versus negative might actually be a good thing. I Absolutely agree with that and I do want to read one particular message because I thought this touched on a lot of different talking points We're gonna get into so Donald King actually responded to the poll and he said having worked in the penal system the amount of hand-to-hand Self-defense martial art training for corrections officers is in many instances Wolffully lacking in substance and availability Therefore it makes this question in the responsible one unless and only if the question is applied to better training strictly for corrections officers Why in a name of common sense would anybody want to provide? Martial training of any quality or quantity that would give its practitioner in this case an offender an obvious edge of resistance Enclosing my suggestion would be that for any well-meaning Establish instructor in any discipline to first apply for and be employed as a corrections officer But then don't be satisfied to work in the trustee dorm area But however asked to be stationed in the administrative lockdown and only then you'll experience to answer to this ridiculous question I think there is an awful lot of meat on those bones And I think many many of those points are extremely valid and worth talking about and we're definitely gonna have a chance to break down It's all that but what was just what it was your thought on that on that? overall reaction well, basically that right there is that you know, we are not training our our Our guards properly that the fact that they do not get more short training of some sort of self-defense is kind of scary and Shows a problem automatically right there Oh, yeah, I have Yeah, I definitely have to agree with that So all right, so we're gonna start breaking out some topics because there's a lot of points that brought up our viewers are bringing up points There was a lot of comments in the poll. So we're definitely going to Let's get into the meeting discussion If you are just finding this now on YouTube if you're watching this clip playback Then we're actually gonna challenge your views on the subject whether you're for or against it So we're gonna a lot to talk about so click on the link right here if you're watching this later and jump in I want to hear your comments and let's break this sucker down You


Welcome to Toffy TV, this is the final word, Southampton 2, Everton 1.  It's definitely the word of the week.  Is this video sponsored by one football? It will be in a minute. It was, it was, you know what, I've read on Friday. First time for a while, I haven't been confident with the game. I just knew we'd get beat in the red. Paul Mason's thing though, what's the picture you know, right? Everything he said was spot on about the game. He went through one Southampton. For the first time, I just thought, he's right.  Nothing, and Southampton will just work hard, and he said the hard work will overcome everything, because you don't know what you're getting from everything. And he was absolutely spot on. This video will be sponsored by one football. One football app makes it easy to keep up to date with trying to find new scores and start in one place. To download the one football app, click the link in the description. Thank you very much. Yeah, same team again. It was not normal with that, though, wasn't it? No, no, which is fine, I was just going to say, that was fine. But I don't know. I'm with you. I know. I did a video with Freddie from the Ugly in Saras week, the Southampton channel, and I just said, score, draw. I just don't see us getting anything, especially away from home, when I know the opposition needs something out of the game. Do you know what I mean? If I know the opposition are going to fight, then I think we're done, because for me, there's no fighting this team. And that's what hates me more than anything, right? Is that I look at this side, and the bare minimum is 11 players who go out there and want to win the game. And I don't see that. This way it's getting thrown about. Patience, right? About the manager and about the players. Hardware does not require patience. It does not require patience. It's the bare minimum from every single player. But for some reason, as a football team, as a manager or coach, it's like you're asking them to go out there and try and create a style of play without actually putting any hard work into it. And that's what annoys me more than anything about this football team, is that, all the dice was on yesterday, and I'm not asked, I'm not really going to want to talk about it, but he said there's an arrogance about the fans. No, there isn't an arrogance about the fans. There isn't an arrogance about the football team. He said there's an arrogance about the fans. Hello, I'm just saying. But there's an arrogance about this football team and this manager, right? That think that they can take up a football grounds or a goodness and path and beat the opposition by some footballing masterclass. Well, number one, we don't know how to play football for a start. And number two, that still requires hard work. We're not prepared to put in as a team. And sadly... Put that at the manager. Yeah, I do put that at the manager. And listen, not being funny. It's nearly February. The first thing you're in print on a team is a team that's willing to work hard. Do we not work hard till mid-December? Maybe we did. No, we didn't. We didn't work hard against Liverpool. That was the last time I seen this team work hard. That was the last time I seen this team work hard.  Baz, I do not see any single person prepared to run through brick walls for this team. And that goes especially to people like James Coleman who run their mouth, telling everybody what we're supposed to do and they don't do it. That is the bare minimum I expect from this football team. And that's what we'll take in fans off before anything else. I'm not disagreeing with you. No, I'm not. One of my three-point things on Saturday was no desire, no fight, because we haven't got any desire. I've said it before, this is the most talented football, talented squad we've had probably, maybe in the evening, in the Premier League era. Talent. But there's a thing up in Finch Farn that tells you everything you need to know. It's just hard work, be it's talent and it's proven because we do not work hard enough. Now we did work hard enough. We were all raving about them in November and we pressed. We had the hardest work in the Premier League. We were. But in the last four, five weeks, six weeks even, that's like that thing forgotten. And I put it in the midfield. I literally dropped this in the midfield. Gylfi Sigurdddon, lovely little finish, garn e, fel nôr e i was, a'n gômes. If you're midfield three, and playing well, and neither not one of them is, you struggle as a team.  And they just ran past that midfield, and I will come on to it. But if it is goal or prize, he hit it well like it don't get me wrong, but... And that's the days you're in, you've got a captain, he's not a captain, I'm 100% wrong, cos I said in the starters, he's the one that should be the captain cos he's like this. Well, he's playing garbage at the moment. And he doesn't do, what does he do as a captain? Nothing, he's great on a Monday. I shout and shout, like Sam, it's like this morning or today. I'm I starting now, for the start. We've got Zume, who you can understand why Chelsea put him on loan every year. Cos he's got great attributes, not consistent. Michael Keane's gone back to having a bit of a nightmare. The goalkeepers having an absolute nightmare. Makes you wonder saving the first half, let's, the Dean goal blump out. Just at the moment, they're all got bits of the challenge, what is he at the moment? Winging, falling on the floor. Or like Bernard's in and out, not consistent enough at the minute. We've got Luchman, who's brilliant at going by players, will then disappear. The whole team are all got footballers, but at the minute, they're not doing the one basic element that any good football side did or any average football side does. What was the one thing we had under David, and I'm sorry if I'm hard on back, but the reason I used David Moses' evidence side is because it was built on limited funds. The one thing you knew at Moses' side, it wasn't every week of course, it wasn't, but if there was one week where it was a lack of effort, seven days later, it was never going to be lack of effort. It still might have won, but you knew that did have a right go go. This side, the military go behind, you just go, that's it, because you know they're not going to battle them. That's the problem though, isn't it?  There's no heart, there's no desire. I don't know if you can give that to some players. I don't know if you can. If they're not up for it, if they're not up for a battle, we've been beaten now by Brighton Leicester and Southampton in the last few weeks, where we've got a goal behind, and that was it, that's the game over. And it's, for me, that's the most upset of it. There's no belief, if Bournemouth would have scored last week that there'd been a threat. There's no belief, there's no fight, there's no cohesion. What is there? What are there? If he's somewhere, and listen, I'm not trying to mark out Silver's fault because he's no way is, because this formation should have been banned a while ago when it wasn't working either. But if he's seeing them and training and they're looking sharp and then you go out on a saty and they put, alright, where the fault lies will be what team he picks this weekend. If he picks the same kind of 11 with the same formation then it is on his head. But I just think for me now, I would play the meaner every week, right, and let him grow into the dip. Because the other two are inconsistent. Keane's been great all season but at the weekend he wasn't great. And so you may. I don't know, he's brilliant one minute and then the one where Gomez, if the post, that was him trying to pass out, just kicked it straight to them and he was under pressure. Just basic stuff. I don't know, I'd think I'd go up three at the back. I would and just check. Coleman's not good enough to be done on up and down a pitch. I mean the fault this and the formation, the formation is not working. The formation is not working. Whether you like it or not or whether the players are exhausted or whatever, the formation is not working. We don't we don't seem to have any idea of how to break teams down. We just go side to side to side and this formation just allows that to happen. Whereas I don't know three at the back or something could just change things up, freshen things up but too slow. Well we are, but that comes from that, I mean that's again, that's the midfield, that's the centre of the midfield that's you know, you've already mentioned it. The pass-on was a real problem once again on Saturday. For a passing team, we're terrible at it. We're terrible. And I know listen, the uptime in form came around the same time Gomez got into the side and broke into the side and he was a breath of fresh air and he's tailed off and on Saturday I wanted him I wanted him dragging off before they scored the first goal because he was just getting the ball and it was getting caught on and when he first came into the scene as soon as he got the ball he was in energy he was moving the ball, either with his feet himself and he's a big strong lad so he's getting himself between the ball and the player where the last few weeks he just ambles round and he doesn't seem to be able to doesn't seem to have that physical presence to stop people from taking the ball off him. Last few weeks every 50-50 he's lost he's just ambling round the pitch and it just gives us no how ball in midfield, someone who can just keep the game ticking over. That player is supposed to set the tempo and how can he set the tempo when he's just ambling round the pitch when he's got no tempo himself? I don't think that's right because when he got in he carried the ball, he'd go past three or four players like they went there and you were like oh my god what a player the last four weeks and he's probably knackered someone asked me something yesterday and I just said you know he might be tired he needs a rest and someone come on they only play 90 minutes a week on all of that but the end of the day you have no pre-season really. That's what we've said we've said that in recent weeks haven't we? Your pre-season is where you get your energy stores for the rest of the season as well as you build up your fitness You hardly played last season as well so maybe it has caught up with them but then that's the club That's when it's on the manager Surely it's on the manager in those months in December when we've said to go Tom you're in today and it doesn't matter because we said this I think we said this against Brighton didn't we? We said what's the point in carrying players you're tired when someone fresh could come in it's like the thing last season was really it's like why are you playing him every game when you know he's only going to last an hour and then you change him and for that hour he's not going to do anything because he needs that freshness so maybe that's the case with Gomez now you say Tom starts coming in for some games whether people like it or not it doesn't matter we've got to start freshening up in the middle of the park it's about time he should start on Saturday he should start instead of Ghana or with Ghana or whatever you're fresh as a fan I know when he's fit he's a decent player you've had plenty of time now to get over this injury you sink all swim now you're playing because it's dangio very and if you look at him and go he's not going to be what I need because he's going to take him on loan so you give him the opportunity and if he does it all right you go no we're not getting it we've got to start utilising the players that they didn't ask what last year in morning we had this huge squad most of them were on loan or whatever what's that utilising because players, whether you like it or not or whether you agree or disagree or you think it's an excuse the performances are there on the pitch you just shouldn't be playing put Tommy or put James McCarthy you know do something the formation is not working and we're just slow all over the pitch but when we try to change it that's not working as well because if we try and go long we've got a kid off front that is not is not number one doesn't win anything in the A last week against Bournemouth we've seen he won the second ball when we had someone close to him and you could see this on Saturday that he's fell up now he's fell up and just chased his shot all day with his he wants to be the kid who gets the ball and runs the people he wants to be the show off because that's what he is he's a bit of a show off he doesn't want to be doing what he's being doing and I appreciate that if he's going to stick with the formation at the moment then maybe stick say go home as old put him on the bench let him just recharge his battery go with Guilfee and Ghana and I'd have Bernard in the tent and I'd play Gritialis on back wide and maybe just throw it on down in the middle and just go up and throw him whatever and just leave it to sit at Gritialis and pick the ball up and run because he'll work hard he always works hard Gritialis and I think so but but he's fell up now he's not doing what he's not because he will grow into it but do we want him to grow into that or are we looking anyway but if we are it depends what the plan is I suppose if the plan is to get to the summit and buy a specialised top tops like it then there's no real point in carrying on with Gritialis on down in the middle because Gritialis isn't going to play down in the middle he's going to go back left you may as well play someone like Calvert Llewyn he's not great he's become great but he'll also grow with the games and then he becomes your number two or whatever he does playing with Calvert Llewyn when the main plan for him is to go back to the left isn't really going to make any difference so that's where it needs freshening up you've seen that on Satie because we've got on to playoff we've got nothing to playoff then then two come on and then two don't not that's the frustration it isn't it's the frustration but first half was just shot listen first half the one bit of good football we've done the best move I think for us, not for them they put a couple of lovely little moves together the reason why they put lovely moves together was it was quick it was bang bang bang and a shot and we were pass pass pass but we done a lovely little move we had them all alive and shot block but we moved the ball quickly and they couldn't get near us and yet we didn't do it again that's the blueprint well it reminded me last week we're first half and we do this all the time we don't take care of the ball it's just it's this idea of when we try and play safe it goes side to side and when we're reckless because we're playing forward passers but can't we that shows you that you can do you can play passers forward and be careful you've just got to make sure that people are moving into space and you're just taking care of the pass where it's far too many times we get the ball and because we can't we don't take care of first pass then we don't be depressed and it's just that to me again that's coaching and again I know what you said before you could be doing that all weekend training but if the intensity is not there then it's on the plays though as well because I look at at plays and you look at so clever on the ball and you want to move it and the moment the time it goes and we stop it and then it's starting to see him move it quicker guilty is another one for guilty wants to play it zip things off quickly but it'll go to the charts and he won't keep it or go mess was driving the ball and it do not do you don't all seem in tune and that to me is poor because as a group of players you should have that core thing in your mind he plays easy and plays so you should be saying to each other listen before you go but again that comes from that comes from moments of play that comes from doing things in training that you take on the training pitch triangles that you've worked on all week third man running I don't see any of that I don't see anything that I look at and go that straight off the training pitch he knows to give it to him he knows he's got someone running around the back I don't see any of that I just see players on the pitch basically like rabbits in the headlights confidence of course partly it will come down to confidence but what I mean confidence is great but what's the manager done for them all he's done to them is come in with a fresh idea and gone run round full on me lads run do what we're doing but you know what I mean now it's just you know every fan am er is that but a self-harm hasn't got better plays than us so their managers come in and he's identified what they need to do to stay up he's looked at it and he's gone look at that self-harm what about man United one of the worst teams in the Premier League for the amount they've run so those guys come in and identified it and gone use your all good players but you're all lazy that's why the carcers on the bench they've took that on as well haven't they so he's come in and identified that and give actually the players what they wanted and draw the energy now on that team maybe it's the wake up call maybe it's the wake up call where players look at each other and go this is not settled maybe the manager now will go this is not settled I've got to start doing things I've got to start going now I've been going I've got to play him because of this or play him because of that maybe you'll go you know what I don't what I'm saying here is it can go the other way of course it can but if Everton lost the next three then obviously massive questions need to be asked massive questions of where we're going I think the issue is going to be if we were to change him again no I agree that means no one anyone of any note and this is why Eddie I didn't want to come in last year no one gets any time you just become sunland that's what we're going through you just become a conveyor belt where no manager wants to come because no manager thinks he's got any time so realistically what I would say to people calling for silver said is we should have just kept aledys because we'd have probably finished 7th no neither of them so you put aledys because aledys would have beaten everybody else outside the top 6 everybody so we'd have always finished 7th or 8th under aledys and that's what people want just results not bothered about how we play or whether we improve that's like some results no what I'm saying to you is and I'm not regardless of who it is I don't know how we if we were to change silver I don't know how we'd ever move forward because there's no guarantees Marino's the best manager available at the moment he's just been chased out of old traffic so I honestly don't know what you do it takes it takes patience with a manager hard work doesn't require patience no it doesn't again now it is the manager it's also the players people who give, I see people giving players free passes every week I don't deserve free passes after the weekend they were all shite not to have them to say to you but they got it the whole thing is it's devastating because in November we looked like we were going somewhere on the crux of something we could just get one the only place we look like we're going now is QuestTV they do fly on the walls if he got it maybe they should do one that might get them some viewers he knows we need to start with him go goal by Shriggas nice finish oh that was the other thing right just very very finally do you know if like we were 2-0 up and someone had scored against us in the last minute that should be gone they were very very comfortable if we got we were 2-1 up that would be fair we'd boomed on it but I suppose we'll some boom with the the way teams have it to get a corner in the 98th minute because you know you're never on score from it but if Matthew and I should go this and 2-0 up 98 minutes do you know what I would have done I'd have let Pitford take the corner honestly he's the best at ball play we've got I would have let him take the corner he took it it was Dean wasn't it I would have let him take it I bet he would have whipped it right might as well have he was up there anyway what's the difference what's he in a box for he's smaller than anyone else he should have done it he should have said to Dean get on the edge of the box when he gets out of doubt just follow you it's just that confused one Pitford took it over to the table because of that opposition you'd be thinking why is he taking it what would he do you'd be on edge wouldn't you I don't want to have this I need to sort that out anyway if you're still watching let us know what you thought in the comments something's got to change players have got to get themselves sorted it's as simple as that listen if you haven't subscribed please do click the bell for the later more great videos, join us over on Patreon we'll see you later


I was born and raised just across the bridge from here in Saudi Arabia. I was definitely, you know, a little bit nervous when joining. Since Don't Ask, Don't Tell had just been repealed. No longer will tens of thousands of Americans in uniform be asked to live a lie or look over their shoulder in order to serve the country that they love. I was nominated by my CEO, the Region Legal Service Office, for my work with the community, as well as my work in transgender training, providing a way for transgender personnel to service members actually to confidentially communicate with their CEOs and discuss personal issues that are very sensitive. I have received exceptional support from my colleagues, from everyone that I've worked with, from, you know, the lieutenants who work beside me, from, you know, the legal men who I work with, from my senior officers who supervise me. There has always been exceptional support from the LGBT community that everyone works alongside. And it's a great place to work for someone who's in the community and it's always been a supportive environment. It's been a wonderful experience and I wouldn't take it back to the world.


CHAPTER 41 Why did Dickie go? Margaret, I have the queerest message from Richard. I cannot make it out." My mother-in-law rustled into my room, her voice queeriless, her face expressing the utmost bewilderment. What is it, mother? I asked nervously. It was late afternoon of the day in which Robert Gordon had revealed his identity as my father, and my nerves were still tense from the shock of the discovery. Why, Richard has left the city. He telephoned me just now that he had an unexpected offer at an unusual sum to do some work in San Francisco, I think, he said, and that he would be gone some months. If he accepted the offer he would have no time to come home. He said he would write to both of us to-night. What do you suppose it means? I do not know. I returned slowly and truthfully, but there was a terrible frightened feeling at my heart. Dickie gone for months without coming to bid me good-bye? My world seemed to whirl around me, but I must do or say nothing to alarm my mother-in-law. Her weak heart made it imperative that she be shielded from worry of any kind. I rallied every atom of self-control I possessed. There is nothing to worry about, mother, I said carelessly. Dickie has often spoken recently about this offer to go to San Francisco. It was always tentative before, but he knew that when it did come he would have to go at a minute's notice. You know he always keeps a bag packed at the studio for just such emergencies. The last part of my little speech was true. Dickie did keep a bag packed for the emergency summons he once in a while received from his clients, but I had never heard of the trip to San Francisco. But I must reassure my mother-in-law in some way. Well, I think it's mighty queer, she grumbled, going out of the room.  Lillian said tenderly, rising and coming over to me. Her voice was gay, but I, who knew its every intonation, caught an undertone of worry. Lillian! I exclaimed sharply, what is it? Do you know anything? Hush, child! she said firmly, I know nothing. You will hear all about it tomorrow morning when you receive Dickie's letters. Until then you must be quiet and brave. It was like her not to adjure me to keep from worrying. She never did the usual futile things. But all through my wakeful night, whenever I turned over or uttered the slightest sound, she was at my side in an instant. Never until death stops my memory will I forget that next morning with its letters from Dickie. There was one for my mother-in-law, none for me. But I saw an envelope in Lillian's hand, which I was sure was from my husband, even before I had seen the shocked pallor which spread over her face as she read it. Oh, Lillian, what is it? I whispered in terror. Wait! she commanded. Do not let your mother-in-law guess anything is amiss. But when Mother Graham's demand to know what Dickie had written to me had been appeased by Lillian's offhand remark that country males were never reliable, and that my letter would probably arrive later, the elder woman went to her own room to puzzle anew over her son's letter, which simply said over again what he had told her over the telephone. When she had gone Lillian locked the door softly behind her, then coming over to me, sank down by my bedside and slipped her arm around me. You must be brave, Madge, she said quietly. Read this through and tell me if you have any idea what it means. I took the letter she held out to me and read it through. Dear Lill, the letter began. You have never failed me yet, so I know you'll look after things for me now. I am going away. I shall never see Madge again, nor do I ever expect to hear from her. Will you look out for her until she is free from me?  I will put in no defense. Most of her funds are banked in her name, anyway. But for fear she will not want to use that money, I am going to send a check to you each month for her which you are to use as you see fit, with or without her knowledge. I am enclosing the key of the studio. The rent is paid a long ways ahead, and I will send you the money for future payments and its care. Please have it kept ready for me to walk in at any time. Mother always goes to Elizabeth's for the holidays, anyway. Keep her from guessing as long as you can. I'll write to her after she gets to Elizabeth's. I guess that's all. If Madge doesn't understand why I am doing this, I can't help it. But it's the only thing to do. Yours always, Dickie. The room seemed to whirl around me as I read. Dickie gone forever, arranging for me to get a divorce. I clung blindly to Lillian as I moaned. Oh, what does it mean? Think, Madge. Madge, have you and Dickie had any quarrel lately? Nothing that could be called a quarrel, no, I returned, and not even the shadow of a disagreement since my accident. Then Lillian said musingly, either Dickie has gone suddenly mad, she stopped and looked at me searchingly. Or what, Lillian? I pleaded. Tell me, I am strong enough to stand the truth, but not suspense. I believe you are, she said, and you will have to help me find out the truth. Now, remember this may have no bearing on the thing at all, but Harry saw Gray Straper talking to Dickie the other day. He said Dickie didn't act particularly well pleased at the meeting, but that the girl was, as Harry put it, fit to put your eyes out. She looked so stunning. But it doesn't seem possible that if Dickie had gone away with her he would write that sort of a note to me and leave no word for you. Fit to put your eyes out, the phrase stung me. With a quick movement I grasped the hand mirror that lay on the stand by my bed and looked critically at the image reflected there. One hollow-eyed, with one side of my face and neck still flaming from my burns, I had a quick perception of the way in which my husband, beauty-lover that he is, must have contrasted my appearance with that of Grace Draper. Lillian took the mirror forcibly from me and laid it out of my reach. This sort of thing won't do, she said firmly. It only makes matters worse. Now just be as brave as you possibly can. Remember, I am right here every minute. I could only cling to her, though seemed in all the world no refuge from me but Lillian's arms. The weeks immediately following Dickie's departure are almost a blank memory to me. I seemed stunned, incapable of action, even of thinking clearly. If it had not been for Lillian, I do not know what I should have done. She cared for me with infinite tenderness and understanding. She stood between me and the imperative curiosity and bewilderment of my mother-in-law, and she made all the arrangements necessary for my taking up my life as a thing apart from my husband. It seemed almost like an interposition of Providence that two days after Dickie's bombshell, his mother received a letter from her daughter Elizabeth asking her to go to Florida for the rest of the winter. One of the children had been ordered south by the family physician, and Dickie's sister was to accompany her little daughter while the other children remained at home under the care of their father and his mother. Mother Graham dearly loves to travel, and I knew from Lillian's reports, and the few glimpses I had of my mother-in-law, that she was delighted with the prospect before her. How Lillian managed to quiet the elder woman's natural worry about Dickie, her half-formed suspicion that something was wrong, and her conviction that without her to look after me I should not be able to get through the winter, I never knew. I do not remember seeing my mother-in-law but once or twice in the interval between the receipt of Dickie's letter and her departure. The memory of her goodbye to me, however, is very distinct. She came into the room, cloaked and had it, ready for the taxi, which was to take her to the station. Katie was to go into New York with her, and see her safely on the train. Her face was pale, and I noticed listlessly that her eyelids were reddened as if she had been weeping. She bent and kissed me tenderly, and then she put her arms around me and held me tightly. I don't know what it is all about, dear child, she said. I hope all is as it seems outwardly, but remember, Margaret, I am your friend, whatever happens, and if it will help you any, you may remember that I, too, have had to walk the same sharp, paved way. Then she went away. I remembered that she had said something of the kind once before, giving me to understand that Dickie's father had caused her much unhappiness. Did she believe, too, I wondered, that Dickie was with Grace Draper, that this brief infatuation for the girl had returned when he had seen her again? For days after that I drifted, there is no other word for it, through the hours of each day. When it was absolutely necessary for Lillian to know some detail which I alone could give her, she would come to me, rouse me, and holding me to the subject by the sheer force of her will, obtain the information she wished, and then leave me to myself, or rather to Katie again. Katie was my devoted slave. She waited on me hand and foot, and made a most admirable nurse when Lillian was compelled to be absent. When I thought about the matter at all, I realized that Lillian was preparing to have me share her apartment in the city when I should be strong enough to leave my home. Harry Underwood had gone with my father to South America for a trip which would take many months, so I made no protest. I knew also, because of questions she had made me answer, that she had arranged with the Lotus Study Club to have an old teaching-comrade out of mine, a man who had experience in club lectures, take my place until I should be well enough to go back to the work. Insofar as I could feel anything, the knowledge that I was still to have my club work gratified me, the twenty dollars a week which it paid me, while not large, would preserve my independence until I could gain courage to go back to my teaching. For one feeling obsessed me was strong enough to penetrate the lethargy of mind and body in which Dickie's letter had thrown me. I spoke of it to Lillian one day. Do not use any of Dickie's money, I said, slowly and painfully, my own bank-book in desk. She took it out, and I also gave her the bank-book and papers my father had given me the day before he left for South America. Keep them for me, I whispered, and then at her tender, comprehending smile I had a sudden revelation. Then you know. Astonishment made my voice stronger. That Robert Gordon is your father? she returned briskly. Bless you, child! I have suspected it ever since I first heard of his emotion on hearing the names of your parents. But nobody else knows. I didn't think it necessary to tell your mother in law or Katie unless, of course, you want me to do so. Her smile was so cheery, so infectious, that I could not help but smile back at her. There was still something on my mind, however. This house must be closed, I told her, tried to find positions for Katie and Jim. I'll attend to everything, she promised, and I did not realize that her words meant directly opposite to the interpretation I put upon them, until after myself and all my personal belongings had been moved to Lillian's apartment in the city, and I had thrown off the terrible physical weakness and mental lethargy which had been mine. I had to do as I thought best about the house in Marvin-madge, she said firmly. I thoroughly respect your feeling about using any of Dickie's money for your own expenses, but you are not living in the Marvin house. It is simply Dickie's home which, as his friend, commissioned to see after his affairs, I am going to keep in readiness for his return unless I receive other instructions from him. Jim and Katie will stay there as caretakers until this horrible mistake, whatever it may be, is cleared up. Thus your home will be always waiting for you. Never my home again, I fear Lillian, I said sadly. There is no magic of healing like that held in the hands of a little child. It was providential for me that, a short time after Lillian took me to the apartment which had been home to her for years, her small daughter Marion was restored to her. The child's father died suddenly after all, and to Lillian fell the task of caring for and comforting the old mother of the man who had done his best to spoil Lillian's life. She brought the aged and feeble sufferer to the apartment, established her in the bedroom which Lillian had always kept for herself, and engaged a nurse to care for her. When I recalled Lillian's story, I remembered that her first husband's mother, without a jot of evidence to go upon, had believed her son's vile accusations against Lillian, my friend's forgiveness seemed almost divine to me. I am afraid I never could have equalled it. When I said as much to Lillian, she looked at me uncomprehendingly. Why, Maj, she said, there was nothing else to do. Marion's grandmother is devoted to her. To separate them now would kill the old woman. Besides, her income is so limited that she cannot have the proper care unless I do take her in. I thought you said Mr. Morton had a legacy about the time of his second marriage. He did, but most of it has been dissipated, I imagine, and what there is left is in the possession of his wife, a woman with no more red blood than a codfish. She would let his mother starve before she would exert herself to help her, or part with any money. No, there is nothing else to do, Maj. I'll just have to work a little harder, that's all, and that's good for me. Best reducing system there is, you know? The sheer indomitable courage of her, taking up burdens in her middle age which should never be hers, and assuming them with a smile and jest upon her lips, I felt suddenly ashamed of the weakness with which I had met my own problems. Lillian, I said abruptly, you make me ashamed of myself. I'm going to stop grieving, as much as I can, I qualified, and get to work. Tell me, how can I best help you? I'm going back to my club work next week. I am sure I shall be strong enough by then, but I shall have such loads of time outside. My friend came over to me impetuously and kissed me warmly. You blessed child, she said. I am so glad if anything has roused you. I am going to accept your words in the spirit in which I am sure they were uttered. If you can share Marion with me for a while, it will help me more than anything else. I have so many orders piled up I don't know where to begin first. Her grandmother is too ill to attend to her, and I don't want to leave her with any hired attendant. She has had too many of those already. Don't say another word, I interrupted. There's nothing on earth I'd rather do just now than take care of Marion. Thus began a long succession of peaceful days, spent with Lillian's small daughter.  I had taught many children, but never had been associated with the child at home. I grew sincerely attached to the little creature, and she, in turn, appeared very fond of me. Lillian told her to call me Aunt Maj, and the sound of the title was grateful to me. Auntie Maj, Auntie Maj, the sweet childish voice rang the changes on the name so often that I grew to associate my name with the love I felt for the child. This made it all the harder for me to bear, when the child's hand, all unwittingly, brought me the hardest blow fate had yet dealt me. It was her chief delight to answer the postman's ring and bring me the mail each day. On this particular afternoon I had been especially busy and thus less miserable than usual. I heard the postman's ring, and then the voice of Marion. Auntie Maj, it's a letter for you this time. I began to tremble for some unaccountable reason. It was as though the shadow of the letter the child was bringing had already begun to fall on me. As she ran to me and held out the letter, I saw that it was postmarked San Francisco, but the handwriting was not Dickies. I opened it, and from it fell a single sheet of note paper inscribed. She laughs best who laughs last. Grace Draper. I looked at the thing until it seemed to me that the characters were alive and writhed upon the paper.  Then Marion's little arms were around my neck, her warm, moist kisses upon my cheek, her frightened voice in my ears. Oh, Auntie Maj! she said. What was in the naughty letter that hurt you so? Nasty old thing! I'm going to tear it up. No, no, Marion, I answered. I must let your mother see it first. Call her, dear, won't you please? When Lillian came, I mutely showed her the note. She studied it carefully, frowning as she did so. Pleasant creature, she commented at last, but I shouldn't put too much dependence on this, Maj. She may be with him, of course, but you ought to know that truth is a mere detail with Grace Draper. She would just as soon have sent this to you if she had not seen him for weeks and knew no more of his address than you. But this is postmarked San Francisco, I said faintly. Lillian laughed shortly. My dear little innocent, she said, it would be the easiest thing in the world for her to send this envelope and closed in one to some friend in San Francisco who would redirect it for her. I never thought of that, I said, fleshing. But, oh, Lillian, if he did not go away with her, what possible explanation is there of his leaving like this? Yes, I know, dear, she returned. It's a mystery, and one in the solving of which I seem perfectly helpless. I do wish someone would drop from the sky to help us. 40 It was not from the sky, however, but from across the ocean that the help Lillian had longed for in solving the mystery of Dickie's abandonment of me finally came. It was less than a week after the receipt of Grace Draper's message that Lillian and I, sitting in her wonderful white and scarlet living-room, one evening after little Marion had gone to bed, heard Betty ushering in callers. Betty must know them, or she wouldn't bring them in unannounced, Lillian murmured, as she rose to her feet, and then the next moment there was framed in the doorway the tall figure of Dr. Pettit, and with him wonder of wonders, the slight form, the beautiful, wistful, tired face of Catherine Sonat, whose ambition to go to France as a nurse I had been able to further. My dear, what has happened to you? Catherine exclaimed solicitously. I received no answer to my letter, saying I was coming home, so when I reached New York I went to Dr. Pettit. He thought you were at Marvin, but when he telephoned out there, Katie said you had had a terrible accident and that you had left Marvin. I was not quite sure, for she was half crying over the telephone, but I thought she said, for keeps. She stopped and looked at me with a hint of fright in her manner. I knew she wanted to ask about Dickie's absence and did not dare to do so. Everything you heard is true, Catherine. I returned, a trifle unsteadily, as her arms went around me warmly. I was more than a trifle upset by her coming, for associated with her were memories of my brother-cousin Jack Bicket, who had gone to the Great War when he had learned that I was married, and of whose death, somewhere in France, I had heard through Mrs. Stewart. Where is your husband, Dr. Pettit demanded, and there was that in his voice which told me that he was putting an iron hand upon his own emotions. Now the stock answer which Lillian and I returned to all inquiries of the sort was, in San Francisco, upon a big commission. It was upon my lips, but some influence stronger than my will made me change it to the truth. I do not know, I said faintly. He left the city very abruptly several weeks ago, sending word in a letter to Mrs. Underwood that he would never see me again. It is a terrible mystery. Dr. Pettit muttered something that I knew was a bitter anathema against Dickie, and then folded his arms tightly across his chest, as if he would keep in any further comment. But I had no time to pay any attention to him, for Catherine Sennat was uttering words that bewildered and terrified me. Oh, how terrible! she said. Jack will be so grieved. He had so hoped to find you happy together when he came home. Was the girl's brain turned, I wonder, because of grief for my brother-cousin's death? I had known before I secured the chance for her to go to France that she was romantically interested in the man who had been her brother's comrade, although she had never seen him. And from Jack's letters to Mrs. Stewart I had learned of their meeting in the French hospital and of the acquaintance which promised to ripen, which evidently had ripened, into love. I looked at her searchingly, and then I spoke, hardly able to get the words out for the wild trembling of my whole body. Jack grieved? I said. Why, Jack is dead. We had the notice of his death weeks ago from his friend Paul Calard. I saw them all look at me as if frightened. Dr. Pettit reached me first, and put something under my nostrils which vitalized my wandering senses. I straightened myself and cried out peremptorily. What is it? Oh, what is it? I saw Catherine look at Dr. Pettit as if for permission, and the young physician's lips formed the words, Tell her. No, dear, Jack isn't dead, she said softly. He was missing for some time, but was brought into our hospital terribly wounded, but he is very much alive now, and will be here in New York in two weeks. I felt the pungent revivifier in Dr. Pettit's hand steal under my nostrils again, and I pushed it aside and sat up. I am not at all faint, I said abruptly, and then to Catherine Sonot, please say that over again, slowly. She repeated her word slowly. I should have waited to come over with him, she added, for he is still quite weak, but Dr. Braithwaite had to send someone over to attend to business for the hospital. He selected me, and so I had to come on earlier. So it was true, then, this miracle of miracles, this return of the dead to life. Jack, the brother-cousin on whom I had depended all my life, was still in the same world with me. Some of the terrible burden I had been bearing since Dickie's disappearance slipped away from me. If anyone in the world could solve the mystery of Dickie's actions, it would be Jack Bickett. Dr. Pettit's voice broke into my reverie. I saw that Lilian and Catherine Sonot were deep in conversation. The young physician and I were far enough away from them, so that there was no possibility of his low tones being heard. He bent over my chair, and his eyes were burning with the light that terrified me. Tell me, he commanded, do you want your husband back again? Take your time in answering. I must know. There was something in his voice that compelled obedience.  The question seemed to echo in my ears. I was surprised at myself that I did not at once reply with the passionate affirmative. Surely I had suffered enough to welcome Dickie's return at any time. Ah, there was the root of the whole thing. I had suffered. How I had suffered at Dickie's hands. As my memory ran back through our stormy married life, I wondered whether it were wise, even though it should be proved to me that Dickie had not gone away with Grace Draper, to take up life with my husband again. And then, womanlike, all the bitter recollections were shut out by other memories which came thronging into my brain, memories of Dickie's royal tenderness when he was not in a bad humor, of his voice, his smile, his lips, his arms around me. I knew, although my reason dreaded the knowledge, that unless my husband came back to me, I should never know happiness again. I opened my eyes and looked steadily at the young physician. Yes, God help me, I do, I said. Dr. Pettit winced as if I had struck him. Then he said gravely, Thank you for your honesty, and believe that if there be any way in which I can serve you, I shall not hesitate to take it. I am sure of that, I replied earnestly. And the next moment, without a farewell glance, a touch of my hand, he went over to Catherine, and in a voice very different in volume than the suppressed tones of his conversation to me, I heard him apologize to her for having to go away at once, heard her laughing reply that after the French hospital she did not fear the New York streets. And then the door had closed after the young physician, whose too evident interest in me had always disturbed me. I hastened to join Lillian and Catherine. I did not want to be left alone. Thinking was too painful. Just think, Catherine said as I joined them. I find that I am living only a block away. I am at my old rooming place. Luckily, they have a vacant room. Of course, I shall be fearfully busy with Dr. Braithwaite's work. But being so near, I can spend every spare minute with you. That is, if you want me, she added shyly. Want you, child? I returned, and I think the emphasis in my voice reassured her, for she flushed with pleasure, and the next minute with embarrassment, as I said pointedly. I imagine you have some unusually interesting and pleasant things to tell me, especially about my cousin. But after all it was left for Jack himself to tell me the interesting things. Catherine became almost at once so absorbed in the work for Dr. Braithwaite that she had very little time to spend with us. There was another reason for her absence, of which she spoke half apologetically one night, about a week after her arrival. There's a girl in the room next to mine who keeps me awake by her moaning, she said. I don't get half enough sleep, and the result is that when I get in from my work, I'm so dead tired, I tumble into bed instead of coming over here as I'm longing to do. The housekeeper says she's a student of some kind, and that she's really ill enough to need a physician, although she goes to her school or work each morning. I've only caught glimpses of her, but she strikes me as being rather a stunning looking creature. I wish she'd moan in the daytime though. Some night I'm going in there and give her a sleeping powder. Joking aside, I'm rather anxious about her. Whatever is the matter with her, physical or mental, it's a real trouble, and I wish I could help her. The real Catherine Sennott spoke in the last sentence. Like many nurses, she had a superficial lightness of manner behind which she often concealed the wonderful sympathy with and understanding for suffering which was hers. I knew that if the poor unknown sufferer needed aid or friendship she would receive both from Catherine. It was shortly after this talk that I noticed the extraordinary intimacy which seemed to have sprung up between Catherine and Lillian. I seemed to be quite set aside, almost forgotten when Catherine came to the apartment, and there was such an air of mystery about their conversation. If they were talking together and I came within hearing, they either abruptly stopped speaking or shifted the subject. I was just childish and weak enough from my illness to be a trifle chagrined at being so left out, and I am afraid my chagrin amounted almost to sulkiness sometimes. Lillian and Catherine, however, appeared to notice nothing, and their mysterious conferences increased in number as the days went on. There came a day at last when my morbidness had increased to such an extent that I felt there was nothing more in the world for me and that there was no one to care what became of me. I was huddled in one of Lillian's big chairs before the fireplace in the living room, drearily watching the flames through eyes almost too dim with tears to see them. I could hear the murmur of voices in the hall where Catherine and Lillian had been standing ever since Catherine's arrival a few minutes before. Then the voices grew louder, there was a rush of feet to the door, a hush from Lillian, and then, pale, emaciated, showing the effects of the terrible ordeal through which he had gone, my brother-cousin, Jack Bicket, who, until Catherine came home, I had thought was dead, stood before me. Oh, Jack! Jack! Thank God! Thank God! As I saw my brother-cousin, Jack Bicket, whom I had so long mourned as dead, coming toward me in Lillian Underwood's living-room, I stumbled to my feet, and with no thought of spectators or of anything saved the fact that the best friend I had ever known had come back to me, I rushed into his arms and clung to him wildly, sobbing out all the heartache and terror that had been mine since Dickie had left me in so cruel and mysterious a manner. I felt as a little child might that had been lost and suddenly caught sight of its father or mother. The awful burden that had been mine lifted at the very sight of Jack's pale face smiling down at me. I knew that some way, somehow, Jack would straighten everything out for me. There, there, Margaret! Jack's well-remembered tones, huskier, weaker by far than when I had last heard them, soothed me, calmed me. Everything's going to come out all right. I'll see to it all. Sit down, and let me hear all about it. There was an indefinable air of embarrassment about him, which I could not understand at first. Then I saw, beyond him, the lovely flushed face of Catherine Sennott, and in her eyes there was a faintly troubled look. I read it all in a flash. Jack was embarrassed because I had so impetuously embraced him before Catherine. I withdrew myself from his embrace abruptly, and drew a chair for him near my own. Are you sure you are fully recovered? I asked, and I saw Jack look wonderingly at the touch of formality in my tone. No, I cannot say that, he returned gravely, but I am so much better off than so many of the other poor chaps who survived, that I have no right to complain. Mine was a body wound, and while I shall feel its effects on my general health for years, perhaps all my life, yet I am not crippled. His tone was full of thankfulness, and all my pettiness vanished at the sudden swift vision of what he must have endured. The next moment he had turned my thoughts into a new channel. Margaret, he said gravely, I am terribly distressed to hear from Catherine that your husband has gone away in such a strange manner. So she had already told him the little pang of unworthy jealousy came back, but I banished it. Now there must be no more time lost, he went on. You have had no man to look after things for you, but remember now, your old brother Jack is on the job. First I must know everything that occurred on that last day. Did you notice anything extraordinary in his demeanor on that last morning you saw him? This was the old Jack, going directly to the root of the matter, wasting no time on his own affairs or feelings when he saw a duty before him. I felt the old sway of his personality upon me, and answered his questions as meekly as a child might have done. He was just the same as he had been every morning since my accident. I returned. Hmm! Jack thought a long minute, then began again. Tell me everything that happened that day, every visitor you had. Don't omit the most trifling thing he commanded. He listened attentively, as I recalled Harry Underwood's visit and Robert Gordon's. At my revelation that Robert Gordon had said he was my father, his calm judicial manner broke into excitement. Your father, he exclaimed, and then after a pause, I always knew he would come back some day, but go on, what happened when he told you he was your father? I went on with the story of my struggle with my own rancor against my father, of my conviction that I had heard my mother's voice urging my reconciliation with him, of my father's first embrace and kisses, even of the queer, smothered sound like a groan and the slamming of a door which I had heard. Then I told him of my father's gift of money to me, which I had not yet touched, but I noticed that toward the last of my narrative Jack seemed preoccupied. Did your husband come home to Marvin at all that day? he asked. No, he never came back from the city after he had once gone in until evening. But are you sure that this day he did not return to Marvin? He persisted. How do you know? Because no one saw him, I returned, and he could hardly have come back without someone in the house seeing him. He said no more as Lillian and Catherine came up just then, and the conversation became general. To my great surprise, I did not see him again after that first visit. Catherine explained to me that he had been called out of town on urgent business, but the explanation seemed to me to savor of the mysterious excitement that seemed to possess everybody around me. Finally one morning Lillian came to me, her face shining. I want you to prepare to be very brave, Madge, she said. There is someone coming whom I fear it will tax all your strength to meet. Dicky, I faltered, beginning to tremble. No child, not yet, she said, her voice filled with pity, but someone who has done you a great wrong. Grace Draper, coming to see me? My echo of Lillian's words was but a trembling stammer. The prospect of facing the girl, the threat of whose sinister personality had so marred the fabric of my marital happiness, terrified me. Her message to me posted in San Francisco where Dicky was, flaunted its insolent triumph again before my eyes. She laughs best, who laughs last. That she had intended me to believe she was with Dicky, I knew, whether her boasts were true or not. But how was it that she was coming to see me? Lillian put a reassuring hand upon my shoulder as she saw my face. Pull yourself together, Madge. She admonished me sharply. Let me make this clear to you. Grace Draper is not in San Francisco now. Whether she has been, or what she knows about Dicky, she has refused so far to say. She has finally consented to see you, however. But how, I murmured, bewildered. Do you remember the girl of whom Catherine spoke when she first came, the girl who moaned at night in the room next to hers? Oh, yes, and she was—Grace Draper. I do not know what made me think of the Draper when Catherine spoke of the girl, but I did, although I said nothing about it at the time. A little later, however, when the girl became really ill, and Catherine was caring for her as a mother or a sister would have done, I told our little friend of my suspicion. Of course Catherine watched her mysterious patient very carefully after that, and when she became ill enough to require a physician's help, Catherine managed it so that Dr. Pettit was called, and he recognized the girl at once. Ever since then Catherine has been working on the substitute for honour and conscience which the Draper carries around with her, but she was hard as nails for a long time. She is terribly grateful to Catherine, however, as fond of her as she can be of anyone, and she has finally consented to come here. Don't anger her if you can help it. When a little later, Grace Draper and I faced each other, it was pity instead of anger that stirred my heart. The girl was inexpressibly won, her beauty only a worn shadow of its former glory, but there was the old flash of defiant hatred in her eyes as she looked at me. Please don't flatter yourself that I have come here for your sake," she said, with her old smooth insolence. But this girl here, she indicated Catherine, took care of me before she knew who I was. She just about saved my life, and reason, too, when there was nobody else to care-whit whether I lived or died. Even my sister's gone back on me, so when I saw how much it meant to her to find out the truth about your precious husband, I promised her I'd come and tell you the little I knew. She drew a long breath and went on. In the first place I didn't go to San Francisco with Dickie Graham, although I'm glad if my little trick made you think so for a while. I didn't go anywhere with him except into a café for a few minutes, the day he left New York. It was just after he got back from Marvin, and he was pouring drinks into himself so fast that he was pretty hazy about what had happened, but I made a pretty shrewd guess as to his trouble. She turned to me, and I saw with amazement, that contempt for me was written on her face. You! she snarled, with your innocent face and your high and mighty ears, you must have been up to something pretty graceful to have your husband feel the way he did that day he started for San Francisco. He had to go out to Marvin unexpectedly that morning, almost as soon as he had arrived in the city. What or who he found there, you know best. Stop! said Lillian authoritatively, and for a long minute the two women faced each other, Grace Draper defiant, Lillian, with all compelling, almost hypnotic power that is hers when she chooses to exercise it. The accusation which the girl had hurled at me stunned me as effectually as an actual missile from her hand would have done. What did she mean? And then, before my dazed brain could work itself back through the mazes of memory, there came the horror of a taxi in the street, an imperative ring of the bell, a tramp of masculine footsteps in the hall, and then my husband's arms were around me, his lips murmuring disjointed incoherent sentences against my cheek. Madge, madge, little sweetheart, no right to ask forgiveness, deserved to lose you forever for my doubt of you, been through a thousand hells since I left. Over Dickie's shoulder I saw Jack's dear face smiling tenderly, triumphantly at me, realized that he must have started after Dickie as soon as he had heard my story of my husband's inexplicable departure and the light for which I had been groping suddenly illuminated Grace Draper's words. So you saw my father embrace me that day, I exclaimed, and at the words, the face of the girl who had caused me so much suffering, grew whiter, if possible, as she sank into a chair as if unable to stand. Yes, a wave of shamed color swept my husband's face, his words were low and hurried. But you must believe this one thing, I had made up my mind to come back and beg your forgiveness, indeed I was just ready to start in New York when your cousin found me and brought me the true explanation of things. I couldn't stand it any longer without you, Maj. I must have been mad to go away like that.  I had thought that if Dickie ever came back to me, I should make him suffer a little of what he had compelled me to endure. But as I looked from the white-drawn face of the girl, who I sure still counted Dickie's love as a stake for which no wager was too high, to the anxious faces of the dear friends who had helped to bring him back to me, I could do nothing but yield myself rapturously to the clasp of my husband's arms. I couldn't have stood it much longer without you, Dickie, I whispered, and then, forgetting everything else in the world but happiness, my husband's lips met mine in a long kiss of reconciliation. A half-choked little cry startled me, and I saw Grace Draper get to her feet unsteadily and start for the door, with her hands outstretched gropingly before her, almost as if she were blind. Catherine's are not hurried to her, and then Jack spoke to me for the first time since he had brought Dickie into the room. Good-bye, Margaret, until I see you again, he said hurriedly. Good-bye, Dickie, I must go to Catherine. Good-bye, old chap! Dickie returned heartily, and in his tone I read the blessed knowledge that my cherished dream had come true, that my husband and my brother-cousin were friends at last, and from the look upon Jack's face as his eyes met Catherine's I knew that he too had found happiness. I saw the trio go out of the room, the girl who had wronged me and the friends who had helped me, then my eyes turned to the truest, most loyal friend of all, Lillian, who stood near us, frankly weeping with joy. I put out my hand to her, and drew her also into Dickie's embrace. How long a cry it had been since the days when I was wildly jealous of her old friendship with Dickie? Will you come away with me for a new honeymoon, sweetheart? Dickie asked, tenderly after a while, when Lillian had softly slipped away and left us alone together. Into my brain there flashed a sudden picture of the homely living-room in the Brennan house at Marvin, with the leaping fire which I knew Jim would have for us whenever we came, with Katie's impetuous welcome. I turned to Dickie with the passionate little plea. Oh, Dickie, I said earnestly, take me home. End of Chapter 43 and End of Revelations of a Wife by Adele Garrison