The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1890-02-05
misunderstood.

No, Mabel; not time yet. You
know he only left the day before yes
terday. We will get a letter to-mor-
row, maybe"
''Do you know, Frank, l am almost
wild with curiosity to see his wife?
Such an odd notion of theirs, to put off
their wedding-trip for three months
after they were marriedn'
Wanted to make it in pleasant
weather, suppose" said Frank.
Anyhow, they'll be here in ten days:
as soon as his business is arranged, -
and Mabel Hatfield's almost girlish
face beamed with delight at the thought
for she almost idolised her s'brother
Walter"
Such had been in part, the talk of
the breakfast-table, and there had not
been in all the city a SUMMER face than
that with which Frank Hatfield had
said goodbye to his dear little wife
and rosy-faced baby boy; but now,
half an hour later, he sat in his down
! town office scowling at bit of crum-
with an expression of countenance
which might fairly be thought to in
clude doubts of his own sanity.
Coax Street Houseln he exclaimed.
''What, III We'll, I might as
well go there"
And so he did, with barely enough
presence of mind to put his hat on be-
fore he started. A brief parley with
| the officials in blue, and Frank Hatfield
was admitted to a dingy and dimly-
lighted cell.
''Frank-''
"Hush! Not a word. 1 gave my
name as Harry Taylor, and it's gone
| into the reports that way"
But how did it happen?"
Il can't tell, Frank. l only know
they found the pocket-book in my
pocket, and l was so dumbfounded
could not say Il word.n
The pocket-book!
Eyes, it was at the railway-station.
l had just checked my trunks when
that's about all know about it until /
was nabbcd and searched
But Fiorence?" said Frank.
Il wrote to her that was detained
in town OIL important business Then
gave your name as my counsel, and
sent for you"
81 didn't get your note till this morn
ing"
..Some mistake or other But here
am, trapped, and what to do 1 dc
not know"
''Oh, 1 can get you off easy enough;
it's an old game of the pickpockets.
All have got to do is to prove who
you are, said Frank.
But l don't want to prove who
am; it would half kill Mabel, and Just
about murder Florence. You don't
know how sensitive she is. No; must
be got off and acquitted as Harry Tay-
lor or I'll never get over it. Now,
Frank, old fellow, promise not to let
my name out to anybody, least of al
to Mabel. Florence's letters will come
in your care as usual; and | can send g
letter to Mabel dated from home, you
know, as if it were enclosed to YOU"
''You must take the responsibility ot
all this deception then" said Frank
and after great deal of hesitation the
young lawyer allowed himself to be
overpowered into giving the required
| promise, but left the station-house and
returned to his office a troubled and
anXious-hearted man.
And so it was when Frank Hatfield
went home that evening and silently
handed Mabel an unposted missive
over which her blue eyes glintened and
which made her kiss the baby twice
he did so with Il flush on his cheek and
cloud on his brow which never left
him the whole evening.
Of course Frank kept his promise of
secrecy, but at the expense of red
face and tlustered manner He was
not half sure that his conscience haC
not caught him in several pretty equiv
ocations or well-defined lbs. More
than that, Mabel was quite well aware
that she had not penetrated her hus
! bands secret, and she was not only &
true daughter of Eve as to curiosity
but as self-willed and imperious little
body as she was loving, with good
deal of that peculiar element of char
acter out of which jealousy is manu-.
factured under favorable circumstances
and so. though at first she tried moi
to show it, Mabel was more than a
little offended, and Frank, poor fellow
could not help seeing and feeling it.
And thus the next day passed anC
the next, and affairs down town looked
worse and worse, and affairs at home
grew cloudier at rate Frank Hatfield
would hardly have thought possible
So much for keeping Il secret from hi:
wife.
In her irritated mood Mabel;
thoughts naturally turned to her broth
er, and so one day she sat down anC
wrote to him letter in which she sale
a great many things that were only in
tended for his own eyes. Perhaps nc
harm would have come from it if Ma
bel had not posted the letter with hel
own hands without saying Il word tc
her husband, and that, more by acci
dent than anything else, it was opened
and read by a young married lady il
one of the large towns on the following
day.
1t was not the same cell that Frank
Hatfield had looked into before and i
was nearly week later. The prisoner
was the same, however, and with al
his confinement he was hardly as pale
as his worried-looking visitor.
'It's all up, Harry. Florence is
coming"
Florence! How do you know?n
''Read the telegram. Got to NEE
her at the station this afternoon"
''Oh, Frank, my boy, what is to b.
done?"
''She must know"
And Mabel?"
'.We'n see about chat. Don't se
what l can do but invite her to tn
house."
And Frank Hatfield looked NOR
like Il baited wild animal than ever a
he flung himself out of the cell.
Frank did not go home to Dime
that day, or he might have discovers
that nurse had been left alone with th
baby, and his wife had gone out, " n
one knew whittier. So, in uncomfortable
ignorance of the dangers that bese
him, he went to the railway-statio
that afternoon and waited for Il lad
who should resemble as nearly as pos
sible the miniature likeness which ha
been shown him, and he found herver
readily. There was no chance of mis-
taking the striking, nervous-lookin
beauty, and, in fact. as he advanced
: meet her the trembling lips parte
slightly, just enough to say:
Frank Hatfield?"