The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1883-01-13
"Why do YOU talk of offending me?'

thought you spoke OF my Wlle III Idoh0l "
thoughtless manner; but, of course you can
not comprehend her anxiety with sickly,
nervous children
"Indeed, meant nothing, but for her
good At least-at least-I sympathized
with your loneliness, and felt so sorry for
your wife," she murmured, confusedly.
Did the small arrow she had let fly an
nov me? | think it did, on reflection, but
not in the way she intended.
| thought of Mary's increasing pallor.
silence, alteration; surely she was changing
but what had [ to do with it? | never
thought to ask what had Miss Campsted
to do with it.
Mary grew worse. The doctor said it
was some disease of the nerves. Miss
Campsted was full of solicitude. She and
her handsome brother were very attentive.
When went into the hall Miss Camp
sted contrived to be there to bid me good
morning. | never thought of her now as
middle aged. She appeared to me, grad
ually, to become an impertinent, forward
young person.
One memorable day-shall [ ever forget
it ?-I went upstairs to say something that
had escaped my recollection, after my usual
visit to Mary's room.
1 found my wife weeping Historically,
with all the children grouped about her,
and crying in chorus.
"For heavens sake, Mary, what has
happened?" [ cried, frightened almost out
of my wits.
'cDon't stay, Harry" she gasped; "it
does me no good. [ am better alone. Go
down-please go down. :"
"But I'm not going down or out, leav-
ing you in this state, | said, throwing
down hat and bundles, and trying to take
her in my arms. But she resisted in ten
derness.
"No matter for me" she sobbed. II
shall be better soon-out of the way per-
haps."
MARY, darling" I said, at my wits end,
eff you wont let me stay, at least let me
send Miss Campsted up" .+..
"That woman ?" cried my wife with
hysterical anguish. "It is bad enough that
she has ruined my home"
I was thunderstruck.
POISONED you ruined your home |!
Miss Campsted! What can you mean,
Mary? Are you crazy? l thought you
considered her invaluable + [ repeated, still
dazed and nervous.
"Invaluabler' murmured Mary, great
tears running down her pale cheeks; can |
like a serpent? Can [ like one who has
stolen from me all that made my life bless
ed-my husbands love! | hate her Go!
She has told me such horrible things !!
Leave me; Miss Campsted is down stairs, !"
and she fell shuddering.
l have heard that an innocent man al
ways has his weapons about him. [ don't
believe it. At all events it was not so in
nv case. So obtuse and confused was | at
this entirely new phase of matters, that it
took minute and twenty seconds before
the real import or her words reached my
consciousness. am quite positive of that,
for mechanically [ was following with my
eve the hands of the clock in the corner
Then it dawned upon me by degrees, and
Mary, after while, told me pitiful story.
My wife, my one crown Of glory, my
idolized Mary, had been subjected to the
most cruel of all tortures, that of hearing
her husbands words and actions misrepre-
sented, stories manufactured, lies cunning
ly invented.
I no longer wondered that my poor wife
felt dread and adherence for the crea-
ture, which no language could express or
even feared for her life in the presence of
such a viper.
The strangest thing to me was, then
in truth, always will be-that Mary did
not tell me Of these things; but a foolish
fear of being thought jealous, and some
thing also of pride and the sensitiveness of
her nature, sealed her lips.
In my anger [ suppose [ rather over
stepped the bounds of prudence, and in my
next interview with the fascinating Miss
Campsted, as some of my friends called
her, [ had grand opportunity of witness
ing the uncontrolled fury of woman
whose vileness had been prematurely un-
masked.
Never, even upon the stage, have [ seen
such perfect piece OF acting.
Trouble never comes sing ly, they say. l
had never given Miss Campsted warning
when person, had reason to believe was
detective, entered my house. In an in
slant Miss Campsted grew pale and quiet,
and begged me to allow her to see the gen.
tleman alone.
Of course [ consented, keeping strict
guard, however, outside the door.
For sometime the conversation went on
in low tone; then gradually Miss Camp
sted's voice changed to entreaty. SObs fol
lowed, and bitter weeping.
Suddenly in came Fred Campsted whist
ling softly an air from one of the operas.
Seeing me in the hall, apparently on
guard, he started, slowly hung up his hat,
took it down again, asked for his sister, and
seemed very much surprised when L told
him she had company.
"You had better go in,'' I said, "for
fear she is in trouble" .-.....
"Oh, hang it p was his rough response,
"shes always in trouble. [ have an errand
down town, and must be excused" ]"
He turned, and there, facing him, stand
ing on the doorstep, was another detective
How long had they been watching my house.
The man looked like tiger. He gave
one bound, but in that moment two officers
were upon him; then he seized his pistol
which was snugly concealed, and fired.
One of the men was wounded; but the
other, with the strength of a lion, secured
the prisoner, and brought him bound and
raving horribly, into the house.
''Do you know, sir" asked one of the
detectives, afterward, "that this house has
been the rendezvous for thieves during
the past six months p rr.
How should I, absent all day? How
was to be made aware that our cook had
been bought from time to time with heavy
bribes to allow the ingress of packages of
great value? -. H-.s
How did I know that Miss Campsted
brought three immense Saratoga trunks