Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-07-23
"Why. what do you want to know,
DEAR" / replied, feebly.
ssWhara docs ha liva2v


from where we lived and consisted of
only two short blocks, so was quite
sure Mabel would never find or pene-
trate them. TO my great relief she
did not pursue her Investigations fur
ther, but threw me into CONSERVATION
at the table next day by looking at me
wistfully and saying:
"Frank, | am quite curious about
your friend, Mr.. Bancroft. Does he
look like youP"
"No," / said, giving my Imagination
rein, she is shorter and of light COM
plexion."
"Does he wear o beard?"
"Yes, full beard, cropped close. "
"What color are bis eyes?"
Some foul fiend prompted me to say
he was cross-eyed, and that one organ
was blue and one gray.
'How very singular" said Mabel
with growing interest. 'I should like
to see him. Tell me about this real es-
tate scheme"
l felt that If hesitated was lost,
and, laying down my knife and fork,
entered into a detailed account Of se-
ries of fictitious investments contem-
plated by Bancroft and myself. l did
not originally intend to go so deep, but
her questions drew me out, and each
successive step was necessary for pres
ervation. As | walked out of the front
gate felt like convicted felon.
However, the mythical Bancroft was
convenient parsonage, and | con-
cluded that, 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 a piece of exquisite char
actcr painting. As the exigencies of
the case demanded l 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 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 to poor widows
garret and rescued her from the verge
ofstarvation Mabel wept over his good
ness oi heart but made some suspicious
inquiries rs to the widows personal
appearance. Next night she abused
hlm savagely because he got drunk and
! nad 10 stay with nm and see' as
friend, that he did not get into trouble.
About this time l became alarmed lest
she should visit his supposed place OF
business to read him lecture upon his
haolts, and told her he had left Reeds
and gone TO an uptown store. This
neeessitated going into All the details
as to why he left, which gave shame-
lessly; My conscience was in such q
condition by that time that ! was less
troubled over my fabrication Of COM
plicated lies than ! was that ! should
cross myself In some OF them, How
intricate, how manifold and multiplied
theS were can he imagined when ] say
that at the end OF two years Mabel was
still unsuspicious. She had, however,
conceived vlolent dislike, growing
irh; lnVo an utter aohorrence, Isa, OF tne man.
ms was engendered py apecullar turn
wnlch tne hctlon happened 10 take.
| One night the first pencilings OF
dawn were showing in the skies when
returned home. l had not intended
to stay SO late. l realized with sudden
i hll"lIinflnn fnPAn tpa n