Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-04-09

attitude, | doubt whether the most criti-
cal physiognomist would have detected
in his appearance an indication of craft
or guile. In his cool, passionless gray
eye lurked no suspicious CLEAN; and the
lines about his large mouth were drawn
as evenly as in preraphaelite picture.
Mrs. Tapscott advanced mechanically and
kissed him.
lis anything wrong, my love." he
asked anXiously.
Cynthia's heart was beating wildly, but
she endeavored to contrCl her voice. and
answered with as much unconcern as
possible:
Nothing, thank you.n
Now it was Cadwallader's turn to be
mystifed He repaired to his dressing
room, and began TO arrange his toilet for
the evening. What had come over his
wife? Why did she cram those papers
into the desk as he entered the room L?
Why, in fact, had she acted so strangely
of late in everything affecting that escrf-
toire? and why was she today so dis
traught and absent-minded as to forget
her customary salutation? It was unac-
countable.
All at once his eye fell on the twisted
bit of paper in his hand, and he unfolded
it. IL proved to be the blank side of a
note-sheet, such as his wife used to lot
down memoranda before entering them in
her journal. On it was the inscription
Mem.-Ed writes me, requesting in
terview at his office, Saturday, 10th. He
wants proofs. Have answered, promising
compliance"
Mr.. Tapscott did not sink into chair ;
he did not utter stif1ed moan: he did not
oil rrrr 4 DO 80 oI1 10 T.
simply looked dazed, and said something.
What he said is neither here nor there; L
am sure the reader would not wish me to
record it.
Then he read the words a second time.
"And who the dickens Is Ed ?" he de-
manded, directing the question partly to
his shaving glass and partly to vacancy.
He wants proofs, does hes By the pow
ers, he shall have them! I'n give him all
the proofs he wants of one fact-that it's
not safe to cultivate the acquaintance of
Mrs. Cadwallader Tapscott without the
cOgniZance and consent Of her husband"
He folded the paper carefully and put
1t IN his porte-mOnnaie.
mo wonder she's acted so oddly, car
rying this thing on under my very nose"
he added, as he resumed his dressing.
SdIu1udI, Cu! lnC fC1J ldJ vi my dp-
pointment. Well, this being of primary
importance, the other can wait. The
first instinct in a married man, by Jove,
is self-preservation!"
No sooner had her husband left her
apartment than Mrs. Tapscott burst into
tears They were the first she had been
relief. Suddenly she started up, bathed
har in onlA on1 hootaro1 70
the floor below.
II am wasting valuable time" She
sOlilOquiZed. "He carries tablets in his
Overcoat. Who krows but they may con-
tain the very information | want?"
So saying, she went to the hat rack and
began rifling the pockets of Cadwallader's
surtOut. The tablets were soon forthcom-
ing, and under the head of Saturday was
the inscription:
Afternoon-Miss Isabel Whitney, %
Marcelin place"
Every lingering hope of her husbands
was dispelled. She must face the dread
reality and make the best Of it.
Returning the tablets to their proper
pocket, Cynthia adjourned to the dining
room, and employed the ensuing interval
in giving orders to the servants and look
ing after the dinner. When husband and
wife next met both were as calm as usual,
and the evening meal was eaten as
though nothing had happened, or was
about to happen, to destroy their domes-
tic peace. If anything, they were more
twinkle than ever.
The following morning, when Mr.. Tap
scott entered the library, he beheld his
wife engaged in reading the advertise
ment columns of the Messenger. AS soon
as she saw him she made some excuse to
lay the newspaper aside and leave the
room. His curiosity was now on the
alert, and he was fortified against any
surprise after the developments of yester-
day. He bit his lips when he noticed
that certain item among the Person
ais" had been partially cut out. What
did it mean?
"Will meet you as per yesterday. Mes
senger.'-C. T."
C. T.-Cynthia Tapscott! 1t was plain
as day.
Nevertheless, to make assurance doubly
sure, he sent a servant to find the supple
ment for the previous day. She returned
with the mutilated copy, which had been
stuffed away with a pile of old papers
down stairs.
So Mr.. Tapscott INDUCED In another
ejaculation very like one | mentioned q
little way back
When breakfast was over, and he pre-
pared to go out, his wife proposed accom-
panying him. With woman's tact, she
managed to direct their course through
Marcelin place, and past No. IL. 1t was
handsome house-much handsomer
than the one she lived in-with brown
stone facings and a broad flight of steps.
On the door plate was the name "Whit-
ney," in large, prominent letters.
This, then" she pondered, " is the
abode OF the woman who has stolen my
husbands confidence from me. Oh, the
wretch" And her teeth closed so vio-
lently that the very exhalation of her
breath caused faint hiss.
She glanced up at her husband. He,
too, was regarding the house with
strange expression, and as her eye en-
countered his she fancied he changed
color slightly.
"Can she suspect anything?" he was
asking himself. "She looks very curl
ously at the house. | should like to know
is going on"
And thus the pair moved along, their
minds actively at work, but their lips
silent. Shortly afterward Cynthia re-
quested her husband to put her in an up
ward-bound omnibus, and left him to con
tinue his walk alone.
Arrived at his office, Cadwallader sent
a clerk to the printing house with instruc-
tiOnS to obtain yesterdays Messenger at
any price. The boy returned with his
tXT hI S..11lY Mo