The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1882-10-12

/ his usual stoical composure.
: During all these miserable weeks hi
: had nursed the thought of Clarke.
e knowledge of Mildred's secret unit
| now he was sure of it as of his own ex
| istence.
4 He would gladly have been in the
great house alone, free to think his
= own thoughts and indulge his misery
in his own way, but he was entirely
2 dominated by the thought that some
time, like 'murder," Clarke's com.
: plicity would "out."
With this feeling stronger than ever
} in his mind he, one afternoon, walked
: into Clarke's room during his absence
, and looked about.
He felt like sneak thief as he did
so, for his guests quarters were GER
, tainly as sacred in his eyes as his own
private rooms.
: Bnt he was the head detective, he
told himself, and everything was fair
in such an emergency as the present.
Mr.. Merrivale started several times
as he turned over the accumulation of
letters on Clarke's writing table, think
ing he heard step approaching, and
more than once decided to leave the
room with his purpose unaccomplished.
But here was Clarke's memorandum
book, with ever 50 many items care
fully erased, as it was on the very day
that Mildred left.
This was suspicious, of course Here
was part of a letter in which Clarke
had written of the great trouble of
Jack, with a slight criticism of Jacks
manner of managing the dreadful
business.
Mr.. Merrivale was about to abandon
the search, when, upon taking up a
portfolio of sketches, he came upon
scrap of writing which was as familiar
to him as his own. 1t was the tag end
OF a note, and read as follows:
and shall be obliged to name
another day. Never mind. 1t will be
just as well. MN.
John Merrivale had found more than
! he had looked for. No wonder that
| his guest was anxious to leave his
house. And this was the sequel to it
all. His wife had left him for
another man, and that man his best
friend, living as a brother under his
roof and partaking of his bountiful
hospitality. NIildred's tears were easily
explained now. There was no neces-
sity of looking further. This was
evidence enough, and now, with his
teeth set and his eyes full of deadly
determination, the outraged husband
stalked out of the room.
1t was after 10 o'clock that evening
when Clarke returned, and John Mer-
riyale awaited him in the library with
the same fever of impatience that he
had watched for his wife two months
before.
Il am glad you are home, Jaclx! the
newcomer exclaimed as he drew
chair close to his friends. "I've heard
some news"
"Ahp'
Mr.. Harding returned from Europe
to-day, and Charlie Wellington saws
there was lady in the carriage with
him whom he could almost swear was
Mil Mrs. Merrivale."
There was something in his COM
panion's face and manner that didn't
seem exactly favorable to first names,
and Clarke awkwardly corrected him
self.
"It does seem though" he went on,
" that if Mrs. Merrivale had taken
passage on steamer from New York
that you would have found it out"
Yes" Mr.. Merrivale responded.
with singular deliberation; "but nv
wife did not go to Europe and you
know it,"
The speaker did not see the color
die out of his companions face, for it |
was an impOssibility for John Merri-
vale even to accuse his friend of crime
and look him in the face at the same
time.
II know it," Clarke repeated, with
a pitiful quiver in his voice. Your
wife did not go to Europe and know
it ?"
"Yes, and you know it," Mr.. Merri-
vale responded, driving back with a
supreme effort the demon that thirsted
ior quick and summary vengeance. "I
have found you out" he went on,
and all now ask is that you tell me
where Mrs. Merrivale is hiding"
"Oh, Jack, can it be?" Clarke began,
mploringly.
drop that" his companion replied.
'ternly. 81 want to know where nv
wife Is, and then, heaven help me, / !
never want to see your face again in :
his world or the next. Speak quick /.
y, man"-this hissed between set /;
eeth--" or my patience will give out" !
Let itgive out and be hanged to :
y Clarke exclaimed, now fairly wild :
With rage. "My patience has given out. E
nd what are you going to do about .
Nothing, but ask you to read this" C
nd Mr.. Merrivale passed him the scrap n
f paper. a
Clarke took it, looked at it like a d
IAN in a dream, then walked over to h
he table and examined it by the light. 4
"Letters from my wife must have n
cen frequent if you cannot remember s
he occasion of this" Mr.. Merriyale +,
in his coolest manner. h
"And shall be obliged to name an +,
ther day." Clarke read aloud in be- q
'ildered fashion, which, if assumed, d
'as certainly an excellent piece of ii
citing. +, y
"Oh, l know" he exclaimed at last. h
u the anger dying out of his face. d
Why, Jack, that note was written b
hen you were in Albany and Mrs. n
lerrlyale was in Atlantic City. A tt