The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-02-09
HIS WIFE'S SECRET.


unexpected development of his mar
ried life with determination to get
to the bottom of the mystery without
making a 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
ing.
Yet it was scarcely possible that he
should be able to take fair dispas-
sionate view of his own case, particu-
larly as he idolised his wife, and was
on that account so much the more sem
stive to the slightest breath or touch
of suspicion.
But there was something more than
a breath i'll the case.
1t 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 reputable-looking indi-
vidual for lady to associate with on
any terms.
In connection with this fact, and
seemingly dependent upon it, change
had come over her.
She seemed to shrink from him, to
avoid his glance, his touch, his ca
resses, in strange half-frightened
way.
She no longer lavished upon him
those little daily tendernesses in which
the heart of loving woman overtiows
toward the man she loves.
He 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 contide 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 gentleman to whom he had a let
ter of introduction. Sne 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 dissipa-
ted.
Warren Hamilton had met Evelyn
Arnold, as we have said, and had been
overtaken by love in this golden In
dian summer of his life-overtaken as
surely and swiftly as by the first pas
sion of his early manhood.
Their difference IN age only seemed
to increase the attraction between
them. Warren was one of those men
who ripen slowly. and who stand at
fifty-five OF sixty in a 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 a .'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 a 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 MIN almost at first sight?
He had brought her home a bride
within a few weeks after the first meet
ing. 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.
Seth Arnold had been coarse by nat.
ure, thoroughly unpriucipled. and
given over to the degrading appetite
of drunkard. Her pride had beer
strong; she had married against the
wishes of her friends, and they never
knew to what extent she suffered al
his hands.
There were things in the past a
which she never more than limited t.
her husband. so degrading did they
seem, so deep was her sense of humili
alton. Seth Arnold had not stopped a
words. A deep ugly scar on the fail
smooth arm, just below the elbow
brought question from her husband
at was Seth" she had said unwill
| inely. "He did not know what b.
was doing"
Warren made no comment; he coult
not trust himself; but the thought tha
this delicate loving woman, with tn
pathos of Il wounded life in her darl
| ewes, had been the victim of such bru
talitv. lent an added tenderness to hi
devotion.
Tonight he had shut himself in hi
| library with some legal papers tina
had bearing upon a case that he ha
on hand, but he could not fix his min
upon them. His Judgment BEGAN
more clouded the more he thought c
the mystery. -,
EVELYN had seemed unusually ill q
case with him that evening. He ha
made an attempt to win her conf
dencc; had taken her into his arm
when she tried to evade him, with
touch of authority mingling with h
tenderness. Her eyes were restless
and there was brilliant, feveris
flush in her checks, while her attempt
at mirthfuiness made his heart ache.
Evelyn, you are in trouble. lie
me all, he had said, striking at onl
for the root of the matter.
The fearful glance she flashed upo
him, the burst of laughter with whiC
! she forced back the tears, chilled hin
Tell you, dear? IL have nothin
to tell" Size had said, and breakin
away from his OBTAINING arm she ha
seated herself ut the piano and dasht
off a brilliant waltz. But she was
adept in deception, and the tlimsy di
guise only revealed her unhappine
SO much the more
The case assumed alarming propo
tions to him as he paced the libra
until long after midnight. Guilt! n
1t was impossible for him to enterta
that idea; but might not there