Wichita daily eagle., 1886-08-01

: some.
Exactly. Well we were playing gam
e'f billiards last night l hadn't noticed tina
he was under the influence Of liquor, but b
got into dispute with q clergyman, VIII
was perfect stranger, and took his billiar,
. cue and"
Killed tne minister shrieked Mabel
mo, thrust it down his throat and brok
; it OFF,
Mabel stopped her ears and paused TO
breath
-Of course" went on, che was arreste,
and went out to get bail for him"
WI hat business was that of yours" aske,
abel, sharply.
For your sake, DEAR" replied aAl
though no party to the affair. realized how
the linking of my name with it would pai,
ana mortify my little girl, SO determined
to sink my pride and ask some of my friend
to go on Bancroft's bond to hush the matter
up"
"You dear, old darling" said Mabel, i'm
petuously, "can you forgive me.n
forgave her, and, assuming the mein Of
martyr, went to bed From that moment
however, she regarded Bancroft as nv bad
angel, and hated him with all the cordiality
of indignant womanhood.
Meantime Bancroft had commenced t<
haunt me. From being of naturally franl
and open disposition, l became preternatur
ally vigilant and alert, fearful each instant
that l would betray myself and realizing
that each day put me further from the
possibility of an explanation l grew pre-
occupied, moody, morose. Nv nerves
quivering under the tension, were giving
way. l looked scared and guilty. The
very name OF Bancroft was hateful to me-
and when my wife harped upon him felt
that should 60 mad if did not get away.
He had become astonishingly real to me-
and felt my personality becoming mixed
and meshed with this myth-this man OF
air and nothingness-in q manner that up
set all my previous notions of identity.
almost believed that l had actually met
bancroft at some time or that was living
a dual existence. In short, was on the
verge of iunacy when the climax came
One evening when went home to supper
in my usual perturbed state of mind there
was strange man at my gate He had
. keen, hatchet face, and wore slouch hat
"Mr. Frank N. Styne, believe"
ayes, SIR"
u am a member Of the city detective
force The chief wants to see you at his
office"
"All right" l gasped, my brain in a
whirl. wait till go in and see my wife.
"Iour wife is at the Office" he replied
with peculiar smile
Shocked and alarmed beyond expression.
l piled him with questions but he insisted
that he knew nothing of 'the case," as he
called it, and he hurried me along. The fact
that had not the slightest idea what Mabel
could be doing at the police headquarters
redoubied my fears
The chiefs office was approached by a
series of passageways at the end of one of
which l saw, as in a field glass, a room in
which were seated my wife and stout gen.
tleman in uniform, whom knew by sight
and reputation Mabel did not seem fright.
ened, but was very pale and wore q deter
mined look.
Mabel" l cried, as rushed in what does
this means"
"Iour wife, interposed the chief, blandly,
states that you are acquainted with the oc-
cupant OF room Il, No 20 Staunton place.
Is such the fact."
What about its' I asked, appreciating
the necessity of gaining some more infor-
nation before committing myself
Have You seen the evening papers,"
NO"
Then" said the chief, II will tell Won
frankly what want, for l believe you to be
man OF reputation. The occupant of room
10, No. 20 Staunton place, was murdered last
night, and the occupant of room II is sus-
pected We could not find out who that
individual was, but your wife has been kind
enough to inform us that it is a party
named Bancroft, friend of yours We
want Bancroft When and where did Won
see him last"
felt the ground suddenly slipping from
under my feet The whole horror of nv
situation flashed upon me. Mabel spoke up:
Frank" she said, when l saw that num-
Der in the paper this afternoon l knew it
was Bancroft l could not keep silent after
such a dreadful thing, and l felt that this
was perhaps the way open to break your
connection with that wretch. So put on
my things and came down here 1t was for
both our sakes. O, Frank, tell the gentle
man all you know of that man and let US
at least get our skirts clear of this awful
crima"
The chief looked at me fixedly. Under
certain circumstances a mans brain will
formulated a plan.
"Have you private room:r asked.
"Ies," he replied, come this way"
"Wait here" said to Mabel do not be
alarmed | will tell him ALL
When the chief closed the door of the
inner room | said to hIn very calmly.
There is no such man as Bancroft He
is a mere creation of my poor wife S fancy"
l said
Explain yourself"
~ will Ii you will make the most trif-
ing inquiries you will find that no such per-
son as Bancroft ever existed. Did she tell
you he used to work in Reeds tea srore!v
"Yes, l believe she did"
We'll, inquire at Reeds and you will
learn that he never had such man in his
employ. The fact is, my wife exhibits at
times certain signs Of mental alteration
This imaginary man Bancroft is the most
noticeable one / had hoped, sir, to keep
this secret locked forever in my own breast |
but these circumstances force me, of course
to make confession Of it to you l trust,
as a gentleman, you viii not betray this |
melancholy confidence My physician has
warned me not to disturb the hallucination, |
else would have warned you in the other |
room l suppose she told you, among other |
things, that Bancroft once thrust billiard |
cue down a clergyman's throat
YES she did say something about that
"Weli, how preposterous that is! Do you
want further proof! What would clergy
man be doing around billiard saloon."
The chief was convinced Il noticed
queer about her eye," be said,
grasping my hand sympatEetically, "0e-
pend upon me to keep num-
Mabel was anxiously waiting our coming
at is alright, Mrs Styne," said the chief
"Your husband has told me every thing and
you can go now. I'm much obliged to
yon"
She cried little on the way home and
wanted to be sure I was not angry.
"Where has that monster gomez she
asked
He has fed" l replied, "and viii neve,
bother u again"
And he never haS-Chicago TribunA
Iessons in cookery are being given to the