New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-07-21


could be dong at the police headquar-
ters redoubled my fears.
The chiefs Office wasapproached by
a series OF passageways, at the end 81
OF one which saw,a in a feld-glass, a
room in which were seated my wife
and stout gentleman in uniform,
whom I knew by sight and reputation.
Mabel did not seem frightened, but
was very pale and wore a determined
look.
.sMabel!" I cried, as I rushed in,
what does this mean?"
"Your wife," lnterposed the chief,
blandly, Estates that you are &C.
quainted with the occupant Of room
IL, No. 20 Staunton place. Is such
the fact?"
"What about it?" / asked, appre.
ciating the necessity of gaining some
more information before committing
myself.
"Have you seen the evening papers?"
"No."
"Then,' said the chief, II will tel
you frankly what want, for l believe
you to be a man of reputation. The
occupant of room 10, No. 20 Staun.
ton place, was murdered last night,
and the occupant Of room IL is sus
pected. We could not find out who
that individual was, but your wife has
been kind enough to inform us that il
is party named Bancroft, friend o:
yours. We want Bancroft. Wher
and where did you see him last?"
I felt the ground suddenly slipping
from under my feet. The whole hor
ror of my situation flashed upon me
Mabel spoke up; Crank" she sale
"when saw that number in the paper
this afternoon I knew that it was
Bancroft. I could not keep silent aft.
er such 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. 0, Frank, tell the gentleman
all you know of that man and let us
at least get our skirts clear of this aw-
full crime"
The chief looked at me fxedly. I'm.
der certain circumstances mans
brain will work like lightning. In an
instant had formulated plan.
'Have you a private room?" ]
asked.
yes" he replied, "come this way"
"Wait here" I said to Mabel; edo
not be alarmed will tell him ALL
When the chief closed the door oil
the inner room ! said to him very
calmly:
There is no such man as Bancroft.
He is a mere creation of my poor
wife's fancy" said.
Explain yourself"
II will. If you will make the most
trif1ing inquiries you will find that no
such person as Bancroft ever existed.
Did she tell you he used to work in
Reeds tea store?"
eyes, I believe she did,
"Well, inquire at Reeds ard you
will learn that he never had such a
man In his employ. The fact is, my
wife exhibits at times certain signs Of
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, ofcourse,
to make a confession of it to you. ]
trust, as a gentleman, you will not be.
tray this melancholy confidence. Ny
physician has warned me not to dis.
turb the hallucination, else I would
have warned you in the other room.
| suppose she told you, among other
things, that Bancroft once thrust a
billiard cue down a clergyman's
throat"
eyes, she did say something about
that?"
"Well, how preposterous that is! Do
you want further proof? What would
a clergyman be doing around a billiard
saloon?"
The chief was convinced. ri noticed
something queer about her eye" he
said, grasping my hand sympatheti.
cally. Depend upon me to keep
Mabel was anxiously waiting our
coming.
~ is all rlSnt, Mrs. Styne, SAID the
chief. "Your husband has told me
every thing and you can go now. I'm
much Obliged to you"
She cried a little on the way home
and wanted to be sure I was not ang.
ry. ''Where has that monster gomez"
she asked.
"He has fed" I replied, sand will
never bother us again"