The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1858-04-28

was the name anu cnaracter vi ouo pei
sons occupying the rooms above. l went
to my dinner as usual, and played the
careless aud happy to the best Of my abil-
ity. My wife was in gay mood, and
seemed almost hatefully charming and
brilliant. | kissed her, and bade her
good evening, pleading business rs my ex-
cuse for leaving her alone. My steps al
most involuntarily took the direction Of
the morning walk. was moving briskly
along when discovered familiar figure
before me- knew it was Benton the
moment fixed my eye upon it. un-
consciously took his pace, keeping safe
distance from him, and followed him street
by street over the same path upon which
l had followed my wife. As we ap-
preached the suspected door, fairly held
my breath. My blood curdled, and eve-
ry hair on my head seemed to rise with
apprehension. was not mistaken. He
mounted the steps, and, turning on his
heel, coolly paused to pick his teeth as I
ground mine together, and passed by.
~ could not yet bring myself to the
humiliation Of doubling my wife's truth
to me. The fact that her friend accom-
panied her certainly did not tend to this
conclusion but the consciousness that she
still retained warm respect for Benton,
and that she had met him in an obscure
room for any purpose, distracted me.
But had prudence enough to determine
to wait for the dcnounent, and in the
meantime to maintain as strict surveil-
lance of both parties as was possible with
out endangering detection. ir
"Three days passed away, and nothing
occurred to prove that the visit had been
repeated. In the meantime Jane was as
happy as a lark. l watched her some
times while she sat at her needle-work,
and frequently saw peculiar smile upon
her face. On one of these occasions l
abruptly asked her what she was thinking
of, and though importuned her with
some degree of severity, l could get
no satisfactory reply.
"The matter very soon began to, wear
upon my spirits. l was frightened by
my haggard aspect whenever locked in
mirror. Jane noticed the fact, aud be-
came extremely anxious for me. Her af
fectiouate attentions were more assiduous
than ever, and / was made ashamed Of
my suspicious, for could not doubt the
genuineness of her solicitous apprehen.
sions. Still the facts would recur, and |
passed many sleepless night In revolving
them. fl
"One day, while sitting in my office,
my psrplexing thoughts overcome me, and
penned the letter which you received
from me. could keep still no longer
without telling some one of the weight
which oppressed me. / took the letter tc
the Office myself; and as ! felt that soil
tude would not only render me more mis-
erable, did not return, but kept along
through the streets Involuntarily, almos
so directed steps as to take the stree
which contained the secret that was ter
menting me. l selected the door at th
distance of block ; and my heart sanl
, within me as saw a gentleman takinI
leave of lady upon the steps, The,
, could have been-they were-no othe
than my wife and the miscreant Benton
There was no lady with her. could Sc
that they were laughing merrily.
4" 1 had revolver in my pocket, losde
and capped, and my hand sought it an
. was glued to it as I approached the spo
=, But Jane did not sec me, and tripped o
in the opposite direction. Benton remair
cd in the doorway, and with my eye 6xe
madly upon him approached him. H
" did not shrink from my look, but returne
: it with smile that puzzled me. | kno
. not what it was, but there was somethin
u in tho mild pleasant eye of the man, an
q in his unruffied and unsuspecting look th'
Is disarmed me. The nearer l approachs
'e him, the more disconnected became, bl
L as 1 had evidently aimed at him in IN
progress, 1 felt that l could not avoid hi
b.. and determined moreover that cou
f. and would bear the suspense no longer
m Good morning, Mr.. Kennedy" sa
" Benton. --..
s. MY voice was startling husky to m
ID self as returned the salution.
IN "You are just to late to see very bea
IS tiful woman" said the man with just t
he slightest tremor in his voice.
n "My blood took fire at once. Sir
e. said fercely, you are a scoundrel,' "
ed "What-can--you- mean sir ~
ed ouired the man. opening his ewes wi