Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1882-12-06

lhiuh lNil " u allow hlih W hnliIph'
there Was really OCCASION for Jealousy
aud he we're TO got pretty we'll worLet
up over sOWe hing that would prove .
title after all, he would see tho lolly o
such indulgence"
"Very likely" Teddy answered,
''it occurred 10 mo that today woult
DO q particular opportunity Of carrying
out such plan, Lester IL quite angI>
with me, aud will be ready 10 credll
anything 10 am going TO make hin
believe that there 10 something very
serious between Kenneth Gay anC
myself, lu TACT, shall leave q note o.
the bureau where he can hud II when h,
comes home, II will toll him that
have eloped with my lover, | hayt
written Que already, Here II H."
Mrs, Floyd handed him the note
which was gotten up TO give the lmpfes
sion OF preeipitancy and mental disIiac-
ton, II read
"When your ayes iall upon these lines
Lester, I shall 10 beyond your bitter 10
wOaelie., would not have lon sou, had yoI
nOl pur,uel NO with your jealous doublsi bn
you have made my liie inlOloRbe, aul shnl
seek my hapriucsa IN The love tia man wh'
viii mol torture ms with eOnstnrt unlialdings
GLADYS FLOYD"
~ tried bot to tell story" she oh
served ~ ho was Ioading this, ~ made
my statements cquivpcal. you SEQ.
am sure am seeking my Happiness IN
tho loyo Of such man ~ have de-
Fcribed, and as / hope Lester will be
after no has learned thiG lesson"
Teddy laughed uproarIously,
80 yOu are going TO leave this on the
bureaus" ho inquired "Dy Joyo
believe | will como homo to dinner Will
Lester iu't to SEQ the dcnouemont."
EDO" Mrs, Floyd urged, u shall
hide IN tho baywindow behind the por
there, and shall listen toeyery word that
Is said"
"WhNt schemcrs you are, Glndys--you
women" Teddy observed this as soon
M ho was going away but Mrs, Floyd
only laughed in groat CLEO over the plot
she had produced,
II was ak o'clock when Lester came
home TO dinner Teddy returned with
him, a. he had said he would. Mrs,
Floyd, having discovered their approach,
flew to the bay.window, conceahng her.
self behind the heavy Persian drapery
that shut OF tho alcoye from the bed
room.
Teddy fingered in tho library, as was
proper, But Lester, after calling hie
wife in vain, came upstairs to look for
her. Mrs. Floyd had arranged the por'
there so as to allow herself n little peep
hole, and through this she watched him
iutently. He entered the room with an
unsuspcious air, and called her name
several times, In passing tho bureau,
the note caught his eye aud he picked
it up. II 80 happened that, as he stood
there reading it, his back was turned
toward tho window, and Mrs. Floyd
could not see his face.
But sho saw him reel rs though some
one lad struck him deadly blow /; she
saw him crush the note in his Augers
aud she heard II low exclamation that
burst unoonsciously from his lips. Thcn
oh, heavens
She never knew how il was done. 1t
seemed that this discovery of her sup
posed eloprment, made at n time when
lie was already deeply depressed, ha !
driven him to desperation. But before
she had dreamed of such thing, he
drew pistol from his pocket, placed it
directly over his heart, and fired.
There was Il loud report, gurgling
cry from Testers lips, and he fell to the
floor.
The next instant, Teddy was in the
room. He had come upstairs three steps
nj time, and found Gladys standing
like one paralyzed her face as pale as
death, and her eyes wildly dilated.
Testers pistol had fallen beside him,
aud at glance Teddy grasped the hor-
rible truth.
He sank on his knees at his brothers
side, and lifted his head.
miserable woman," he cried, in q
voice of horror. "You have murdered
your husband"
His words seemed to break the spell
that bound Gladys. Her hands sank
nerveless at her side moan escaped
her pallid lips and with the bitter cry
"Oh, my God |" she sank insensible at
Teddy's feet.
Wien she opened her eyes again, she
was lying on The bed There was a dim
light in the room, and standing by the
window the figure OF man.
Mrs. Floyd raised herself, with q heart
on which the weight of the whole world
seemed resting. The horrible truth
flashed upon her recollection, and
pierced her like thousand arrows.
Then, in the dim light, she saw the
figure turn toward her. 1t was not
Teddy, as she had supposed; but-oh,
merciful heaven--it was Lester ..
A cry of agony burst from her lips.
ooh, my God |" she cried. "Already
already he has come back to haunt
NO."
In a passion of grief and horror, she
buried her face in the pillows /; and for
few moments she was wholly insensi;
BILE to the light touch that fell upon her
shoulder. But ut the words that were
whispered in her ear, she started up,
wildly.
Lester was standing beside her and
the next moment he seated himself on
the edge OF the bed.
GLADYS, my darling" he murmured.
81 am not dead. Look at me-"
"You are dead" she cried passionate
ly. 81 killed you-GOd pity me. But
did not mean to-I did not mean to-"
Little wife" be whispered, gently,
"touch me-feel my hands-let me kiss
you. lam here-real, palpable. in the
flesh. You hear my voice, and l tell
you, Gladys, l am alive"
"You are dead" she answered, wildly.
81 know it. / killed you-you, my
husband, whom loved better than my
own life-oh, my God y
"Darlng,' lie said, gathering her up
in his arms, "do you feel my embrace ?
Do you feel my kisses? Do You hear
me say love You p
Eyes" she answered, in dazed way,
at lust, putting her hand to her head,
eyes, I do"
"Listen to me, Gladys lie continued,
timing up the gas brightly. "rhis
tragedy was al farce. / did not shoot
myself, dear. See I am not even
wounded /; for, Gladys, the pistol con,
tsined nothing but powder. I was pay.
/. - nnia