Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1882-01-05

shadow into tho room, clad in her long,
snOw-white night robes. Great heav-
en-" L murmured, "what can this
meanp Is the woman troubled with
fits OF lunacyp Is il not my duty to
summon assistance for fear she may
injure herselfY / certainly would
have spoken TO her, but surprise
chained my tongue. She carried a
small lamp in her hand-Dansed for
an instant after crossing the threshold,
and listened. Then, as IL satisfied that
| was sleeping, she advanced softly to
the table, picked up my jewelry, and,
without looking again at the bed,
darted swiftly out of the room.
Great drops of perspiratiOn stood
upon my forehead. and it was fully ten
minutes before my brain again began
to act cOherently. so spellbound and
shocked was /. But as soon as pOssi-
BILE ! got up and went to the table,
hoping that II was all wild dream.
No. my eyes had not deceived me. Ny
watch and pin were both gone, and the
door ajar. / opened it cautiously. and
looked out into the hall. There was
no one visible-nOt a sound to be
heard. l again closed the door. this
time taking good care to lock it, and
returned To bed i'm no enviable state of
mind. asking myself over and over
again what it could possibly mean.
Could it be that Johns pretty and ac-
complished wife was a thief?
/ shuddered at the thought, and yet
what else could l decide upon? / had
seen her enter the room at the dead
midnight hOur-had seen. her pause
and lIsten-had seen her glance anx-
iOusly around. as if fearful of detec-
tiOn-and, worse than all, had seen
her appropriate and secrete my valua-
bles. | had heard of such things be
fore-of kleptOmania in ladies rich
and high i'm station, and at last was
forced to the conclusion that my
friends wife was victim of this un-
fortunate disease. What should / do?
Hay awake until nearly morning ask
ing myself the perplexing question. Did
John know Of the fatal habit of his
wifep Did her sister-her sweet sister
kittyp Was it hereditary in the fam
lily? The thought was horrible, especi-
ally to one who had had hiG heart
touched by her loveliness and win
some ways as mine had been.
But what was my duty? Clearly to
inform John; and yet how could l
do SOP Certainly he would doubt my
word-hls wife would deny it, and he
would believe her. Never was man
in more perplexing situation. 1 fell
asleep without having formed any def
mite plan, and was awak ened at a late
hour by a loud rap upon my door. and
tine CHEEKY voice OF my friend John,
telling me tnat the second heil mad
rung and breakfast wac waiting-that
| Outdid the seven sleepers, and that
he wanted to see me.
"What do you think of my wife?'
was his first question. "Isn't she
matchless perfection! Beautiful ac-
complished, and"
Certainly wonderful woman" /
replied; and then instantly resolved
that never would undeceive so trust
ing and happy n heart-tlat he should
never hear of the questionable proceed.
ings of the previous night, but that
would quietly bide my time for an ex-
planatiOn, even though the loss to me
was great one.
When we entered the breakfast room
Johns wife came forward and greeted
me just rs cordially as she had done
upon the previous evening. There was
not the slightest hesitation, no deepen
ing of color. no trembling of lip or
voice when she asked me, in the most
natural manner possible, if had rest.
ed well and had sweet dreams. The
question sent all the blood to my face.
which fortunately was unnoticed, save
the laughing remark from John, that
"he never thought was so bashful
man"
"Whal a hardened and consummate
actor your wife must be-" thought,
rs turned To speak to the blooming
Kitty. who came i'm at the same mo-
ment, dressed In pretty morning rObe
Of azure silk. that set of her blonde
complexion to the greatest advantage.
In an instant my blood was in a gallop,
and then surged back to my heart.
Was she, too, al dared not think fur
ther.
But poor Johnl Some day he would
learn his disgrace and her guilt-she
whom he wOrshipped with such blind
alteration. IL would he terrible to
such heart as his-would crush him
to the earth. Never did food choke
me so much as then. The forced at
tempt to appear cheerful was torture.
and | was very glad when the meal was
finished and we went out together, he
happy in his undisturbed love, and /
wearing milestone about my heart.
We returned in the evening. John
laden with packages, holiday gifts. and
| too sad 10 have been even mindful of
Kitty. Johns wife met him in the
hall with the kindest of words and
sweetest of kisses-a serpent's tongue
and Judas kiss, as / could not help
thinking. did not envy him the en-
dearments of the arch traitoress who
could rob his friend under his own
rOof-wbo had no doubt invited him
there for that especial purpose.
Kitty did not come down to dinner.
Her sister said she was not well. The
feast, for it was one in reality, was to
me distasteful, and it was a relief to
me to adjourn with John to the library,
light our cigars, and talk over old COL
lege days. We passed an hour thus,
the first plasant one during the day;
then John was summoned by his wife
to attend her on little shopping expe-
dltiOD, and was left alone again to
my sad thoughts. But was not TO
long remain thus There was a soft
tap upon the door, and Kitty Manvers
entered. Her face was white as mar
bic. her beautiful eyes red and swollen
with weeping. her form trembling con-
vulsively. In her hand she held my
watch and diamond.
20 Mr.. DorsonF she said, sinking
into the chair presented, "are these