The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1890-08-07
MRS. DO b
BY JOHN STRANGE WINTER.
Author Of" Bottles Baby" Beautiful jim, y
Etc, Etc
CHAPTER xvI-..sTJPpOsTNG-"

a couple of days. AS Mrs. Bob explained
to Julia, Bob had hustled her up to look
at a certain set of fittings for one of the
Manor Lodge stables, which he could have
done just as we'll without her, and in the
evening Stephen and his wife dined at the
Metropole with them, having an idea of
going on to the Criterion to see Wyndham
in "Dayid Garrick' afterwards, that is if
seats were 10 be had. 1t happened that
Stephen was the only one Of the four who
had seen the piece and the sisters-in-law
were quite eager about it. Stephen there
fore, dropped his wife at the hotel and
drove round to the Cri' to find out if there
were places to be had, and presently he
came back with the news that there was
one box left which he had secured.
"That will be lovely" cried Mrs. Bob
who, poor little woman, was quite in ig-
norance of the little cloud in Julia's mind.
81 do like a box so much better than
stalls, although perhaps you scarcely see
quite so well. But you can go in ten
minutes late without annoying a dozen
people and the men can go out and what
they call walk round between the acts
without treading on three or four other
WOmen's toes"
Never go out till after the second act, "
put in Bob. "COme along, Julia, my dear,
let us go down to dinner now"
Mrs. Bob laughed. bob is quite touchy
about walking round" she cried, teasing
~. "Ohi by the by julia dear, | have
just had letter from Lady Lucifer and
they have had the biggest robbery in
Blankhampton that they have ever had
yet"
'What. another?" cried Julia, standing
stOck-still in the corridor.
my dear" replied Mrs. Bob. impress
sively, "they have got all the Civic plate
the sword and mace, the Mayor and
Mayoress' chains of office, they have got
her ladyship's diamonds they have got
everything My dear, it is wicked to
laugh at the misfortunes of others, but
when I think of the sword and mace !
can't help laughing. And when | read
Violet Lucifer's letter, just reared"
but Mamie" exclaimed Julia, in an
awed voice, "wherc will they stop? Where
will they go neXt?"
Impossible to say" answered Mrs. Bob,
"but depend upon it the sword and mace
have been boiled down long before this
and the chains and all the big silver can
dlesticks, too. And what they'll do at
the banquets and parties | can't think, for
Pm sure there isn't money enough in
BlankhamptOn to buy any new ones"
Julia tried to think-tried to realize
what Assize Sunday would be like with
out the insignia of civic state and dignity
to give an air Of splendOr to the scene;
tried and failed.
"Well, - she said, as she unfOlded her
serviette, ''I'm very glad l don't live in
BlankhamptOn any longer. 1t did not
matter as long as l had nothing to lose
but [ should be very sorry to lose all the
pretty things I have now"
''Of course, you would" Mrs. Bob re.
turned, II know felt losing my things
badly enough. If you will believe me ]
keep what I've got left about me night
and day, and | sent every silver teaspoon
we had to the bank before we came away.
Just as well, for as likely as not they
would all have been gone when we got
home again"
1t was charming little dinner that
they enjoyed that evening, ut the com.
Portable little table in the contest corner
of the great dining room, which Bob had
reserved for himself and his Wife's use
during their stay in the hotel. Aud Julia,
when she was made much of by the other
three, quite as much of by Bob and his
wife as she was by Stephen, began to feel
that she was q mean little wretch and
nothing less to be giving hOuse-rOOm to
such feeling as had taken the shape Of
little cloud no bigger than mans hand.
They got somehow during the course of
the meal to talking about great murder
case just then occupying the attention Of
the newspapers, a case in which wife
who outwardly had all the appearance of
devotedly nursing a sick husband only tc
be confronted by his relatives with a
charge of wilful and deceitful murder, OF
using affectionate solicitude for his wei
fare as a cloak under which to administer
a deadly poison.
81 think she'll get off" said Bob.
81 hope she will" cried Julia: ''poor
thing it must be bad enough to lose youI
husband without being accused of killing
him."
'sIt must be pretty bad to be standing
in a dock on a charge of murder whether
you happen to have done it or not" put ir
Stephen, thoughtfully.
"Oh! horrible!" Julia answered. 1--WE
knew a man who was charged with muir.
And we knew the man who was murdered
too They were both in the Blankshire
Regiment"
''Then he didn't do it?" said Stephen.
1.-THE man who was had up mean"
''Oh, no!-they were the greatest friends
possible. But they never found out who
did do it, all the same | remember Mr.
Beresford-he was such nice fellow; he
married Nancy Earle, a great heiress, af-
terwards-tOld us when he came back tina!
often enough during the few days that he
was in prison, he used to wonder what it
would feel like to be hanged for the MUIR
der of his best friend who he would cheer
fully give ten years of his life to bring
back again.
And you think he didn't do it," said
Stephen.
81 am as sure that he did not as l can
be of anything which have not seen with
my own eyes," Julia answered. "And II
they had convicted him and hanged him
they would still not have convinced me
that he did it. 1 should always have be-
ieved in him. she added, quite warmly.
But why?"
T in him He was