The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-08-31

HIS WIFE'S ALARM.
It Was Caused t. tho Lies Of q
Re6cslly Janitor.

It Was Caused t. tho Lies Of q
Rascally Janitor.
81 tell you, boys" said, eff was
not married man. should go to the
races ON Monday and put all I'm worth
on Razsle Dazzle
why don't your asked Tom Muir
ply.
"Why9" said L 'oh, I'm married
man, and my vito has horror of the
races. rvs rseniseA her to keep away
from them. A promise is promise"
And geod (nsagh you've made it,
sir" said eur sld porter. Honest Jim
we called him "Many man has gone
down to ruin and degradation OF ac-
count of them races. The lady is wise.
She is wise I'm telling you what l
name. Obey the lady, and you'll never
see yourself in difficulties"
Honest Jim was fond of giving ad-
vice. and he broke up our chat with
these words. Murphy and Virgins
went away to get a glass of beer before
they parted, and took the train home.
A brooding storm broke just as l
reached my cottage, and glad enough
was to escape it. We had supper to-
gether and went into the parlor as
usual What night it was, to be sure!
A wild night, bitter night, night
when there seemed to be strange voices
in the wind, and these within the house
were likely to fancy knocks upon their
hnl nd
cry: ''Who is there?" when it was only
the blast ,that had caused them to rat
tie. Yet it was on this night that my
wife, my little, delicate, beautiful wife
Fleda arose from the fircside and tell
ing me that she would return shortly,
left the room.
To leave the room was nothing, but
when / heard her leave the house
could scarcely believe my senses. She,
who was so timid-she who Why,
no, 1t could not be. ! went about the
house calling her. Igrew alarmed, and,
fearing to find her lying in a swoon
somewhere, carried the lamp low and
looked in the garnet, the cellar, the lit
tie kitchen where cooking was done in
6ummer-everywher III fact.
She was gone, and so was the cloak,
that usually hung ia a certain place,
and hood she wore about the grounds
on cold days. What could have taken
her out? Had she heard our pony
fiageting inhIs stall or the peep Of some
stray chicken? Was she anxious about
the day calf? We had all these
rural belongings in the small boundary
of our little summer-home.
If so, why did she not mention it to
me? 1t was, no doubt. that cold OF
mine, which / had made too much fuss
about She went herself rather than
to expose me. l tossed on my water
proof coat, pulled an old hat over my
ears and went out upon the porch.
The lantern was gone.
"F1cdar' l cried, lifting my voice,
'F1eda, say! Where are you, Fleda?'
l heard no sound, but shortly, far
along the road. spied a yellow blur
waving near the ground, and knew,
when / had watched it for some time,
that it was a lantern carried by some
one to light her steps along the irregu-
lar foct-path. | say her" because
shortly l could see the drapery of a
woman's dress. It was my wife, re-
turning home. | was certain of that
now, and called to her at once:
'.Fleda, why on earth are you stray
Cling about in the storm? Why didn't
YOU send me to do what you wanted
done? The wind is strong enough to
carry you over the hills. I've been wild
about you"
Il did not know the wind was so
strong"
And asked no more questions. My
anxiety for Fleda swallowed up every
other thought. However, she was per-
fectly well next day, though curiously
depressed and distracted.
have not yet introduced myself. 1
am Henry Darlington. My business
was that of cashier with the Dayton
Brothers. My wife and l lived simply
in a Tiny out-of-town cottage in sum-
mer; in n timer Il at in winter. l had
never been extravagant, and my only
great folly had been to risk a certain
sum of money, left me as legacy, at
the races. / backed the favorite and
lost every dollar. Fleda was very
much distressed when / told her the
news
Not at the loss of the money,
Henry" she said, but that you should
risk it at the races. My uncle once en-
ployed young man who became dis
honest and was finally arrested because
of going to the races and betting and
all that Pray, pray, be careful"
'The week passed quiely. Pay night
came again 1t often happens TINT the
same night is stormy for several Sic
was not as bad as the one on which my
story opens. However, it was much
more comfortable indoors than out.
And yet, just as was in the middle of
paragraph i was reading to her from
the evening paper. / looked up and saw
that Fleda had vanished. Again /
searched the house. Again l found
that she had left it Again the yellow
light of the lantern told me of her re-
turn. She was not out of breath this
time, but she was pale and trembled
little She shook her head when I
asked her where she had been, and said:
'Nowhere. The house felt close !
wanted little air. That is all
You did not find what was reading
interesting" said l.
81 assure you" she began. then
itr' she cried. Don't. Don't! | pray,
don't talk about it,
did not talk, but thought a good