St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-08-07

his slippers some evil spirit directed his
| the dresser. 1t was Marian's note.
With idle curiosity he picked it up and
read:
dearest Marian: Meet me near the
old Morton mill at $3.50 tonight. Do not
fail me, darling, for | must see you. OF
course, L need not tell you TO come
alone, and the necessity of keeping our
menting a secret. IL is so long since L
have seen you, and 1 will not detain
you but few minutes. Yours faith
fully, NJ. B."
Guy could scarcely believe his eyes.
He read the fateful miSsive again and
again, till every word was scared upon
the tablet of memory as though with a
hot iron. His first impulse Was TO rush
out and find Marian and demand an eX-
PLANTATION. Perhaps it would have been
uelter had he done so. Instead, he de-
clded to keep silent, and watch the
course of events. Here was a mystery
which he determined 20 ferret out. 1t
took him but a moment to erumple up
the note again. which he placed just
where he had found il. The day which
hal dawned so full of joy was darkened
now for him. For the first time Guy
felt the pangs of jealousy. He scarce had
time to control himself before Marian.
whose footsteps he heard that moment
ascending the stairs, entered. She put
up her lips for the accustomed kiss. For
an instant Guy forgot his suspicious and
kissed the bright little face paSSionately.
She met his careSS frankly and ingenu-
ously. and as he looked into her honest
hazel eyes he was bound to confess he
could see no wrong there. Yet that tell
tale nOte-What could IL all mean?
Either Marian was skillfully playing a
part or there was terrible mistake
somewhere.
Marian busted herself about the room,
hummlng soothing air, " hicb suddenly
ceased as she discovered the note on the
floor. Her heart beat quickly, and she
hoped that Guy had not seen the paper;
1t would lead to Sc much embarrassment
for both. Her husband, unObSeryed.
was watching her. Marian resumed her
song, but she felt guilty, for this was
the hrst time she had deceived Guy.
AdrOitly she put out one of her
little Slippered feet and pushed
the bit OF paper from under the dresser.
Then she affected TO accidentally drop
her handkerchief to the floor directly
over the note, all of which Guy pre-
tended not to see. The slender figure
gently inclined, handkerchief and note
were picked up and the two thrust into
her bodice. As she turned about, the
eyes of both met His were filed with
look Of SternneSS and anguish, ana
she dropped her own with confusion.
Neither spoke a word, yet Marian felt
that her husband distruSted her.
Guy spent the rest OF the forenoon i'll
his library. When the luncheon hour
came round both were constrained and
formal as we'll as decidedly wretched.
Their farewell kiss that afternoon was
cold, and for the first time in ali their
married life they parted with sense of
relief.
That afternoon, when Gny reached
his Office. he sent for Robert Haigb. a
trusted friend OF his and a detective.
He told him of the note, and, after
bIief consultation, the Sleuth was en-
gagged to clear up the mystery. That
evening Guy attended his lodge meet
ing SO as to give Marian an opportunity
to go to The old mill. At least an hour
before the appointed time. Haigh, the
detective, secreted himself IN the ruins.
Marian felt glad that the coast was
clear. and at 9 O'Clock she cast Il light
shawl over her shoulders and made for
only by her mastiff. How her heart
thrObbed! her eyes sparkled with eX-
element and she trembled, for she felt
that it was imprudent for her, weak
woman. to 90 proving about at night
in SO lonely Sput without an escort.
Yet Marian was not really afraid. She
longed, vet dreaded to meet the author
of the nOte.
The court house chimes melodiously
tOlIed the hour OF $50 as Marian stood
by the walls of the ruin. At the same
instant a dark figure gllded nOiselessly
from behind the crumbling wall and
stood beside her. rhe mastitf grOwled
and showed his teeth, but was pacified
as he felt the gentle hand of his mistress
on his head The man clasped Marian
to his breast, and their lips met III
long. passionate kiss. All this the de-
tective noted as he strained his ears to
catch the half-audibie words they ut
tered. The conference was brief.
a few minutes after Marian reached
home her husband came i'll. Eacn felt
embarrassed and constrained, though
they strove to appear natural. The
attempt at conversation was failure,
and they subsidized into a silence that
was painful.
CHAPTER III.
The weeks dragged dreamy OH. and
the cOldneSS between this husband aid
WIG 1HCy WCIC
farther apart. Marian felt conscious
of having dUue her husband no wrong.
although appearances were strongly
against her. The strain was telling on
Guy. He became dull and listless.
Marion was but shadow of her former
self There were times when she
would wander away by herself and give
way to her grief. She prayed to her
God to untangle the web, yet, with a
spark of hope she trusted that time
would come when all would be eX-
planned. The past would be disclosed
and she would stand blameless in her
husbands sight. This belief com
forted her and gave her strength.
1t was now three months since Guy
had found the note. Sometimes lie al
most wished that the hand of Death
had taken Marian from him before their
trouble came. In such case he reasoned
that he would now, at least, have the
memory OF her purity and loyalty to
comfort him. Late at night he used to
stroll out in the darkness. For hours at
a time he would walk, hat in hand,
while the cool breeZeS played south-
ingly with fairy fingers about his fe-
vered brow. He lOnged: yet dreaded,
the final outcome.
All things must have an end some
time, and the mystery was gradually
working ont It's own solution. Marian had
once or twice heard from the man she
had clandestinely met. Haigh was nou-
plustd, and had made but little prog
resS. Marian never suspected that