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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 5, 1905)
O OOOOOC oooococo COOOCOCOOOOC OCOOGGOOC c coo coccccoc coocccccoocp, 'gggpoooooocxDooo iu)- iS3 IT3 1113 conversation fell dead hrn Mrs Trillion A I entered the drawing room. The silence was I I almost visible; Mm. Trudon for half a second JL I seemed to be looking at It, recognising It, and shrinking from It In acute pain-not with sud den shock, not In surprise, thnt was the most pathetic part of the Incident, but with an In tensification of habitual bain. They were talking of Hick again, her heart cried out, and In the lust word lay the sting, but she was the first to dispel the painful silence. " I had to wait twenty-five minutes at Marian Junction nnd I loot (ny way twice coming here," she said gayly. " I shall want a great deal of tea after that, Maimle." She kissed her hostess with a laugh on her lips and sat down deliberately In a comfortable chair. " You shall have It fresh and hot," said her hostess, with a cordiality that almost seemed like gratitude. " I rang for fresh tea a moment ago." " You must have had a prophetic Inspiration-," said Mrs. Trudon, " to order it exactly In time for my arrival, and see, here It is!" as the servant entered. " What were you talking about when I came in, Maimle?" Mrs. Ballanger was equal to the occasion. "As a matter of fact, Alice, we were talking about you," she said. A whimsical memory came Into Alice's mind of the state ment of a certain magistrate, who, In trying a case had re marked that after the expression of ' As a matter of fact," he Invariably expected a deliberate falsehood. "Well, confess," she said, "confess the worst; In any case I shall have to forgive you, because I shall want a sec ond cup of tea likely a third after all my wanderings nnd sufferings." " I was saying," said Malinle Ballanger, " well It was horrid of me, Alice, and not true a bit. Inn 1 was saying that you don't often come to see your friends at Brenlmm now that you live at Campden Hill." All In the room were Intimate and old acquaintances; all but one simply gazed In admiration at Mrs. Ballanger s clev erness. She had given a reason quite bad enough to justify the sudden silence, and yet pardonable. They did not recog nize that If cleverness made the excuse, It was something be yond and above cleverness that appeared to accept It with Just enough reproach to convey reality. " O, Maimle, when you know how careful of myself I have to be Just now." " I was a brute," cried Maimle, " nnd I deserved to have you come Just at the moment and make me feel a fiend." " And all the while I was wandering by myself In drafty streets on my way to you or waiting at Marian Junc tion." " And that In Itself Is enough to kill any woman, not to speak of you Just now. Have a glass of wine, Alice, that will do you more good than tea do, dear; you must have got chilled through and through waiting at the station." " I will, I think, tt will feel so disreputable to sandwich a glass of wine between two cups of tea that It will be about the same thing as being 'smart.' I've always longed all my quiet life here to go to those dinners that were so smart that they begun with a slice of melon and stopped In the middle to smoke clgurcts. I believe the chief reason why I married Pick was that I thought we should be asked to dinners of that sort." Inwardly something stupid in her brain said to her: " Why did you not think before of saying Pick's name aloud, and then you could have done without the wine? It has quite pulled you together; ray It again Dick, Dick, Dick." It was like the throbbing of the pulses In her head, only It hurt so. Why In the world should It hurt so much now she hod surely known the truth for weeks. " O, drink It now I've brought It." So she drank the wine, talked gayly with the little group of old friends and school fellows for quite as long a time as any one who had to change nt Marian Junction could be ex pected to stay at Brenham and then took a laughing fare well and started for the station. " Poor girl," said one or two of the other visitors In chorus. " Maimle, you did splendidly." " All the same," said Mrs. Ballanger, " I think she ought to know, you know." " Then why didn't you tell her?" asked one among the roup bluntly. " I couldn't. Miss Daly," said Mrs. Ballanger; " It was quite Impossible," " Poor Alice, she has had a disappointing marriage," a sharp nosed overdressed woman said complacently. " First to think that she was marrying a rich man" " Mr. Trudon wasn't a rich man," said Miss Daly. " Well, he was the heir of a rich old woman, and he had a allowance from her, and they took It for granted that he would be a rich man. It must have been hard when the old aunt died to feel real want of money." " Not so hard as to find herself deserted for a vulgar woman llk that Mrs, Mascot," said another. " But you say that she does not know anything about Mrs. Mascot," said MIbb Daly. The others turned to her Impatiently. How could an old maid, such as Miss Daly, understand the affairs of married women of three or four years' experience. "Of course, a married woman would know If she Is neg lected or not, though she may not know for whom or to what extent." suid Mrs. Ballanger patronizingly. Miss Daly felt properly snubbed and got up to go. Her way home led past the station. What If that poor wife who had been so easily deceived by her friends were still on the platform? Perhaps If the poor girl knew the truth things might Improve. Perhaps a husband who might have been faithful was drifting Into unfalth for want of a word left helpless to a temptation, through the pride of the woman who had promised to be his helpmate. Just as long ago well not so long ago, Just now It seemed no mora than yesterday a lover m a i lia I TEa - ; WAX- No Inquiries threw any light on what had become of old Miss Trillion's money. Probably it had disappeared long since, and she was pacified by the regular payment of sup posed Interest, until the time came when she wished to make settlements on her nephew but In any case It was gone, and Dick Trillion and his wife lost their prospects and their nl lowanceand fell from poverty to struggles. It was hard for both of them Dick did his best, but a lawyer cannot advertise for business like a tradesman, and Indeed It was less likely to come his way now when he was poor and needed It than when he was well to do, but in these cases the brunt of the battle is always borne by the woman. Alice had to make the same appearance on a bare third of the means be her own cook, dressmaker, and parlor maid. It was a breathless, hurried exclamation. The girl an swered It between her sobs. "Pile came home between 0 and 10. sir, awful ill, and saying she was going to die -and I ran for the d.K-'.or and he came and sent fur a nurse and please, sir, I'm afraid there Isn't any hope." He moved towards the stairs, the little girl staid him. " They aid it would kill her If you went up sudden, that's why I waited here." He stood client. (loud Qoij! Vhls thing so cymnion place that happens to almost all women happens as a matter of course a theme for laughter, Jokes congratula tions. How horrible it was. He stood leaning uguinst the banisters. The clock struck had failed because a girl hud been too proud to show that she cared. Little Miss Daly ran up the steps into the station. Mrs. Trudon, with white set face, paced up and down the platform. She did not see the thin little figure that ap proached her till It was within a step or two. Instantly mechanically A smile covered the paleness of the despairing wife's face. " Why, Miss Daly, I did not know that you went by train or I would have waited for you." " I don't; I came to speik to you," suid Miss Daly. " They did not tell you the truth Just now; that was not what they had been saying " "O, It did well." Alice said lightly. "Maimle never was quite a female deorge Washington, you know. One muBt take her as one finds her." " Don't you want to know the truth?" cried Miss Daly. " I don't want anything much Just now except my train," said Alice. "Ah, It's signaled!" V They were talking about your husband," said Miss Daly, firmly. " and though I make an enemy of you I'll tell you. If you don't know what la going on you should know. If a man Is leaving his home and walking blindfolded Into hell has his wife no duty to him? Does no blame rest with her If she Is too proud to nold out a hand to stop him?" " You dear thing! but you are talking nonsense, you know, absolute rubbish! Mrs. Mascot Is a client of my hus band's." "Ah. then you do know who It is!" cried Miss Daly. My dear, be brave; fight lier, my dear; she Is old, vulgar, not" Miss Daly hesitated und blushed " not altogether re spectable, nnd you are young, pretty, a lady, and soon you will be the mother of his child. You really ought not to have come out today, you know, but since you are out, finish. Come to my house rest there; we will watch for your husband, und when he passes to go to that woman's house, we'll waylay him, bring him In, and you shall talk to him hold out a hand did I say why, I would cling to him hand and foot fling my arm round his neck, lay hold on his soul and In nor sooner than bee him go over the precipice." The 11 1 1 It woman had laid hold on Alice's hands. She drew them away firmly. " Let me go, Miss Daly, you don't know " " Yes, I know now, Just because I did not know once. What's pride worth when a man like Dick is In question? I know what he was because he was always bo nice to me. One Judges a man by how he behaves to the woman he Isn't in love with, not by how he behaves to the one he is. Dick's a good fellow the best fellow In the world." " He Is, so don't misjudge him, dear Miss Dnly, you are making me miss my train," and with n smile on her face Alice held out a fairly steady hand In farewell and boarded the train. She was not nlono In the coach. There must be noth ing In her face or bearing to betray her. It was quite possible that among the people there might be some one who knew her by sight. So she retained the smile on her face by force and sat stiff and upright In the middle of the seat. " I know no more now than I've known this long while," she tried to say In her heart. But it was not so. She did know more for now she knew that she knew; she could no longer hope against hope. She knew that every one else knew. That Dick did not care If they knew, since Me carried on the linson In a popu lous suburb where she was well known and he was known at least by sight to her friends. And Dick's child was com ing to a heart broken mother and a father who would have no welcome for It. Cling to him! Plead with him? Had clinging and plead ing ever yet held a man when love was gone. No, let her keep her pride, it was all that she had left. without ceasing to be the social success thut had made other men so envious of Trudon's good fortune. It takes a cer tain amount of cleverness to cook a dinner; It takes an equal amount to be a bright and sparkling hostess. When a wom an does the two for long it kills her. Alice had done It for a year and now a child was coming and her husband wns ce.ning to love her. For months she had watched the thing grow. She re membered the tiist time Dick had gone out after dinner to see a client. She had been pleased. The thing hud happened again und again. She had still been pleasant. Then she had found out It was always the same client and that the client was a woman. 8he had been silent. How long the time seemed between the first torturing doubt, nnd the later torturing certainty. But she could still be silent. Suddenly she remembered how there had been tears run ning down Miss Daly's weather beaten little face. The mem ory cume nearer to making her break down than all her own misery. But she must not break down, for at any rate Dick would be at home this evening. There should be no scene. If Dick hud done her this horrible wrong she would die, but she would not complain. She rcuched home und her llrst care was dinner. All was us it should be. Mediocrity can stay by the fire and cook a dinner, genius can make such arrangements that dinner left to Itself will be in a perfect state ut a given time. The cheap no up, the fowl, were Just as they should be, and In ten minutes she was In the drawing room In a pretty demie toilette and with a bright face, and even the roughness of her finger ends wus disguised with a little violet powder. There was a clamorous knock at the door und a telegram was put Into her hand. " Dining with u client, may be lute. Dick." So he had not been hopeless after all till this minute. There had been enough heart left to die now in agonizing pain. Had that poor little old maid who cried known for certain where her husband would be tonight when she had refused to heed her? She was In the hull, a warm cloak thrown over her frock, the little cheap maid who washed and broke the dishes and cleaned the boots staring at ber and inquiring if she should serve the dinner. " No, put it away till tomorrow. Your master wishes me to meet him in town and dine there." The hull door shut behind her. There wus nn Interval that for the rest of her life was blank to her, and then she stood on the lawn of a house In the suburbs nnd saw straight In through level drawn Venetian blind? in to a cozy well lighted room, where a man and a woman stood. The man, young, athletic, silent, with a face that would excuse the trust of any woman; the woman, older, hand some, painted, and sending forth a shower of vehement words. The man had the grace to look ashamed. There was no comfort in that, but she hated to see him look ashamed. He spoke. The painted woman answered. He spoke again, and what he Bald pleased her. She answered In a few words, and And then suddenly the amazing pltlfulness swept over hearing her Joy, gratitude, admiration, tenderness, all her like a flood. It was as If she stood apart from herself and saw the whole story. The young wife, proud nnd happy; the young devoted husband, with good means and good prospects and a luxuri ous home. The young tired drudge with home made clothes and roughened finger ends, deserted for a well to do middle aged woman. 1 A few months after their marriage Dick's aunt had died suddenly, Just as she was about to settle a fortune on her nephew, rather than let him inherit In due course, and when her affairs came to be looked to no trace of her fortune could be found. Suspicion pointed at her trusted man of business, who had had a leng Interview with her on the morning preceding the night of her death, and had gone home, buying a re volver on his way, and been found shot through the heart In his study next morning. snowed in one spienum nasn in the man s lace, with a cry of delight that sounded even through the closed window, the man sprang across the Intervening space and clasped the painted woman In his arms. Neither heard the low cry outside nor the dull thud as a crouching figure swayed and fell among the laurel bushes. Dick Trudon was even later than his telegram had sug- gested when he slipped his latchkey silently Into the hall door. His idea was to creep silently upstairs to avoid waking his wife. But the moment the door opened he knew something un usual was going on. The little maid was sitting on the stairs watching for him. She came forward breathless with red eyes. " You're to go Into the study and wait there the doctor will let you know." " My wife!" more than once, but he wa not sure If It struck hours or quarters or how long It was before the door upstairs opened nnd he met the doctor on the landing. " Is It over?" . Yes: 1 can do no more. The child may live, with care." " My wife!" " Yes. see her. It can do no harm now, but I warn you it Is serious." The two men were face to face. It was as If the man's heart and soul had rushed already to his wife, but a stern will staid his mere bodily presence half way. " Will it lessen her chance If 1 see her now?" " No, no, nothing can do that, so, who knows It may not do good, and even if not, her last few minutes " Trudon waited for no more; he was in the room. The white face on the pillow looked dead already. At his presenov something waked In It, but not love or welcome only pain. " I am dying. Dick." " No " There was such quiet determined force in the one word that the nurse, busy with the child at the further end of the room, raised her head und listened; after all, there might still be something for her to do. "No," and a strong tender arm had raised her head and a strong lender grasp taken the weak bund, where the wed ding ring was slipping over the thin fingers. "No; you've bvrn dying all this time, dear, of poverty and struggle und inxlety, uiul I've seen It. though I've said nothing till I could do something. But you won't die now It's done and the good time come." It was not pain now, but an overmastering desire to know what lie would say that brought life buck to her face. He was looking at her with a calm cheerfulness thnt noth ing on earth could have broken down because Instinct told him thnt It was the one tiling to help her. " I'd disappointed you once by telling you that 1 was going to give you a pleasant life, and you bore It like u heroine, but 1 saw what courage was costing you and I threw iny whole soul Into finding what Fleming had done with Aunt Mary s money. I found he'd been privately married for years nnd had settled niot.ey on his wife, and I got to know her and played nt being a detective I thought her an accomplice, I got her confidence. She told me that she was sure that her late husband had money at the time of his death and em ployed me to look for It. She was a vulgar, good hearted, estimable, Impossible woman, and at Inst I grew ashamed and told her what I suspected about Aunt Mary's money and that gave ber the clew. My name had meunt nothing to her, because all my nunt's fortune wus still Invested in the trade name of her late husband. We got on the track und we've found It." " And then?" The nurse knew that the question was not asked in tlio voice of n dying woman, and slipping the baby into the cradle, went downstairs to order beef tea und tell the doctor. Dick Trudon heard the change In the voice, too, and went on with the story that had caused It, unconscious that he was speaking his own defense. " Why, th. n. 1 was more ashamed of myself than I hope I II ever 'be again. It seemed that my aunt gave him direc tions to sell; he sold under the name that we did not know- the poor old lady was sensitive about tne way ner laic nus- hand made his money so he took home the olvjer money because ii .- too late to bank It, buying a revolver on the way tie- cause he was nervous about haying so much In the house. We got so far as this last night. Today his wife Ills widow, I mean-smashed all the furniture In the study till she found the money, nnd then telegraphed for me, and all but Hung It at me. " That's where my shame came in. I was wild with de light at finding the fortune nnd all she thought of was that finding It' proved thnt her husband had died by accident an honest man, and that the verdict of suicide under a cloud could be contradicted publicly. "Of course, you kissed her?" It was a verdict of acquittal. He did not know that.lbut he knew that the faint suggestion of humor In the voice meant returning life. ; " Kissed her! I took her in my orms, false hair rind shaky h's and all. I hugged her and we sat up half 'the night going Into papers to see how much of the money she found was hers. Some of it is, I'm glad to say. You're glad, too, I know. 1 say, there are some good old souls In the world, aren't there?" A humorous memory of tears running down a dear wizened little face ran In the wife's mind. It was strange to think Just now how delightful It would be to tell her the truth, but she had said taat Dick was a good fellow all the while. "You're quite right, Dick,", she murmured, "I shall get well." "Of course, you will; you won't desert me; how could we have borne things all the while If we hadn't known that neither of us would fall the other." The wife smiled silently in his face, knowing then that the one thing that could ntone for her doubt of him was si lence. Though the longing to confess tore at her heart, Dick must be left his faith In her, he must never know that hers In him had failed. Her punishment must he to bear her own knowledge In silence. He must not know that he had told her of anything more than the good news of prosperity. The nurse ennu back; her instinct had led her to the chicken broth which only needed heating. Then there was the baby to look at nnd kiss, and then quiet sleep, with a happ'y husband close at hand, and after that, health, love, nnd perfect confidence. But the doctor was perplexed. " Queerest recovery I've ever had," he said. " It couldn't have been the mere presence of her husband; that was a matte of course; the servant said they had dined together that evening. First she was mysteriously going to die with out any particular reason, then she changed her mind wlth tut a scrap more reason. There's no accounting for women." esoosooeososoosoooosooso aosossssssssssssosoossoossssooosseossooosossssoosssssssssssso 633330333303303330333353 matice of a j!?Lctu re stal (Sard. I. ISI kHERWOOD displayed a photograph ' post card to bis friend Babcock. This." he said, "ought to please Elvira." Babcock took the card, looked at It, and laughed. " It ought to, all right." he said, " If she likes grewsome things." The card was one of Sherwood's own print If showed a picturesque churchyard with a large tombstone prominent In the foreground. " But X have my doubts," he went on, " about sending It to ths girl to whom I was engaged. Doubtless she will "admire your skill, but I have my doubts as to the way In which shs will understand it It may put you In a false light" " You'rs wrong. Bab. old boy. Why, when we started out on this auto tour her Inst word was: ' Now, Harry, don't fall to send me a post card from every 1 aportant point you visit. I wiU Increase my collection In that way, besides knowing you have me In your thoughts at least at times.' No. Bab, I don't think she will misunderstand It At any rate, I'm going to post It Here goes." They were passing the postofllce of a New York town and Sherwood dropped the missive with Its strange design In the gaping slot " Well, the deed Is dope now, anyway," said Babcock, " but I do hope, for your sake, Harry, she will not try and decipher the Inscription on that tombstone In the fore ground. Do you remember how It read? It is terribly sug gestive. Here It Is: "'Pause, passer-by! Beneath this sod There rest the bones of Jessie Dodd, Who loved a man who threw her over To die and lie beneath this clover.' " " 'Tls rather grewsome," commented Sherwood, " but I don't think Elvira will misunderstand it'.' Mr. Harry Sherwood's conclusions, however, were not correct, as he learned to his dismay on his return to New . York. He received a call tt bis club from Elvira's brother. Gil bert Ellis. Ho greeted ths kinsman of his fiancee warmly, but his greeting was returned In a manner most chilly. " I have not called to exchange greetings, Sherwood," he suid, "but on business more Important and not so pleasant My sister was deeply hurt by the postal curds she received from you. She feels deeply the Insults they contained. It Is her desire and that of our family that the acquaintance should cease. Here are your letters and presents. Good day, sir." Kills departed suddenly, leaving the astonished Sherwood gating at the floor. " Seems to me there has been another hand Injected Into this game," was all he said. II. Babcock and Gilbert Ellis were talking it over a few weeks later. " I have never seen a fellow so hard hit," said Babcock. " Since the post card episode Harry Sherwood hasn't been himself. He is no longer the gay. pleasant chap of the time previous to the breaking off of the engagement." Ellis moved uneasily, but demurred to the conclusion drawn by Babcock. " I don't think you ought to say that," he expostulated. "One might have considered it a Joke, but to receive a series bearing similar references as that on the first, from every point In New York state where you stopped, was simply abominable." " He showed me only the one at Herkimer," said Bubcock. " If he sent others they must have been posted when he was cut of my presence." Just then a mutual friend Joined them. " Have you heard the news about Harry Sherwood?" he asked. " No," they both exclaimed In the same breath. " What la It?" " Why, he's committed suicide " " What?" cried Babcock. " Why, that's absurd. I saw him only two nights ago, and, while he seemed morose, there, was nothing ubout his actions that hinted he was about to end his lire." " It's true, nevertheless," said the newcomer. " He was seen to go out Into the sea at Manhattan beach during the afternoon and deliberately drown himself." "How do they know it was Sherwood?" askod Babooclc " Was the body recovered?" " Yts, and It was Identified by the clothes." " This is Indeed a sad affair," iJ Ellis. " Poor Elvira. BY H. L. MORTIMER. She took the breaking off of the engagement much to heart She left last night on John Hale's yacht on a cruise for the benefit of her health. Mother Is with them, nnd I hope it will do her good. I suppose Hale knows about the suicide and will break the news as gently as possible." "Yes, Hale knows of It," said thefrlend. "Surprised yu hadn't heard of It." Babcock was too much affected to talk. He knew, too, the relation of John Hale to Elvira Ellis. He was aware Hale was the most dangerous rival of Sherwood for the girl's hand. He knew Sherwood always felt In doulu, even though he was engaged to her. Hale was rich nnd was favored by the Ellis family, though It was generally known his fortune had been accumulated by more or less unscrupulous means Elvira Ellis found her health benefited by her cruise on the Sea Wing, but she was unhappy. They had been out five days, and were glad when the yacht's nose was turned home ward. John Hale had done everything In his power to Ingra tiate himself In her estimation during the trip, and she was expecting every day he would renew his suit, particularly In the event of Sherwood's death. The second night on the return trip the expected hap pened. "Elvira," he exclaimed, "I love you; have always loved you. ' There Is nothing I want so much In the world as you. Won't you be mine?" " I don't know," stammered the girl, abashed, and per mitting her hand, which he had seised, to remain In his. " It m too soon to answer." " You mean Sherwood?" he queried. " Why, he is gone; drowned, and by his own hand. Before that, his behavior -those -curds hardly justify regret." " As you think so," ejaculated the girl, with a warm flush of anger In her cheeks, "I will " The sentence ended In a shriek of horror, as, with a crash of rending woodwork on the deck, ths yacht heeled over to Its beam ends, precipitating both to the leeward. III. Hale scrambled to bis feet sad was hammering with furious fear at the door, whRn had Jammed, when It was suddenly burst open from the outside and the skipper ap peared. " There's a schooner crashed Into us," he said, trying to be calm. "And there Is a hole In our sicfe you. could walk through. It can't float but a few moments, sir." Hale 'vanished up the companionway and the captain turned to Elvira and her mother, who had entered at the crash. "Come, ladies," he said, catching the arm of each. "It won't float long. There should be a boat in the water by this time, and I'll see you to It." He assisted them to the gig. which hud escaped injury in the colllBlon, and In which Hale, with must of the crew. sat. Then he Jumped in himself. " Shove off." he ordered. " If it sinks now we'll be car ried down with It and we must not lose the chance of the schooner picking us up." The yacht vanished in the fog and had hurdly done S3 when a hall came from Its direction. " Boat alloy! you have left me behind," it rang out. "One of the hands." ejaculated the shipper. "We must have left him below. 1 thought they were all here." "It is Harry SheVwood's voice," cried Elvira. "Oo buck! O. go back!" "Do no such thing," said Halo heartlessly. "It Is Im possible that it can be Sherwood, and if a man can't look after himself ut a time like this let him tuke the conse quences." But his men, disposed us they were toward punle, were too good seamen to desert a companion. The Unit groped its way back to where the yacht bud been. No trace of It could be seen. "We must give It up," said the captain, sadly, at laiSt. " It has floundered. Ah, there is a light. Perhaps that Is the schooner, or some other craft." Fortunately, It did turn out to be the schooner. They were taken aboard and landed the next morning at a small const town in Virginia. Elvira nnd her mother hurried buck to New York, where the girl was placed in a sanitarium, for ahe persisted in her statement she had heard Sherwood's voice ttvit awful night. Four days later Gilbert Kills broke tu on Bubcock at the club. "Here's a most extraordinary thing," he said. "Here Is a message from Norfolk, signed ' Harry Sherwood ' and unk ing ma to wire my sister's address." "That Is marvelous." answered Babcock, mystified. " What are you going tn do?" "To wire him the truth," replied Ellis. "I don't under stand It all, but I suppose that Is the best course." It was three days later and Sherwood himself, healthy and well, was ushered Into the club where Ellis and Babcock were wont to dine. Both were at the club, as It happened, and two more as tonished men could nut be found. 1 "What does this mean, Sherwood?" both aBked. " 1 want to see Elvira," replied Sherwood, addressing Kills and paying no attention to his friend. Ellis asked for no explanations. "Surely," was nil he said. "Come wltti me." Babcock accompanied them and they went to the sani tarium, where Elvira was still receiving treatment, sup posedly for a weaki ned mind. They found Hale in her presence. Sherwood approached his rival with a furious look on his countenance. ; "What do you mean, " he cried, "by your foul plots? What did you mean by following Bubcock and I In an uuto and sending postal cards you knew would make Miss Kills angry when you had heard of my blunder at Herkimer?" "I did nothing of the kind," sneered Hale. " You did, and 1 can prove it," returned Sherwood with heat. "Do it, then." answered Hale, growing slightly pale "I shall before I get through with you. But I hml better explain my presence here first. When I was bathing at Man hattan beach I was cureless as to where I lift my clothes und a tramp who had wandered out there stole them. I was ashamed to return ashore until after dark. Then I learned Hit tramp tiad committed suicide and that I was supposed to be drowned entirely. That was great luck, for being some thing of a sailor, and putting two and two together. I was fortunate enough to ship on your yacht. My own mother would not have known rue, for I wore a heavy heard. And there, through the bulkhead, 1 heard your proposal to Elvira. Then there came the collision. You refused to return foj- me. I was picked up later by another schooner, but meantime took the' liberty of starching your cabin. I found these negatives and I think they are satisfactory proof." 1 He drew forth the films. Hale blanched. "Elvira," said Sherwood. "You've heard our stories. Yob are not out of your mind. Whom do you choose?" , She looked quickly at him; he read his answer und kHenl her right before rival, brother, friend, and all.