Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-11-14
with everything in general; and finally

with everything in general; and finally
there was q letter bearing the post
mark Plymouth" Mrs Maggleby
opened 1t carelessly; but a single
glance at its contents caused her to
start up, grasp convulsively at the
mantelpiece, utter an exclamation, and
tremble like a leaf.
"Foor G deon!" she said. "What a
fearful blow! He mustn't see ME in this
aggitated state. l shall go upstairs
again, and decide upon some plan of
action before L face him." And Mrs.
Maggglcby, letter in hand and pale as
death, Quilted the room, leaving the
coffee and the eggs and bacon and the
crumpets to get cold.
Three quarters of an hour later MI.
Maggggleby ventured down stairs again.
He was dressed as If to go to the city,
and in his hand he held q letter which
bore the simple address, '.Maria." This
letter he laid upon his wife's plate. 1t
was Worded Us follows:
expectedly summoned to Aiincing Lane on
business of the greatest Importance. do not
know exactly when 1 shall return, but you
must not be anxious. Yours devotedly,
'ADcNN'
Mr.. Magglehy hastily seized a tepid
crumret, and without the tormalitv of
seating herself at the table, devourcd
the clammy dainty. Then, hearing his
wife upon the stairs, he rushed like a
mailman from the room, and an in
slant afterward left the house and
quietly closed the front door behind
him.
Mrs. Maggleby. whose face bore
traces OF recent weeping, entered the
dining-room as if she expected to find
the place tenanted by a ghost. Dis
covering, however, that it was empty.
she resumed her seat by the fire. and,
with an hysterical outburst, buried her
head in her hands.
''Poor, dear Gideon!" she sobhed.
''What will become of him and me?
We shall be imprisoned for life; know
we shall. The house will have to be
shut up; the business will go to rum;
the servants will have to know all: Oh.
it is too terrible! But l must compose
myself. Gideon will be coming down,
and 1 must be prepared to break the
news to him." and with great self COM
mand Mrs. Maggleby wiped her eyes
and seated herself at the table. AS She
did so she caught sight Of her hus-
bands note, which she eagerly opened.
ode has gone!" she exclaimed, de-
spalringly, when she had read il. 'I
am LETT alone to bear the trial! All,
Gideon, you little know how cruel you
are. But | must follow you. We must
concert measures at once"
Once more she went up stairs. She
put on her bonnet and cloak, she COW
cred her flushed face with a thick veil;
and without saying a word to any OF
her servants, she left the house, and
made the best of her way to the near
est cab stand.
Meantime. Mr.. Maggleby, had
been driven to his place OF
business in Mincing Lane. He
entered his Office, and sat down as
if dazed, in his private room. Hearing
of his principals unexpected ARR, al,
the head clerk, Mr.. John Goddard, al
most Immediately ppeared. He, too,
was scared and breathless.
"head. sir, read" he gasped, as he
thrust an open letter into Mr.. Maggie
by's hand.
Mr.. Magylebv mechanically took the
letter, and read aloud as follows:
On BOARD S. CAMEL,
O~FFPLYMoUrH, Tuesday.
DIR. Mr.. GODDARD: As you arc probably
not expecting me-, l send a line ashore to let
you know thai | hope to. return i'll time to be
at business at the usual hour on Thursday.
Please take care that there is a gcOl fire in
my private room, as a visit to Demerara al
ways, as you know, renders me pa. tic ularly
sensitive to cold and damp; am wiring to
Mr.. Maggleby. We have had Il capital vow
age so Tar, but the weather in the Channel
threatcns to be rather d.rUy: | Shall iand at
Graves.nd, ana il you can find out when the
Camel is likely to be there. you may send
down some one to meet me-.
Yours faithfully, SOLOMON PUDsTER.
II knew it!' calculated Mr.. Maggie
by. have just received the letter
that. he speaks Of"
''What does it all mean?" asked MI.
Goddard. II seem to be dreaming,
sir. We buried poor MIR. Pudster eight
months ago, didn't we?"
$50 | thought" murmured Nh.
Maggleby vaguely. "nut This letter 10
certainly in his handwriting. And look
at the post-mark. There it is, as plain
as possible: plymouth, March q,
156e." That was yesterday, and to-
day is Wednesday,, March 23d. just
read my letter, Mr.. Doduard." and he
pulled from his pocket q mlssive, which
he handed to his clerk.
MI. Loddard read as follows:
On BOARD S.. S. CAMEL,
OFF PLYMOUTH, Tuesday.
MY DEAR GIDEON: Here I an a mo st at
home again. l fancy tlat you didn't expect
TO see me Just at present; for WASH { able to
write to you before we left Demerara; SO, as
we arc now sending ashore here, l post you a
few lines to prepare you for the Su priSe. 1t
is, as you know, quite unusual for vessels OF
this line to call at Plymouth. and therefore l
haven't time to send you a long letter; though.
it we also callhat Southump- on, l wild write
again tIom there. l have told Doddard to
send some one to meet me ut GraveSend;S let
him take down any lett rs that You may want
me to see at once. ours anectionately,
SOLOMON.
.Well 1 never did!' cried Mr.. Dod-
dard. Yet Icould swear to MI. Pud-
ster's handwriting anywhere. 1t is a
terrible thing for a man who ought to
be lying quietly in his colin to come
back like this; and upset everyone's
calculations
"You are quite certain about the
handwr .ting?" asked Mr.. Maggleby,
anA,ously.
",luite certain!" replied MI. Dod-
dard. "What a %frightful thing for
Mrs. Pudstcr?:"
Mrs. Magggleby, you mean" said
NJ, Ni-,sI, Vs. TI~-SA L,~ .- 49,,