Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1858-06-03
AN INDEPENDENT FAMILY JOURNAL AND BUSINESS REqVREB AIM WANWE wnsnarTp BENEFIT
VO.IN FREEHOLD NJ THURSDAY MORNING UE3 - Nn@

how connected with the matter. It.now
became mesto put on a smooth and afec-
~tionate exterior. for I hadA secret to
fathom. | received Jane, on her return,
with the old ~fondness, and we passed an
evening full of misery to ME, but over
flowing with happiness to her. Where
to begin in my. Investigations, / could not
tell. | was afraid that the servant would
tell Jane of our conversation; but as she
thoroughly loved her mistress, she prom
ised that if | made no difficulty about it
she would not tell her.
l had no resource now but to watch
The next day instead of going to my Of
flee, Isstook a cigar in the reading room Of
the -hotel, and seating myself beside
q window that gave me a view of my res
idence, | kept my eye on the door. [ had
sat there perhaps half an hour, when
James most intimate lady friend, miss
Kate Stephens) went tripping down the
street and entered the house. A few min
utes passed away when She and Jane
emerged; both were bonetted and cloaked.
| slipped out and followed them at q dis
lance, through half a dozen streets, until
at last they turned in at an open door
way. 4 marked the number and then
went to ~mysefice. ] was IN d fever of
excitement. ~That was evidently no place
for ladies to call. That door opened into
a little blind looking stairway. There
was no name on the door.
The next thing for ale to ascertain was
the nalne and character Of tho persons
occupying the rooms above. went to
my dinner as usual, and PLACED the care
less'and happy to the best d my ability.
MY wife was IN a gay mood. and seemed
almost hatefully charming and brilliant,
| kissed her and babe her good evening,
pleading business as my excuse 70. leay-
ing her alone. My steps j. involun.
tarily took the direction Of the morning
walk. | was moving briskly along. when
l discovered a familiar figure before me.
l knew it was Benton the moment | fixed
my eye upon it. Iunconsciously took his
pace. keeping at a safe distance. and fol-
lowed street after street by the same path
upon which had followed my wife. AS
we approached the suspected doer | fair.
" held my breath. My blood curdlea,
and every hair of my head seemed to rise
with apprehension. | was not mistaken.
lie mounted the steps, and turning on his
heel, coelly paused to pick his teeth as |
ground my together and passed by.
l could not yet bring myself to the hui
initiation Of doubling my wife's truth to
me. The fact hat her friend accompa
MED her certainly did not lead this to a
conclusion; but the consciousness that
she still retained a warm respect for Ben
ton, and that she had met him in an OBJ
scure room for any purpose distracted
me. But had prudence enough to wait
Tor the denouement, and in the meantime
to maintain as strict a surveillance Of both
parties as was possible without endaager-
ing detection.
Three days passed away, and nothing
occurred to prove that the visit had been
repeated. In the meantime, Jane was
happy as a lark. | watched her some
times while she sat at her needle work,
and frequently saw a peculiar smile on
her face. On one Of these occasions I
abruptly asked her what she was thinking
OF, and although | importuned her with
some degree of severity. 4 could get no
satisfactory reply.
The matter very Q . began to wear
upon my spirits. | was frightened by my
haggard aspect, whenever | looked in a
mirror. Jane noticed the fact, and be-
came extremely anxious for me. Her az
f%ectionate attentions were more assiduous
than ever, and | was made ashamed of my
suspicious, for | could not, doubt the gen
u%ineness of her soIicitous approximations.
Still the facts would recur, and | passed
many a sleepless night in revolving them.
One day, while sitting in my Office, my
perplexlng thoughts overcame me, and i
penned the letter which you received from
me. could keep still no longer without
telling some one Of the weight which OPP
pressed me. | took the letter to the Of
ice myself; and as l felt that solitude
would only render me more miserable, [
did not return, but kept along through
the streets. Involuntarily, almost, | SO
directed my steps as to take the street
which contained the secret that was tor
menting me. | selected the door at the
distance OF q block; and my heart sank
Within me as | saw a gentleman taking
leave Of q lady upon the steps. They
could have been-they we're no other,
than my wife and the miscreant- Benton.
There was no lady with her. / could see
that they were laughing merrily.
| had a revolver in my pocket, loaded
and capped, and my hand sought it and
was glued 10 it as | approached the spot.
But Jane did not see me, and tripped of
IN an opposite direction. Benton re-
manned IN the doorway, and with an
eye liked madly upon him, | approached
him. He did not shrink from my look
but returned it with a smile that puzzled
me. know not what it was, but there
, was something in the mild, pleasant eye
} Of the man, and in his unrufled and un
J suspecting look, that disarmed me. The
nearer ! approached him, the more dis
concerted | became, but as | had eviden
ly aimed at him in my progress, I fell
that could not avoid him and | de