The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1886-06-09

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why, has he any money!" she
asked in surprise.
"Yes, some, answered, indefinite
ly.
Then he must be Of a saving dis
position" she said, musingly. per
haps he is a better man than thought.
Tell me something about him. Frank"
'Why. what do you want to know,
dear" replied, feebly.
''Where does he live?'
"He has room at-at-20 Stanton
place; No. II, believe" Ichose Staun-
ton place upon the inspiration of the
moment because it was long distance
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:
Crank, l am quite curious about
your friend, Mr.. Bancroft. Does he
look like youp" A
NO" 1 said, giving my Imagination
rein, "he is shorter and of light COM
plexion."
"Does he wear beardP'
Eyes, a full beard, cropped close. :"
"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
'How very singular" said Mabel
with growing interest. 81 should like
to see him. Tell me about this real es-
tate scheme"
l felt that if l hesitated was lost,
and, laying down my knife and fork, l
entered into detailed account of Sc
ries of fictitious investments contem.
plated by Bancroft and myself. l did
not originally intend to 60 so deep, but
her questions drew me out, and each
successive step was necessary for pres
ervation. As l walked out of the front
gate felt like a convicted felon.
However, the mythical Bancroft was
a convenient parsonage, and l 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 piece of exquisite char
acter 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 widow 8
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 savagely because he got drunk and
l had to stay with him and see, IS a
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 Reed s
and gone to an uptown store. This
necessitated going into all the details
as to why he left, which l gave shame
lessly. My conscience was in such q
condition by that time that l was less
troubled over my fabrication of com.
plicated lies than was that l should
cross myself in some of them. How
intricate, how manifold and multiplied
they were can be imagined when l say
that at the end of two years Mabel was
still unsuspicious. She had, however
conceived q violent dislike, growing
into an utter adherence. of the man
This was engendered BY peculiar turr
which the fiction happened to take
One night the first pencilings O
dawn were showing in the skies wher
l returned home. had not intended
: to stay so late. l realized with suddel
! and humiliating force that l was ,
brute to leave young girl alone, un
protected, anxious and afraid through
the long night felt ashamed, mortl
fed, and above all alarmed, for wa
well aware that scene awaited me
With beating heart entered the house
Mabel was in bed and turned her heat
slightly without looking at me O
speaking. felt intuitively that sh
was crying. At that instant any plan
any lie, no matter how black, tina
would have relieved the poor girls dis
| tress would have seemed noble to me
So it was with no pang of conscience
that I sank into chair and exclaimed
in hollow voice: 20, Mabel, if yov
had seen what have seen you woul'
be sick at heart"
"What was it, FrankP' she aske,
J with instant curiosity, sitting up il
bed.
This was the effect had calculate,
, upon. and for moment said moth
ing, as if too much overcome to sp eak
/ Then in q low tone continues:
Bancroft is in jail!'
20, Frank she cried, her eyes sud
denly dilating; "what has he done?"
, Again l was overcome with emotion
had to have time to think.
"You know how Bancroft is whel
he is drinking" said finally.
t Yes" she replied. eagerly, "ver
quarrelsome.
Exactly. Well, we were playing
game Of billiards last night. hadn'
, noticed that he was under the influence
, of liquor. but he got into q disput
with clergyman, who was a perfec
stranger, and took his billiard GU
and"
KILLED the minister!' shrieked Ma