The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1890-03-01
CHAPTER NH,
A MYSTERIOUS PARCEL

MYSTERIOUS PARCEL.
As my tale roceeds l find myself al
most unequal to the task before me-
shrink from it wi h morbid sensitiveness.
Little did | count the cost-the pain and
humiliation = the record would entail
when first sat down to " rite the drama
of my life
Having once begun, however, there If
no choice left. | am bound in honor to
90 on and place before the reader each
link Ill the chain of events that led TO the
bitter end.
l do not ask any pity for myself, know
ing full we'll that most of my misery was
wrought by my own rashness. But | do
ask you to pause before YOU utterly con-
denim my conduct toward my wife. Alas
Had the misguided woman who brought
about our hastv marriage but dealt fairly
with me all mi ght have been different in
deed
The morning following the episode of
the letter George continued to appear
displeased with rae. She talked with
much animation however, to Charlie
Hawks. and arranged that he should prac-
tice archery with her. An old target had
been discovered somewhere about the
premises and my wife gave directions foI
it 10 be erected upon the lawn.
After breakfast | visited the stables,
leaving my wife and guest III the music
room.
When | was re-entering the house. a
groom, following me IN, lad some sort of
package Oh a table in the hall. | paused
instinctlvely to look 1T what he had left
and without experiencing any particular
interest o. curiosity saw that 1t was box
that had come by rail from London. II
WAS addres ed "Matame Dudley" in n
cramped, foreign, uneducated hand and
Books was written on 1t III conspicu-
ously large letters
With one idea only in my mlnd-that of
giving George pleasure took up the
box, intending to carry it to her. / turned
to do 80, and found myself face to face
with Edna Lynton.
L came here III search of that, Mr..
Dudley. Please give it TO me, she said.
1t is addressed to my wife. | am going
to take 1t to her, ] answered.
She looked more disconnected than the
occasion seemed to warrant and repeated:
L want must have that box. Please
give 1t TO me.
1T is much too heavy for those small
hands to lift. And as | spoke | noticed
how ueryousls she was twinlng together
tHe SithooE dllStlS. mere Wis d great
change III her since | saw her last: she
fragile
You are not well:" | asked. with an
anxiety too real to think of hiding.
Yes. thank You, but
'oh, il Is useless perslsting,' | said
hotlN. ! am quite determined to carry
this up myself. You are not a servant
Va CI a,4l ,.rsI slowly IN fe1 gn Fl
low voice. that seemed to hold some hid
den meaning. | ana friend.
There is no mist AXE about your posi- :
ton in this house" | FASTENED to say.
IorI are here, / am assured, Of yoHr own
free WILL hat being SO, | wish You to lie
happy.
She was not pale now: a lovely pink
color spread itself over her face.
Thank you" she said, with dropped
eyes i prefer no discussion. please. You
will let me have that box
No, Miss Lyntou ! will not
And without another word left her and
proceeded TO the music room with my by
no means light load.
But the little ruse was not successful
George showed herself III no way molli-
fed by my attention. Her dark eyes
gowed with delight as they rested on the
box. but to me she youchsafed neither
word nor looks of thanks.
IIa, what have We here2' exclaimed
Charlie, leaning over the table. Books ?
II lay a hundred to one they re novels,
Mrs. dudley hight" he asked, appeal
ing to my wife. She nodded. Now.
Ill lay odds they're ft,en"h. Right
again. eh2"
How co"td YOU tell?" she asked.
This child wasn't born yesterday
That's written b. French woman" he
continued. pointing to the address.
My maid = id George, staring at
him III genuine amaze. The Frenh maid
who travelled with lae. She is IN London.
| get her to send me French novels. Mr.
Hawks, you are a magician, Jack would
not have guessed s. much in a thousand
years.
Jack would not have dared, muttered
Charlie aside thus showing he was Il more
attentive observer than | had supposed.
He next suggested opening the box. On
some trivial grounds forget what
George objected: but as she appeared so
we'll amused with her con paniou that she
ignored me entirely, left them to them
selves.
They were going to practice archery to-
gether: so long as George was pleased
the parcel marked Looks puzzled me
My wife was not much of a French schol-
an. ! had never seen her read French
novel If she procured them in this way
aud kept them out Of sight they must be
works of q nature which
Pshaw was out of temper or out of
spirits, possibly both What did it signify.
a. iong rs George was amused. what she
read: She was not a child. ! sent ronnd
TO the stables TO order my horse, believing
rite would prove an antIdote to my
moroSe mood.
While waiting walked ont in front and
lit cigarette: it was The renewal of an old
habit which. with many OILERS of my
bachelor days, had been almost entirely
laid aside
A groom brought round the horse: | was
about to mount when Mrs. Armstrong APP
peared and handed ne noe.
II was addressed i'll Edna Linton writ
ing knew that instantly --and the words
it contained, written with pencil III ap-
parent haste. We're these:
Mrs. Dudley wishes Inc to JOIN the din
ner party this evening. lat shall
do: Please tell the bearer Yes or No
/ looked at the stolid features OF the
hou>ekeeper. HLo had brought the note
wondering how much intelligence might
dwell leue,th that stern exterior. but /
might as we'll have tried 10 See through q
stone wall.
Tell Miss LINTON - But there
stopped.
An emphatic No" struggled for utter
ance. but made no sound Had | said
that word the whole tenor Of the future
would have been changed-much evil
perhaps averted- But the pleasant fumes
of the rarely INDUCED III cigarette were
stealing over my senses. | took another
Whit and said: Say 10 Miss Lynton-
Yes. Most certainly Yes. | repeated
by way of making the assurance doubly
sure then sprang into the saddle and wa.
gone.
My evil temper had vanished: my spir.
its rose like magic. | felt eSultant, with.
ont assigning a cause: reckless. withou
inqulring of what.
After putting many miles between nj
and Langdale Grange l drew rein in
sequestered lane assured myself | wa,