The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-04-14


vibced that he was o better man than
myself. ! cauldnot bring myself to. COM
;nand my wifenot to Iseeshim, without o
single reason, SOL took my satisfaction in
behaving like a bear, and making her
miserable for week.
Some days had passed away when one
evening party of merry friends came in
and James bridal array became the SUBJ
ject of conversation. A lady ofthe party
expressed wish to see some article OF
ornament. belonging to the bridal dress.
Jane endeavored to change the conyersa-
ton. saw that she was troubled, but
repeated the lady's request. She replied
the article was not at home. l inquired
of her whom she had lent it. to. She re-
piled that she had not lent it; and her
lips trembled, and her cheeks burned as
she said it. The ladies saw that some.
thing was wrong, and Immediately turned
attention from the subject.
But I was aroused. In my excited
and suspicious state of mind, fancied a
hundred things, and somehow they were
associated with, Benton. I determined
to ascertain where the article had gone.
First,I took occasion, during my wife,s
absence from the house one afternoon to
ascertain that there Was,not single arti.
Gle of her bridal attire in the house.
knew that the whole would makea form
Eiiddbfe package, which she could never,
or would never, have carried away.
Who did caryitf Somebody, probably
who belonged in the house. I called the
girr whom you met at the door, and asked
whether she carried from the house lately
a package or q band-box belonging to
Mrs. Kennedy. She colored deeply, and
acknowledged that she had. I inquired
as to. where she had carried it, She was
yefys humble, and deprecated ymy dis
pltaiure; but very positively declined to
tell me. I coaxed her. undertook to
bribe her and threatened her, but, all to
| no purpose. Not if were to cut her in
pieces would she tell me. '" :
My suspicious were thoroughly aroused
and I believed from the bottom of my
soul chat Che detestable Benton somehow
| was connected with the matter. 1t now
became me to put, ON a smooth. and af'
fectionate exterior, for had q secret to
fathom. I 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 Investigations, I could not tell
I was afraid the servant would tell Jane
of our conversation but, as she thor.
| oughly loved her mistress, she promised
that if ] made nozdificulty about;itshe
wouldsnot tell hera -!
S.T lad no resource now but to watch
The next day, instead of going to my
Office, I took cigar in the reading room
of the hotei and seating myself BY
Iawindow that gave me a view of my resi-
dence, T kept my eye on the door. hae
sat there perhaps half an hour, wher
James NEST intimate lady friend miss
Kate StepheDs) went tripping down the
street and entered the house. aA.feW
minutes passed away when she and Jane
emerged; both were bonnetted ane
cloaked. I slipped out and followed
them at distance, through half dozer
| streets, until at last they turned ID at al
open doorway. I marked the number
Land them went to- my Office. Il was in {
fever of excitement. That was evidently
no place for ladies to call. That door
| opened into blind looking stairway
There was no name or, the door. ,-~-------
The next thing for me to ascertain was
| the name and~character~ofr rthe ~personl
occupying the rooms above. l xentts
tmy dinner as usual, and played the care
less and happy to the best of my ability
My wife was in a gay mood, and seemed
almost hatefully charming and brilliant
Ii kissed: her aud bade her good evening
pleading business as my excuse for leay'
ing her alone. My steps almost involun'
| tarify took the direction Of the morning
walk. Twas moving briskly along, when
I discovered a familiar figure before me.
I knew it was Benton the moment | fixed
eyes Upon it. / uncousciously took his
pace, keeping at safe distance, and fol-
lowed street oven street oy that same path
upon which had followed my wife. As
l;weapproached the suspected door / fair
| ily held my breath. My blood curdled,
and every 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 myselfto the hu.
initiation of doubling my wife's truth to
me. The fact that her friend accompa-
MED her certainly did not tend to this
conclusion but the consciousness that
she still retained warm respect 70: Ben
ton, and that she had met him in an OBJ
scure room for any purpose, distracted
me. But had prudence enough to de-
termine to wait for the denouement, and in
the meantime to maintain as strict sur
veilapce of both parties as was possible
without endangering detection.
Three days: passed away and nothing
occurred to prove that the visit had
been repeated. In the meantime Jane
was as happy as lark. / watched her
sometimes while she sat al her needle
work, and frequently saw peculiar smile
on her face. On one of these occasions
I abruptly asked her what she was think
ing of, and though importuned. her
with some degree Of severity, I could get
no satisfactory reply.
The matter very soon began to wear
upon my spirits. Twas frightened by my
l,aggard aspect whenever l looked in a
mirror. Jane noticed the fact and became
extremely anxious for me. Her affec-
tionate attentions were more assiduous
than ever, and I was made ashamed of
my suspicious, for I could not doubt the
genuineness of her solicitous apprehen.
8 ons. Still the facts would recur, and I
passed many sleepless nights revolving
them.
One day, while sitting in my Office, my
perplexing thoughts overcams me, and :!
penned the letter which you received
from me. I could keep still no longer
without telling some one OF the weight
that oppressed me. I took the letter to
the Office myself; and as I felt that soli-
'tude would only render ME more miser-
able, I did not return, but kept along
through the streets. Involuntarily, al
most, l 30 directed my steps as to take the
street which, contained the secret that
was tormenting me-. Iselected the door