The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-07-30
|sacsonvenient personace, and / conclud

with success, although the continued
questioning ofsmy. wife involved me in
q tissue of falsehood SO monstrous
that was afraid to contemplate it.
About this time became alarmed
isiest' sire eshsuld visithis supposed place
ofbnsiness to retld him a lecture up
on his habits, and told her he had left
lskea1 2 NhaYone to an npstowil store.
This necessitated going into all the de-
tails as to why he left, which l gave
shamelessly. My conscience was in
such condition by that time that
was less troubled over my fabrication
OF complicated lies than was that
should cross myself in some OF them.
How intricate, how manifold and
multiplied they were can be imagined
whenI say that at the end OF two
years Mabel was still unsuspicious.
z 9Ghehad however, conceived a violent
dislike, growing into an utter abhor-
renee, OF the man. This was engender-
led 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. l real
lied with sudden and humiliatine
force that was q brute to leave
young girl alone, unprotected, anxious
and afraid Through the long night. 1
felt ASHAMED, mortified, and above
all alarmed for | was we'll aware
q scene awaited me. With beating
heart entered The house. Mabel was
in bed, and turned her head slightly
without looking at me or speaking 1
felt lntuitively that she was crying
At that instant, any plan, any lie, no
matter how black, that would have
relieved the poor girls distress would
have seemed noble to me. So it was
with no pang cons science that Isank
intp chair and exclaimed III a hol-
low voice: 20, Mabel, if you had
seen what have seen you would be
sick ct heart
what was it, Frank" she asked
with instant curiosity, sitting up in
bed. RgS Az - &
This wasithe effectsI had calculated
Upon, and for a moment l said moth
ing, as ii too much overcome to speak.
Then in low tone l continued:
YBancreftis IN jail?"
30, Frank" she cried, her eyes sud
denly dilating, what has he done"
Again | was overcome with emotion;
hadto have time to think.
"You know how Bancroft is when
he is drinking" Isaid, finally.
Yes" she replied, eagerly, Every
quarrelsome.''
Exactly. Well, we were playing a
game of billiards last night. l hadn't
4 noticed that he was under the influence
OF liquor, but he got into dispute
with a clergyman, who was perfect
stranger, and took his billiard cue
and,
Killed the minister" shrieked Ma
1 bel.
mo, thrust it down his throat and
brokeit Off"
Mabel stopped heres and 1paused
for breath.
"Of course" I went on, she was ar
rested and went out to get bail for
!, him. -
s'What business is that OF yours!"
asked Mabel, sharply
G"F,or your sake, dear" l replied.
although no party to the affair 1
realized how the linking of my name
i WsuA@ ~ pftlA anu alAOIblly ulY
little girl, SO; Undetermined to sink
my rridea and ask some OF my friends
| to go on Bancroft's bond to hush the
\ matter up.'
you dear, old darling" said Mabel,
impetuously, ''can you forgive me?"
forgave her, and, assuming the
mes2 m y aNpasssr n Yspt toshsd. FromI a
Bancroft as my bad angel, ana hated.
him With all the scQgdiality bf indie-
nam ntsWSmanho oO
Meantime Bancroft had commenced
to haunt me. From being naturally
LfraNksand doi5ensdlspo sitiona L became
Spfeternaaturally Svsiisllart ard alert,
fearful each instant that / would
Ibetray myself and srealizingsthat each
fday put ME ftfrt her from tie possibili-
l.ty of an explanation. / grew pre-oc-
cupied, moody, moroses NV nerves,
qtivering Under the tension, were Civ
ing way. Hooked scared and guilty.
The very name of Bancroft was hate
full to nles and when my wife harped
upon him feltatilat should 90 mad
il i did not get away. He had become
aastonisllinely real 70 me, and Ifelt nv
personality becoming mixed and
meshed with this myth--this man OF
lair ss,,d nothingness-ina n manner that
upset all my previous notions Of iden-
tity. l almo st believed that l had ac-
tually met Bancroft at some time,
or that was living a dual existence.
In short, was on the verge OF lunacy
when the climax came.
One evening when 1 went home to
supper insmy usual perturbed state OF
mind there was a strange man at my
gate. He had keen, hatchet face.
and wore slouch hat.
s"Mr. Frank n, Styne, believe"
Yes, sir.N ~