McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1884-09-18

Hurrying straight to the dressing
room, the colonel secured his pistols.
II have never used them against a
fellow-being BEFORE" he exclaimed,
very stern and determined, "but bull
let shall reach his heart or mine. One
shall not leave the field
"Why, goodness gracious, my love,
how early you are back! hope moth
ing is wrong!" exclaimed pleasant
voice.
Both gentlemen swung round on
their heels, with an ejaculation of sur
prise, for there, in the doorway, looking
charming in her evening dress, was
Mrs. Harding.
"You here, Constance?"
"Here! Why, where should I be,
dearp"
The colonel looked at the captain
and vice versa.
"What is the matter?" asked the
lady; "and-gracious, Edmund, love
what are you going to do with those
pistols?"
"I-I was going" blurted out the
colonel, half angrily ''to take with them
the life of your lover, Constance!"
'My lover! Surely, darling, you
never contemplated suicide!''
''Suicide! Constance, can you look
me in the face and say that you have
no other one than Ip''
"Yes-there sir! But can you look
in mine and say you ever were cruel
enough to suspect me of such sin?"
The colonel dropped instantly.
"You haver' she went on. ''Pray,
on what grounds?"
''That of a man having been seen to
enter your room, admitted by you, and
in-in-your supposed flight this night
in fly with him.
Mrs. Harding burst into peal of
laughter
''Why, Edmund, that was Kate's
loverr' she cried.
"Kate's!'' both gentlemen repeated.
''No less. Do not blame the poor
girl, for you yourself have driven her
to this step-asking Captain Hewett to
pardon my speaking OUT said the
lady with malicious twinkle. ''Be-
cause you loved his father you ordered
your daughter to accept the general S
son. She-her heart bestowed else
where-said nay you said say When
[ became your wife Kate made me her
confidante. 1, too, said 'nay;' you re-
peated 'ay'-declaring that you could
not go from your word; therefore, per-
ceiving a gentleman that was true, l
determined to break it for you; and,
unwilling that your child, my love,
should have less happy life than the
one you made mine, planned-yes, it
was wicked-I planned her elopement
with Robert Kenway, the man she
loves. However you may regard it,
Edmund, 1 think 1 have done the girl a
good turn in saving her from an alliance
with an amateur detective $50 say
ing she swept the captain coHtemptu-
Gus courtesy). 81 see how all this has
happened; this gentleman watched
here while you went to dine. Charm
ing! He waited and spied to see his
own property stolen! Captain Hewett,
I compliment you! Now, gentlemen,
l will leave you to yourselves.
She quilted the rooms as she spoke,
very haughtily, and retired to her own,
apparently the most injured party.
A brief space after the colonel came
in. Constance" he said, "You have
done very wrong
"Sir, how have you acted in suspect
ing wife who was foolish enough to
love you?' she answered, proudly.
''Do you love me, Constance?"
''Better than than-all-th worldm
was the answer, given between sud-
den burst of sobs,
A woman's tears were the only enc
mics which had ever beaten the colonel.
He caught his pretty wife in his arms
and cried:
constance, forgive me, and let us
say no more about it.
'sAnd Kate?" she sobbed.
"Tl pardon her for your sake"
''You dear, dear Edmund! There!
That kiss is for reward"
And that is how Captain Hewett was
checkmated by the colonel's second
wife"