The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-12-22


Dpen his knees, and extend the distance |
between his feet, and then with the un- !
folded pages carefully laid in the NOON
lii space thus opened before him, regard |
I'd them with dubious speculation. At
the end OF ten minutes he rose with a
sigh Of physical and mental relaxation
re.iolded the letter, put 1t in his pocket,
and made his way to the town.
When he reached the hotel he turned
the har.rOom, and observing that it hap
pened To I've comparatively deserted, ask
ed for glass Of whiskey. In response to
the bar-keepers glance OF curiosity-as
Uncle Ben seldom drank, aud then only
as social function with others-he ex-
planned:
81 reckon straight whiskey is about c.
good ez the next thing Tor blind chills,"
The bar.keeper here interposed that
in his larger medical experience he had
found the exhibition OF ginger in com
bination with gin attended with effect.
although il was evident that in his bus
mess capacity he regarded Uncle Ben,
as drinker, with distrust.
"Yeain't seen Mr.. Ford hanging round
yer lately?' continued Uncle Ben with
'
labOrous ease.
The bar-keeper, with hist eye stillscorn-
fully fixed on his customer, but hin
hands which were engaged in washing
his glasses under the counter giving him
the mir OF humorousiy communicating
with hidden confederate, had not seen
the schoOlmaster that afternoon.
Uncle Ben turned away and slowly
mounted the staircase to the masters
room. After a moments pause on the
landing, which must have been painfully
obvious to any one who heard his heavy
ascent, he gave two timid raps on the
door which were equally ridiculous in
contrast with his heavy tread. The door
was opened promptly by the master.
"06, it's you, is it?" he said shortly.
"Come in"
Uncle Ben entered without noticing
the somewhat ungracious form OF in-
yitati0n. sit war INT" he said, drop
ped in, not finding ye down stairs. Lets
have u drink"
The master gazed at Uncle Ben who
owing to his abstraction had not yet
wiped his mouth of the liquor he had
imperiectly swallowed, and was in con-
sequence more redolent OF whisky than
n confirmed topper. He rang the bell for
the desired reireshment with . slightly
cynical smile. He was satisfied that his
visitor, like many others OF humble pos
ition, was succumbing to his good for
tune. $50
~ wanted to see We, Mr.. Ford, " he be-
gan, taking an unprollered'chair and de-
posting his hat after some hesitation
outside the door, sin regard to what l
oncet told We about my wife in NizZouri.
P'raps YOU disremember?"
/ remember" returned the master
resignedly.
"You know it was that AFTERNOON that
fool Stacey sent the sheriff and the Har-
risons over to McKinstry's barn."
"Go onw petulantly said the master,
who had his own reasons for not caring
to recall it.
"Itwas that AFTERNOON, you know, that
YOU hadn't time to bark to me-hevin'
to 20 off on an engagement" continued
Uncle Ben with protracted deliberation,
and -"
"Yes, yes, remember" interrupted
the master exasperatedly, and really
unless you get on faster, I'll have to
leave you agar"
I" was that AFTERNOON" said Uncle Ben
without Bleeding him, "when told you
hadn't any idea what had become O
nv wife ~ lett in Mizzouri."
"Yes," said the master sharply, sand
told you it was your boundcn duty to
look for her.
"That's So" said Uncle Ben nodding
comfortably, them's your very words;
Only leetle more strong than that, ef
don't disremember. Well, | reckon I've
got an idec"
The master assumed n sudden express
ion OF interest, but Uncle Ben did not
vary his montonOus tone.
II KEN across that idea, SO to speak,
on the trail. KEN across it in some
letters ez was lying wide open in the
brush. picked EN- up and lve got 'em
here"
He slowly took the letters from his
pocket with one hand, while he dragged
the chair on which he was sitting beside
the master. But with a quick flash OF
indignation Mr.. Ford rose and extended
his hand.
"These are my letters, Dlbney," he
said sternly, Stolen from my desk. Who
has dared to do this? "
But Uncle Ben had, as il accidentally,
interposed his elbow between the mas
ter and Seth's spoils.
"Then it's alI.right?" he returned de-
liberately. drought 'cm here because
/ thought they might give an idee where
my wife was. For them letters is in her
own handwrite. You remember eZ |
told ez how she was q Scollard."
The master sat back in his chair white
and dumb, Incredible, extraordinary
and utterly unlocked for as was this
revelation, he felt instinctively that it
was true.
knew, ! didn't kGer to AK any one else
to read it for me-you kin reckon why,
too. And that's why Pm troublin' you
tonight, Mr.. FOrd-ez friend"
The master with a desperate effort re-
covered his voice. ut is impossible.
The lady who wrote those letters does
not bear your name. More than that"
he added with hasty irrelevance, 'she is
40 free that she is about to be married,
as YOU might have read. You have made
a mistake; the handwriting m1y be like,
but Il cannot be really your wite's."
Uncle Ben shook his head slowly.
'Its hern-there's no mistake. When
a man, Mr. Ford, hez studied that hand
yrite-hevin', so to speak, knowed it
on'y from the Outside-from seem it
pnSsin' like between friends--that mans
chances o. bein mistook amt ez great ez
the mans who only takes in the sense
of the words that might b'loug to every
body, And her name not bein' the
same ez mine, don't iol!er. II she got a
divorce she'd take her old gaIs name
the name OF her tamerly. And that
would seem to allow shedidgeta divorce.
What mowt she hev called herself when
she writ this?"
The master saw his opportunity and
rose to Il With 4 cbivalrous indignation,
that for the moment imposed even upon
himself. ~ decline to answer that
question, (" he said angrily. irefpse to
allow the name OF any woman who hon
ours me with her confidence to be drag
ped into the infamous outrage that has
been committed upon mo and common
.NN'. - 7 Il, Iii I,nt1 81, "a Inf onI