The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-09-29

look after my fellow-travelers who are less
mortally wounded than myself. The bored
reader lays down the book and says with q
yawn that the story didn't come out we'll
The husband ought to have died."
| TITO short rainy afternoon had drawn to a
close, and the lamps about tho station were
all lighted.
| "Well, l have had pleasant afternoon
but suppose it's most time for us to part" p"
said Mr.. Dunlap.
| "Yos," she answered, sadly.
The sparkle had all died out of her face
and tones; she looked worn discouraged and
woe-bcgonc Her companion was more and
more convinced that her story was founded
on her love for him and the fact Of an inhu-
man husband He was filled with pity, but
could think of nothing to say.
"ltll be rather dismal going to Montreal
in the dark" he said, after pause II had
counted on seeing something of the country
"Why not wait till tomorrow or next
day" she asked, with suppressed cagerness.
| 10, must co." he answered, vaguely.
| She looked down Mt the floor for some
time with look Of inexpressible sadness.
She seemed trying to make difficult resolu-
| tion. AT last she looked up with q strange,
inscrutable expression, and said in O low,
| forced tone:
| "Please don't go for a day or two. want
| to see you again. / can't bear to think that
after this pleasant afternoon we must part.
never to meet again. Can't you stay in
Springfield until day after tomorrow, and
meet me again here, in the afternoona"
Mr.. Dunlap hesitated. His companion
was pale and trembling.
"What'll your husband sayl" he asked,
after pause.
my husband" she exclaimed, in star.
tied manner, as if she had forgotten his very
existence. 10, it's about that and other
things that wish you to advise me, " she
went on with terrible earnestness, 81 am in
great deal of trouble. l want to tell you
about it, You look kind, you can help me
if you only will"
Mr.. Dunlap knew perfectly well that 1t
was very imprudent to make an appoint
ment with an entire stranger, but as he was
equally sorry for her, and sure Of his own
ability to take care of himself, he gave the
required promise. A look of inexpressible
relief came over her face and her eyes filled
with tears.
| She thanked him fervently, begged him
not to trouble himself to see her to the
train, and after a warm pressure of his hand
| di appeared.
| Mr.. Dunlap's pity for her did not prevent
him from the disloyalty to her memory of
| searching his pockets to see if any of his
| valuables were missing. Finding them all
| intact he went to hotel to await the ap-
pointed day.
When the designated time arrived, Mr..
Dunlap, though he had thought constantly
Of the fair unknown in the interval and had
| mixed up the thoughts of her with his con.
| scientious study of the city so that about all
| the view he had been able to see from the
| Armory tower was the vision of a bright
eyed woman making violent love to himself,
and had studied the architecture of the
public library with the question: us it ever
| justiiiable to get divorce for intolerable
cruelty!" uppermost in his mind was still
unable to arrive at any definite answer to
! either supposition.
| He strolled aimlessly up and down the
platform, now and then stopping to peer
furtively into the waiting-rooms.
~ will tell her." he finally decided "that
this is very sudden. but that after long and
careful deliberation, l have decided that,
though appreciate her kindness and the
confidence she has reposed in me, l have
conscientious scruples against marrying a
divorced woman, but that will be brother
to her."
There had been no definite time set for
the meeting, and Mr.. Dunlap began to grow
impatient. Suppose that she had decided
on remuneration instead of leaving that
agreeable duty to him! He acknowledged
that If she had come to a realizing sense OF
| her forwardness in making an appointment
with perfect stranger, it was perfectly
right and extremely proper, but it was very
tiresome and stupid wandering about a
smoky old railroad station, waiting for a
person who had not sufficient sense OF
moral obligation to keep her engagements.
He was rapidly growing ill-humored when
he met Fred Richmond, an acquaintance OF
his who was beginning to do quite little
in detective work. Richmond accosted him
jovially, and turning around, walked along
with him. Dunlap was rather impatient at
the interruption. He thought Richmond
would be much more pleasant companion
if he had not been so exclusively enthusiast
ic on the subject of detective work, 80 in.
clined to manifest hardness toward any
thing that was not closely connected with
this hobby.
"You have no sympathies with any thing
but sleuth-hound Instincts" he had told him
once, and Richmond had laughed and said
that in order to be successful one "must
whoop on his own side."
''That was fine piece Of work capturing
Williams, the absconding bank cashier" he
began at once, as they walked along together.
II saw something of it in the papers, be-
lieve," Mr.. Dunlap responded indifferently.
II think sometimes that you think the
whole business of mankind is to detect or be
detected"
Richmond laughed. "Well, confess it
does look so sometimes from my point of
view," he said. "People arc concerned in
these things more than they always know.
Do you know yet how closely you were
mixed up in Williams capturel'
''Me mixed up!" said Mr.. Dunlap, staring.
''Yes, you," returned the other; Sits too
good to keep now it's all over with. Anna
Brown, the girl saw talking with you the
day before yesterday, must have caught on
the fact that some one was lying for Will.
iams for saw her lettering round here for
an hour or two before the train for Mon
treal stated She didn't see me watching
her, mind you, but she was studying time.
tables and looking this way and that, and l
made up my mind she had some scheme for
hindering the process of law. She just
worshiped Williams, and she's just that
kind of Il woman that would go through fire
and water for the man she loved"
''Isn't she married, you say."
''No, never was. He never cared so much
for her, but he made her think so, suppose
He was the cashier in big bank aud she
poor girl who worked here In button shop
though she had good education and ia
smart as steel. Well, he must have con-
fided his trouble to her SOS she could help
him, and mean trick it was, too, for he had
it all planned out to meet another woman in
.l.. .,,I Il id 4