Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-02-09
HIS WIFE'S SECRET.

to the bottom of the mystery without
making fool of himself, after the
manner of some men he knew, or al
lowing any mean suspicion to get the
upper hand of him.
He was a cool clear-headed lawyer,
accustomed to weigh suspicious cir
cumstances carefully before admitting
them into logical course of reason
in0
Yet it was scarcely possible that he
should be able to take n fair dispas-
siOnate view of his own case, partIcu-
larly as he idolised his wife, and was
on that account so mucl the more sem
sitive to the slightest breath or touch
of suspicion.
But there was something more than
a breath in the case.
Ii had come to his knowledge, by
pure accident, that his wife was meet
ing someone secretly, by appoint
ment, that the someone was man,
not the most eputable-looking indi-
vidual for lady to associate with on
any terms.
In connection with this fact. and
seemingly dependent upon it, a change
had come over her.
She seemed to shrink from him, to
avoid his glance, his touch, his ca
resses, III Il strange half-frightened
way.
She no longer lavished upon him
those little daily tendernesses in which
tue heart OF Il loving woman oyerf1oWs
toward the man she loves.
lie had ferreted out queer cases for
his clients, and now that one had come
to his own door his professional
knowledge of the uncertain nature of
circumstantial evidence warned him
to suspend his judgment, curb his
heartache, and bide the time when, of
her own accord, she would coniide all
to him.
One thought haunted him persistent
~. 1t vast must be, something
connected with her past life. for every
page of this year of marriage had been
open to him until the past two weeks.
He had gone to distant part of
England on legal business of pecu-
liar nature, and met her at the house
of a gentleman to whom he had let
ter of Introduction. S was widow,
whose husband had been killed in a
frightful railway accident that had
left many of its victims unrecognIsa-
BILE.
She was the daughter of physician,
who had left her small fortune, which
had been squandered by her husband,
who was most worthless and dssipa-
ted.
Warren Hamilton had met Evelyn
Arnold, rs we have said, and had been
uvertakeH by love in this golden In
dian summer of his lfc-overtaken as
surely and Saiftly as by the first pas
sion of his early manhood.
Their difference III age only seemed
to increase. the attraction between
them. Warren was one OF those men
who ripen slowly, and who stand at
. fifty-ive or sixty in fine perfection
of physical as well as moral and in
tellectual strength and beauty.
His eyes were dark and brilliant,
with the fire and passion of youth IN
them still, yet tempered and subdued
to ''stiller flame" by the mellow pro-
cess of years. His abundant silver
grey hair made a rather picturesque
setting to one of those rare fresh faces
that retain clear flesh tints to three
score and ten; and which comes by in
heritance, and are preserved by cor
rect living. He was large and of fine
proportions. He was 4 man to win
love and retain it, and, since the years
had added so much more than they
had taken, what wonder that Evelyn
loved him almost at first sight?
He had brought her home bride
within few weeks after the first meet
inc. To Evelyn the care and chival-
rous tenderness by which he sur
rounded her had been revelation of
what true manhood in a husband
might be. a.--
Seth Arnold had been coarse by nat
ure, thoroughly unprincipled, and
given over to the degrading appetite
of drunkard. Her pride had been
strong; she had married against the
wishes of her friends, and they never
knew to what extent she suffered at
his hands.
There were things in the past at
which she never more than limited to
her husband, so degrading did they
alton. Seth Arnold had not stopped at
words. A deep ugly scar on the fair
smooth arm, just below the elbow,
brought question from her husband.
''It was Seth" she had said unwill-
ingly. ..He did not know what he
was doing" .-..-e-.-.
Warren made no comment; he could
not trust himself; but the thought that
this delicate loving woman, with the
pathos of Il wounded life in her dark
eyes, had been the victim of such bru-
tally, lent an added tenderness TO his
devotion.
Tonight he had shut himself in his
library with some legal papers that
had bearing upon a case tat he had
on hand, but he could not fix his mind
upon them. His Judgment became
more clouded the more he thought of
the mystery.
Evelyn had seemed unusually i'll at
ease with him that evening. He had
made an attempt to win her conf
dence; had taken her into his arms
when she tried to evade him, with n
touch of authority mingling with his
tenderness. Her EYES we're restless,
flush in her cheeks, while her attempts
at mirthfulness made his heart ache.
Evelyn, you are in trouble. Tell
me ALL" he had said,s striking at once
for the root of the matter.
The fearful glance she flashed upon
him, the burst of laughter with which
she forced back the tears, chilled him.
s'Tell YOU, dear? 1-Ihave nothing
to tell, 'yshe had said, and breaking
away from his OBTAINING arm she had
seated herself at the piano and dashed