Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 January 1915 — The Governor's Lady A Novelizatien of Alice Bradley's Play [ARTICLE]

The Governor's La dy A Novelizatien of Alice Bradley's Play

By GERTRUDE STEVENSON

Illustrations from Photographs of the Stage Production

SYNOPSIS. Daniel Slade auddenly advances from a penniless miner to a millionaire. He-is ambitious to become governor ot the state. His simple, home-loving wife fails to rise to the aew conditions. Slade meets Katherine, daughter of Senator Strickland. and sees In her all that Vary U not. Slade decides to separate from his wife and takes rooms at his club. His desertion of his wife and his constant attendance on Katherine Strickland causes public comment. Editor Merritt is won over to the support of Slade because he cannot otherwise supply the money for a European trip demanded by Mra Merrttt

CHAPTER Vl—Continued. "There are strangers there who learned of your—er —domestic difficulties for the first time tonight," StrickIsad continued. "Merritt has thrown the bombshell.’* . "Why, I thought—s Slade began to protest ~ "He’s all right" came the senator’s reassuring tones. “It had to come out He’s got his coat off In there for you now. He maintains that the opposition papers are bound to take It up at any moment Now, what do you adviee?” "The truth," thundered Slade. "My wife Is preparing to desert me. It will happen”—Hayes jumped up and flung himself out of the room—‘tomorrow —the next day—any hour.” ' “ ‘‘l see," and the senator looked (grave. "Is this irrevocable, Slade ?”

“Irrevocable,” declared Slade, positively. "Jus I have told you several times, senator, It is Irrevocable. 11l stand by that" 11

Convinced that Slade knew his own :mlnd in this matter as well as he had jthe reputation for knowing it in all other matters, Strickland returned to >the waiting politicians. Slade had been alone but a few minutes when Katherine returned. “Well, Mr. Slade.” the girl ex- : claimed, “things seem to be coming -our way." Slade was In no mood for mere conversation. He was annoyed at Hayes' attitude, and incensed because his private affairs were being publicly discussed in the next room. Mentally be consigned Hayes to the devil, bis wife to the far East of the country, land registered a vow with himself that he would have that divorce and the woman he wanted in spite of everybody and everything. He resolved to sound Katherine out then and there. He turned over in his mind the most cold-blooded proposition that a man ever made to a woman. He was planning to ask her to marry him, when he should be free, to decorate his home, preside at his table, share his wealth and the

honors of the chief executive of the state. There would be no warmth in his tone, no love in his heart, no hanger of his lips for hers, no yearning of his arms for her yielding figure, there would be none of the fire of youth, nothing of the love of little children, nothing of the spirit that ' makes of marriage a sacrament rather than a thing of convenience. As Katherine walked across the room, moving toward him with the quiet grace and dignity of the welltrained, well-gowned woman, he had a fleeting memory of the slight, badly dressed little woman, whose diffidence in strange surroundings had always fretted him. She a governor’s wife? Impossible! He rose and stood beside the woman whom he proposed to use as another living stepping stone. “Miss Strickland,” his mind fully made up, “you’ve done a lot for me in the last few weeks while you’ve been making that bust. I think I understand you in a way. The more I see of you the more I - think I —Fd like to make a—well, a bargain with you. That doesn’t seem to be quite the word,“ he hesitated as the girl averted her eyes. “Yet I think that’s what we call it.’’ s •->. “A bargain?” echoed Katherine. “Yes, a. bargain," he repeated. “I never knew but one woman well —that was Mrs. Slade. She’s a good woman —a mighty good woman, but we can’t —I never had a home—not a home like Strickland’s. When I have another house —that’ll be what I'll want, I’ll want my friends, my acquaintances, to come there. I want —well —headquarters. And I want a woman at the head of iny house that I can be proud of—like\Strickland."

Katherine was not surprised. She had anticipated some such move as this on his part, but now that she was face to face wtth the unvarnished suggestion, she found herself more shocked than she,, would have believed. , , “In a couple of months 11l stand free,” he went on. “PerKbps sooner. 1 don’t expect any woman’s going to love me—she isn’t. Got to do that when you’re young. But I’d do all I could for the woman. She’d have everything—money and-—the power that goes with it. I want to say right here that I wouldn’t speak if I thought young Hayes had a chance. \I saw he didn’t’’ \ At the mention of Hayes’ name Katherine had an instant’s vision of Bob’s tender face—his eyes burning with love looking into hers —of his youth—his strength—his fine honor, and. her. .heart cited.awJLilegpeMidy. pitifully, for the shelter of his arms. ■ ' • ' -

In another moment the old recurrent vision of Ilfs in the old town, dull, cheap, uninteresting, and the lure of what Slade was offering, the money, the clothes, the servants, the power to reign supreme, swept her off her feet. The thought of divorce did not terrify her. Mrs. Slade, whom she had never seen, was only a name. As Slade watched her standing straight and white, he feared he had been too brutally blunt. “You needn’t think it over now,” he hastened to add. “Perhaps you will later, and perhaps you won’t. That’s for you to decide. 1 guess I’ve said all I can say."

But Katherine was not a woman to shrink from a situation because ot its unpleasant features. She knew that she couldn’t have all the things jflHdWanted without some suffering, eome pain. Her father's world had taught her that love was a thing of small consideration where marriage was concerned, unless It went with the advancement of one’s ambitions. Love was not of the world. Place, power, wealth —these were of the world and this man offered them to her. —----- ------

“This isn’t a matter of sentiment,” she agreed with him calmly. “I’ll be perfectly frank with you. I don’t say I won’t think it over. I Just what you wagit of a woman. When you can go to my father free there won’t be any barrier in the way."

She offered her hand As if to bind the bargain. He held it for a brief instant and • with a hurried "thank you” left the rdbm. . CHAPTER VII. Left alone, Katherine drew a long breath. Her face was set and her eyes were harder than It is good for a woman’s eyes to be. She pictured to herself the future for which she had Just bargained. There would be wealth—no more pinching struggle with masked poverty, her father at ease, his political debts all paid. There would be no more pretense that her art was for love of it and not for money—she would be free to follow her deelres In this as in all else. There would be honor and power as wife of the state’s chief executive—and that was but a step to further honors that she would achieve at Slade’s side —with Slade—always with Slade —ah! As she stood thus the horror of what she had agreed to do swept over her, and she sank moaning and shivering Into a chair, covering her face as If to shut but the hideous vision of herself as Slade's wife. She did not hear Bob enter, and did not know he was in the room until he touched her shoulder with tender alarm, exclaiming, "Why, Katherine, what’s the matter?" He did not think he ever remembered Katherine, strong, firm-willed Katherine, looking so pathetic and helpless. She dropped her hands from her face and he was surprised to see the misery in her eyes and the drawn lines about her mouth. “I’m cold —I’m cold! I’ve had an awful chill,” she tried’ to say, her teeth chattering with the sudden cold that seemed to freeze her lips. “Don’t touch roe, JBob?” she choked. “I’ve done it. I’ve done it, I always knew I'd do something terrible —I’ve done It." Her voice was hollow and her eyes were blank and expressionless. “Katherine, tell me wh&t’e the matter? Can’t you tell me?” There was a world of love and tender solicitude in Bob's voice. His manner seemed to rouse her, and she began to pace the floor excitedly.

“My mind’s made up. It’s all over between us now. I’m going to marry Slade,” the words were uttered quickly, breathlessly. “You’re going to marry Slade,” Bob could scarcely believe his ears. “You must be craxy!" “No.” Her voice was firmer now. “But I’m twenty-seven years old, twenty-seven years old.” She bit the words off with a vengeance. “Soon I'll be thirty—thirty—do you hear? And you’re the only man I’ve ever cared a rap for. I’ve tried to marry other men, rich men, men with important positions. Once I nearly did it in Europe. Then I thought of you. and I waited, 1 waited. And it’s too late now. I can’t wait any longer. I’ve worried and wondered ever since I got home what I could do. What I could do! Slade’s the answer, Bob, Slade's the answer.” “My God, Katherine!’* -Hayes wms completely bewildered at this unexpected outburst. “Slade’s married.” ri don’t care,’’ she retorted,:: defiantly. gaining courage as she talked. "A woman more or less is nothing to that man. He’ll move a mountain. He’ll soon sweep her out of his path.” The hot "blood surged up into Hayes’ face. He was aghast at this peep into the soul of the woman he had thought was tender and dear and sweet Her complete disregard of Mrs. Slade en-

raged him. ~ “So this Is what Slade has done!” His fists were clinched. “This is what he’s after. This is what you want I’m not surprised,” he went on, bitterte «‘lt j»M alwayaJjß “Yes," she met this accusation, an

angry light in her eyes. "It was always in me. I always had to have everything, be everything. I can’t stay here and be a nobody. We’re getting horribly poor. If we look prosperous, It’s because nothing is paid for. When I was a child I always had to lead all the little games.” She was talking rapidly, earnestly. "Then .when I grew up there was only one leader here—Katherine Strickland, and after there was never but one woman left this place and did the things I’ve done and made the successes I’ve made, and now—to come back here—and settle down! When I’m Mrs. Slade I’ll have the life I’m after —money and power and Europe—the world.”

"Don’t forget Slade,” came sarcastically from Hayes. "Don’t forget Slade,” and he came toward her. "You’ll have 81&de, too. You’ll have to live with him, a man who has lived all his life with another woman—who—” j * “Don’t!” she commanded. "He is only marrying me for a—a sort of housekeeper.” "You’ll be his wife just the same.” Every word was a sting. "Yes —you'll have your revenge,” Katherine answered quietly, more to herself than to him. Her voice dropped wearily. “Every time he kisses me—every time he comes Into the room. But I’ll get used to him, I suppose. Women get used to that sort of thing.” "Yes, and then go to the devil! 11l tell you what I think of you,” he stormed. "You’re a bad woman. You’re as rotten as the? make them. There’s no type so low. You’re bad to the marrow. London and Washington and Paris have done for you. You’ve butterflied all over the world till you're a heartless jade, junketing about from one embassy to another with all your pretty little cheating, tricks and not a decent thought In your head.” “I won’t listen,” she gasped, amazed at his denunciation of her. "You will listen!" “Don’t, oh, don’t say such things, Bob,” she pleaded."Why not?” he demanded. “You who plan to do such a devilish thing in the eyes of God and of men, can you be efrftld te hear what it really 1b you plan ? You will listen! ’’ He took a step nearer. He caught her roughly by the shoulders. He buried his lips into the soft tendrils of hair around her ear as he almost shouted: “You are going toTob a poor little woman—step Into her house and snatch away her husband —and the only excuse you can offer Is that you want his money. Why don’t you rob somebody outright and get away with It? It’s more honest." Katherine shrank from him with a cry of protest. “And all the while you love me," he went on, passionately, “you love — me— ’* - ”1 don’t,” she sobbed. “You lie!” he accused, hotly. "Well, supposing I do —what can you give me?” she asked coolly. “What can I give you?” he repeated. Then with a look of utter loathing In his eyes: “You contemptible little—” and he flung her from him. "You’re going to sell what’s mine to the highest bidder,” he panted. “But Slade’s not divorced yet, and before you get out of tills dirty mire you’ll regret it. You’ll find yourself so deep In scandal —” “I won’t,” Katherine protested, vehemently. “I won’t have a scandal." “They’ll say he’s your lover,” hla rage turning into fury.

Katherine looked at him as if she had been turned to stone. Then the real significance of what he had said fanned to a flame the rage that was burning In her heart —rage at him — at conditions —at everything? She gripped her fingers around one of the lovely rosea at-her belt and crushed it to a pulp. Then Bhe ripped them from her gown—his roses —and threw them among the blazing logs in the fireplace. (TO BE CONTINUED.)