The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1891-10-07


to himself. "She might either forward
them or tell me that she can't find them.
I'm astonished at her taking so little in
terest in the matter, remembering that
all this bother is her own brothers
doing"
As Mr.. Greene ate his breakfast, he re-
Elected angrily ON the absence of any
communication from his wife. Suddenly
it occurred to him that she might not be
to blame after all. He knew the ways
of railway porters, and it struck him as
being within the bounds of possibility
that the one to whom he gave the tele-
gram might never have sent it. So the
moment he had finished his breakfast he
walked off to the nearest telegraph Office
and wired his wife, asking her if she had
received his first telegram, and if so why
she had not forwarded Svendeleri's let
tiers. He directed her to send reply to
him at queens bench court, No. vi.
Then he marched off to the law courts.
Mr.. Greene sat in court all day, wait
ing for his case to come on and waiting
for q reply to his telegram. Neither
event happened. At 4 o'clock the case
Immediately preceding his was just dis
posed of, SO his stood first for the next
morning. At the same time the usher
informed him that no telegram had that
day arrived for Mr.. Greene, or for any
person bearing q name in the slightest
degree resembling it.
Perturbed in mind Mr.. Greene hur-
ried to his solicitors Office in hopes that
Mrs. Greene might have sent the reply
there. But there he found neither re-
ply nor the Svendeleri letters. Mr.. Nor
craft, indeed, informed him that the alb
sence of the latter was not Of the slight
est Importance to his case--indeed, coun-
sci had expressed his opinion that it
would be very doubtful policy to put
them In. This assurance had, however,
very little effect in consoling Mr.. Greene,
for just then he cared very little where
the letters were or what became of his
action. The only thought which occu-
pied his mind was why Mrs. Greene did
not reply to his telegram. Was il posi-
BILE that she was away from home? If
she was away from home for what pur-
pose was it2 Why should she take ad-
vantage of his absence to leave her
housep Visions of military men came
into his mind, and all his previous wor-
ries and annoyances were as nothing to
the horrors those visions brought with
them. To make assurance doubly sure
Mr.. Greene went straight to telegraph
station and sent off another message to
his wife, In it he entreated her to let
him have an answer of some kind with
out delay. Then he went home to his
hotel and waited there, full of misery
and foreboding, for an answer. He did
not stir out the whole evening, but no
answer came.
The next morning Mr.. Greene rose
haggard and weary. When he opened
his bedroom door to take in his boots he
found a letter awaiting him. With
feverish haste he snatched it up and
looked at the superseription. 1t was III
a feminine hand, but 1t was not his
wife's. 1t was from his half sister, Rose
I3riari ispli OF terrible and JtTiatteraiJlu
forebodings Mr.. Greene opened the let
ter. His worst fears were realized. The
letter ran as follows;
SNoBToN, Thursday
My DEAR BRoTHER-Something has come to
my knowledge which think that In fairness
you should know. Yesterday morning / re-
ceived a letter from your vito putting Off an
engagement had to talSo tea with her this
afternoon. As she gave no reason for doing
so, thought would call at the time fixed and
Just SEQ what was the matter: II she was at
home, could easily say that hadn't received
her letter. When got to the house tho Scr
want who opened the door aroused my sus-
picions by the way she answered me, so made
a few inquiries, and found that your wife has
not been seen by one of her acquaintance In
Snobton since the day you left home. Worse
still, when got back just looked again at her
letter to me, and then noticed that, though
1t affects to be written at Snobton, the post
mark on 1t Is Rottenboroi You can draw your
own conclusions.
write this as being your half sister. and In
terested In keeping up the respectability of the
family. Yours affectionately, ROSE BRIAR.
Mr.. Greene took no breakfast that
morning. He remained in his bedroom
till after 10 o'clock Then he went out
and drove straight to Mr.. Morcraft's Of
fee.
In very nice time, Mr.. Greene" said
that gentleman cheerfully, as he ar
ranged his papers to go over to court.
"Pm going home by tho $780," was
Mr.. Greenes reply.
The lawyer stared at him in amaze
ment.
"Well, if you do" he said. "it's all up
with your CASE"
"Confound my case" answered Mr.
Greene with weak vehemence; sit has
been the plague and ruin of my life.
Settle 1t, pay the rascal his money, do
anything you like. Pm going home"
The solicitor looked at Mr.. Greene
thoughtfully. He saw his client was in
earnest. After moments reflection,
he said: "Well, Pm not sure but settling
would be better than fighting. You see,
Svendeleri Is pretty sure to win, but he
doesn't want to be shown up, 30 think,
in order to keep his dirty work private,
he would concede good deal. Just
come over to court for five minutes, and
we'll see If we can't arrange matters"
Reluctantly Mr.. Greene went over. a
hurried consultation took place between
solicitor and counsel, and then between
the counsel on each side. His lordship
was a little late in taking his seat, but
even then terms had not been settled,
and counsel asked for a few minutes to
see whether 1t would be possible to save
the trial. Both his lordship and Mr..
Greene were getting impatient, when
counsel announced that terms had been
arranged. Mr.. Greene was to pay half
Svendeleri's claim, and each party
bear his own costs.
Every favorable terms" whispered
Mr.. Morcraft to Mr.. Greene, as the lat
ter rose to hurry out Of the court. "By
not fighting it you saved cool thou
sand"
Mr.. Greene at that moment did not
caro- farthing whether he had gained
or lost. All he wanted was to catch the
1870 to Snobton, and all he hoped for
was that Miss Rose Briar would turn out
to be mistaken.
On arriving at Snobton Mr.. Greene |
drove first to his half sisters lodgings.
Miss Briar was in. She received him |
with face in which an assumption Of |
4