The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1886-05-28

II
"What color are his eyes?"
Some foul fiend prompted me to say
he was cross-eyed, and that one organ
was blue and one gray.
s'How very singular said Mabel
with growing interest. II should like
to see him. Tell me about this real es-
tate scheme
/ felt that if hesitated was lost,
and, laying down my knife and fork, |
entered into detailed account of a Sc
ries of fictitious investments contem-
plated by Bancroft and myself. / did
not originally intend to 60 so deep, but
her questions drew me out, and each
successive step was necessary for pres
CREATION. As | walked out of the front
gate / felt like convicted felon.
However, the mythical Bancroft was
a convenient parsonage, and | con-
cluded that,a now that [ had invented
him and put my foot in it, SO to speak,
| might as well use him to all possible
advantage. Consequently Bancroft
was pleaded night after night with
great success, although the continued
questioning of my wife involved me in
a tissue of falsehood so monstrous that
| was afraid to contemplate it. Ban
croft became piece of exquisite char
acter painting. AS the exigencies of
the case demanded | endowed him with
tastes, habits, prejudices and some few
principles. All the details Of his con-
stitution were given the night he was
sick and l had to accompany him to
his room and stay until two o'clock.
Then it was that Mabel learned he was
subject to sudden and violent cramps,
epileptic fits, and partial paralysis.
The night he took me toa poor Widows
garnet and rescued her from the verge
OF starvation Mabel wept over his good
ness of heart, but made some suspicious
inquiries as to the widows personal
appearance. Next night she abused
him sayagely because he gotdrunk and
had to stay with him and see, as
friend, that he did not get into trouble.
About this time became alarmed lest
she should visit his supposed place of
business to read him lecture upon his
habits, and told her he had left Reeds
and gone to an uptown store. This
necessitated going into all the details
as to why he left, which | gave shame
lessly. My conscience was in such a
condition by that time that was less
troubled over my fabrication of COM
plicated lies than | was that I should
cross myself in some of them. How
intricate, how manifold and multiplied
they were can be imagined when say
that at the end of two years Mabel was
still unsuspicious. She had, however,
conceived violent dislike, growing
into an utter abhorrence, of the man.
This was engendered by a peculiar turn
which the fiction happened to take.
One night the first pencilings of
dawn were showing in the skies when
/ returned home. had not intended
to stay so late. / realized with sudden
and humiliating force that | was a
brute to leave a young girl alone, I'M
protected, anxious and afraid through
the long night. felt ashamed, mortl-
fed, and above all alarmed, for / was
we'll aware that scene awaited me.
With beating heart entered the house.
Mabel was in bed and turned her head
slightly without looking at me or
speaking. l felt intuitively that she
was crying. AT that instant any plan,
any lie, no matter how black, that
would have relieved the poor girls dis
tress would have seemed noble to me.
So it was with no pang of conscience
that | sank into char and exclaimed
in a hollow voice: 30, Mabel, if you
had seen what | have seen you would
be sick at heart.
"What was it, Frank?' she asked
with instant curiosity, sitting up in
bed.
This was the effect had calculated
upon, and for moment l said moth
ing, as if too much overcome to speak.
Then in a low tone | continued:
Bancroft is in jailr'
go, Frank!'' she cried, her ewes sud
denly dilating; ''what has he done?"
Again | Twas overcome with emotion;
l had to have time to think.
"You know how Bancroft is when
he is drinking" 1 said finally.
"Yes,' she replied, eagerly, every
quarrelsome.
Exactly. Well, we were playing a
game of billiards last night. / hadn' t
noticed that he was under the influence
of liquor, but he got into a dispute
with clergyman, who was 4 perfect
stranger, and took his billiard cue
and"
''Killed the minister!'' shrieked Ma
bel
"No, thrust it down his throat and
broke it OFF,
Mabel stopped her ears and paused
for breath.
''Of course" | went on, che was ar
rested and went out to get bail fol-
him."
"What business was that of yours!'
asked Mabel, sharply,
''For your sake, DEAR I replied.
although no party to the affair,
realized how The linking of my name
with it would pain and mortify my
little girl, so | determined to sink my
pride and ask some of my friends to
go on Bancrofts bond to hush the mat
ter up"
'You dear, old darling said Mabel,
impetuously, "can you forgive mep''
forgave her, and, assuming the
mien of a martyr, went to bed. From
that moment, however, she regarded
Bancroft as my bad angel, and hated
him with all the cordiality of indignant
womanhood. Meantime Bancroft had
commenced to haunt me- From being
naturally frank and open disposition,
| became pretty naturally vigilant and
alert, fearful each instant that | would
betray myself and realizing that each
day put me further from the possibility
of an explanation. grew preoccupied,
moody, morose. My nerves, quivering
under the tension, were giving way.
/ looked scared and guilty. The very
name of Bancroft was hateful to me,
and when my wife harped upon him l
felt that | should go mad if did not
get away. He had become astonish-
ingly real to me, and I felt my person.
atty becoming mixed and meshed with
this myth-this man of air and nothing
ness in a manner that upset all NV
previous notions of identity. 1 almost
believed that / had actually met Ban
croft at some time, or that | was liv-