The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-07-11

Eva Forester home over red-hot plough
shares.
Mrs. Clark found her very dull COM
panion, and could get no satisfaction
concerning her husbands illness.
"Leavo me at the door," said Eva,
when they drew near the hotel where
Mr. and Mrs. Forester were staying.
"Why, my dear, your rooms are on
the other side," Mrs. Clark said.
But 1 will stop here" Eve replied,
decidedly.
If James was at home, he should not
hear a carriage drive up, and look out
and see that it was she.
It was ten o'clock, for the drive had
taken them some time. The young
wife's heart burned with a fierce and
deadly jealousy us she glided noiseless-
ly through the long, lighted entries.
She did not know who to be Jealous of,
for her husband had, after all, done
nothing to point out any person. Her
vexations had been vague and as moth
ing, but now terrible reality stood be-
fore her. She had realized, thinking
the matter over on her way home, that
in truth she was the happiest of women
till that night, and that, though she
had pretended to be jealous, it was pre-
tence.
Never till now had she known that
agonized contraction of the heart which
comes when proof of misery is at hand.
Her head was in whirl, though she
was outwardly COOL She was fit for
anything. What she would do to him
she knew not, but as for the woman who
had dared to lure her husband away
from her-she should die.
She passed swiftly through the hall,
went into side passage and down to
the street at the back part of the hotel.
An apothecary's shop was at the back
of the hotel. She was known there, and
had no difficulty in procuring what she
wanted. After a minute, she went back
to the hotel with bottle in her hand.
A light shone under the door of her
room. He was at home. She stopped
for minute to take breath, then softly
tried the lock. Of course it was fastened
she thought. But no, 1t yielded to her
touch, and she entered without sound
The entry and parlor lights were dim,
but from the open door of the sleeping
room came a flood of light. She
crossed the room and stood on the
threshold. Horror of horrors woman
lay on her bed asleep, with her face
turned away; white hand dropped
over the side of the bed, and flood of
hair streamed over the pillow. Eva
Forrester's nerves seemed changed to
wires of steel. She only glanced round
to make sure that no one else was in the
room she softly approached the bed
the bottle clasped tightly in her hand.
A table was drawn up to the bedside,
and on it was placed Il vase of flowers
and a smelling bottle.
With her hand resting on the table,
Eva bent forward to see the face of her
rival. 1t was a sweet and lovely face,
scarcely the one that might be looked
for in a woman who would be found in
such a situation.
"Wretch" " she muttered, taking a
step nearer, but at the same time she
heard her husband coming.
"Why, who is here Z" exclaimed a
ladys voice at the door.
Another woman! In sheer surprise
Mrs. Forester turned her head and saw
Mrs. Marvin, the lady who owned the
suite of rooms next her own. The lady
stood looking at her in astonishment.
Their acquaintance was too slight to
warrant such visit on either side.
"Why, how in the world happened
you to come into my rooms!" cried
Mrs. Marvin, too much surprised to be
very polite.
"Your rooms!"
Eva looked about her. Sure enough,
she was in the wrong room.
After explanations and apologies,
Mrs. Forester gathered up her wraps,
which had dropped off on the floor as
she entered, and sought her own apart
ment. But not with light heart. She
might find something as bad there.
Mrs. Marvin's sister had arrived only
that night but perhaps she was not
the only new conner in the house.
A light under the door here too. She
made sure that she had the right door
and again the door yielded to her hand
Again the dim light IN the parlor and
the bright light beyond.
This time Mrs. Forester looked about
the room. Yes, that was her furniture
and the canary gave sleepy warble a
she entered.
She went to the bedroom door, and
with a thiclly beating heart stood OF
the threshold. No food of fair hair ant
no white hand were there to wiring bel
heart; but a brown haired head on tn,
pillow and a pair of brown eyes oper
and looking at her.
90 IGWOn,+ 1yD,, 1on1y ho ,oa,ln, loo,.
Eva Z" her husband asked sleepily.
She started and tried to recover her
self.
"Why didn't you lock it 2" she asked
"I left it open for you," he replied.
"But said 1 should stay all night,
she exclaimed.
81 didn't think you would, dear, afte
you received that note" he remarked
coolly.
"That note |" she cried.
"Yes: didn't he bring it to you
though Z"
He couldn't help smiling.
"James, what do you mean I" hi
wife asked, breathlessly, coming to tn
bedside, having hidden the fatal vial il
her pocket.
He stretched out his hand and draw
ing little stand nearer took from
the fac simile of the note Eva had re
ceived.
"I couldn't bear to have you ava,
from me so long," he said.
Then, as she burst into tears, half @
JOY, half of terror for the awful Grim
she had just escaped, he put his aly
around her.
Forgive me, dear" he said tenderly