The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1884-05-17
AN INJURED WIFE.

| manclriece--'l wonder WHAT III Is tuht
keeps George so lateP Twice this week
he has been detained by what he calls
business. should think he could get
home earlier II he chose"
When at length Mr.. Thompson came
in, his wife's countenance wore an in
jured expression. He did not appear
to observe it, but said, hurriedly,-
Emma, I'm sorry, but can't stay
to tea just now. Must go away at
once, on particular business. Don't
wait supper for me, and If you feel
lonesome, couldn't You send over for
your friend Miss NettebyP'
81 thought you didn'tlike LucretiaP"
"Well, / don't particularly admire
old maids, but if you like her society,
I've no objection. "
"Old maids said Mrs. Thompson,
Indignantly. "Lucretia is only four
years older than was when | married
You, two years ago. You don't intend
to insnuate that was an old maid at
that timeP'
Certainly not--of course not!' re-
piled Thompson in q conciliatory tone.
"But you know some women look
much older than others, even when
their ages are tho same"
II don't like to hear my friends
abused" said Mrs. Thompson. "And
at any rate, Lucretia is quite as nice as
that bald-head, red-faced Mr.. Head
stall that you're so fond of, and are al
ways asking to dinner. .
Mr.. Thompson laughed good-natur-
edly.
Hes n capital fellow, is Joe.
You'll like him better some day.
Where's my other coatp"
And he got himself ready, just as Mr..
Joseph Hoadstall himself drove up to
the door with the fine blood mare and
dog-cart of which he was so proud,
and carried of Mr.. Thompson, leaving
his wife to spend the evening alone.
II wonder where they are goingp"
thought Mrs. Thompson, turning from
the window, whence she had watched
them. This looks more like pleasure
than business, and George seems in
uncommonly good spirits"
Her eye fell upon her husbands coat,
which he had left carelessly thrown
across chair. The end of morocco
covered notebook protruded from an
inside pocket, and Mrs. Thompson in
stantly bounced upon it, removed the
elastic band and eagerly scanned the
pages
There were plenty of memoranda,
and ciphers, and notes of various mat
ters, as unintellgiblo as so many
Egyptian hieroglyphics.
| But as she handled the book some-
thing carefully wrapped in tissue-paper
slipped from little pocket and fell ut
her feet. Picking it up, her horror
stricken gaze rested upon the photo
graph of beautiful woman.
She dropped the picture as though it
had been serpent, and was standing
stonily gazing at it when Bridget an
nounced Miss Nettleby.
"Show her up!' said Mrs. Thomp-
son, rs she sank Historically upon the
lounge, and began to beat the carpet
with her feet, and clutch the cushion
with her hands.
And Bridget well knowing these
symptoms, hurried down with a report
which speedily brought up the visitor.
my darling Emma!" exclaimed
Miss Nettleby, bending over her
friend, 'what has happenedp What Is
the matterP"
For answer, Mrs. Thompson pointed
to the photograph upon the floor.
81 found it in-in his pocketT' she
sobbed. "Oh, Lucretia, what am to
dop Isn't it dreadfulp'
"My dear" answered Miss Nettleby,
with ominous calmness, "it is only
what have been prepared for. Don't
you remember how often before your
marriage | warned you not to trust to
him?"
This was true, for Miss Nettleby,
falling in her efforts to entrap Mr.
Thompson, had done her best to pre-
vent him marrying her friend.
'It's only in the last week that he is
so changed" moaned Emma. HE
hardly comes home at all now; and
neglects me shamefully.
ave can understand why" said
Miss Nettleby, glancing significantly at
the photograph. Have you any idea,
Emma, whose this lisp"
mot the least; but it looks like
| some horrid actress or ballet-dancer.
Its very handsome, at least" said
Lucreda, with little, half-malicious
side-glance at her friend, "How did
you happen to find itp'
why, / was looking over that little
notebook there, just to see if | could
find out what business detains George
in the evenings, and the picture slipped
out of pocket in the cover.
'And did you find clucp' inquired
Miss Nettleby, eagerly.
mo. had just commenced look
ing. 1t is n sort OF memorandum, l
believe"
''ln that case, the last weeks entries
might afford some information" sug-
gested Miss Nettleby.
Mrs. Thompson opened the pocket
book, and glanced over the last writ
ten page.
There's something here about
Brightons,' and Foster Il Company
and consignment, and some figures.
I'm sure | can't make ont what il all
means. And here, just look over this,
Lucretiar'
| Miss Nettleby read out aloud.
"Mam. Foster & Co. consignment
See Fanny Jewellers Sup'r"
l..si II. A