THE LAST WORD.

Waikato Times, Volume 98, Issue 16096, 20 September 1924, Page 13 (Supplement)

THE LAST WORD.

"It's very good of you to see. me, but my business is urgent "concerns—your husband, Mrs Wynne. Airs Wynne started. «Mv husband?" she said in amazement." "What can you possibly

Her visitor interrupted-it might have been nervousness. "I will be quite frank with you. These are unconventional times, and I have come to ask vou—to release him. "To release him? Y*U must be mad, I think." "Oh, no, I'm not," said the girl calmly! "Let me explain. You don't'understand him—you never did and therefore you can't give him the sympathy his genius requires. To put it plainly. I can, and he knows that I can and would come to me if he were free."

Mrs Wynne gasped. This was certainly unconventional, even for the twentieth century. "I suppose you mean me to take you seriously," slu\said slowly. "Does it occur to you that I might happen to bo fond of my husband?" "In that case you would naturally wish to do whatever was best for him, wouldn't you? And I assure you that he wants to be free, but it Is not easy for him to say so. Ask him, and you will And he is not happy." "Indeed? 1 must say he disguises his feelings very well." "Yes," said the other reflectively, "he would do that. He is splendid, I know. But do believe that he would be far happier in other surroundings, and give him his chance!" Mrs Wynne laughed grimly. "Really," she said, "you talk as lightly as if this was a question of changing one's miikman. Even in these days the law requires something more than mutual boredom."

' These things can be arranged," said the girl quietly. "But I don"! want to rush you. Think it over. All I ask is thai you won't tell your husband of my visit." "I shall certainly not dream of telling anyone of your extraordinary behaviour," said .Mrs Wynne with her hand on the electric bell, "I am

quite &'. a loss to account fo:- your intrusion, unless it is that you are mentally deranged." The \isitor rose, in no way disconcerted. "Thank you for seeing mo," sho said gently, "and please think over what I ha\r said."

Mrs Wynne vouchsafed no firthec reply, but slood silently until the girl had l"H the mom. Then she sal down again and became iosi in thought.. A week later she received a letter in an unknown hand. "Mad iia" (it ran' . "in the name of art t beg >our forgiveness for (he impertinence of my visit, and for any disquiet il may have caused you. I -iay say that 1 have never seen your husband, and my sole object was to ob-

tain first-hand material for my new book. The critics condemned my first one as inexperienced and not true to life, and I wanted to find out just how a woman would behave in certain circumstances. You will be angry, of course, but you may forgive me now thai I have given you hack your peace of mind.—l am—Only an Authoress." Smiling strangely, Mrs Wynne wrote the following reply:— "I forgive you, not for aid's sake, but for reasons which this letter will disclose. I can quite believe you have rul met my husband, as he died eleven years ago, and your callous scheme, contrived presumably against .my sister-in-law, has miscarried o\v-

ing to her absence abroad. Pray make what use you wish of any 'first-hand material' I provided, but 1 fear it may prove less valuable when you know that I am—Only an Actress."