The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1894-01-13
MISSING
<<@<b
HUSBAND.

when he went out, which would be In
half an hour. The detective was hard
~ likely to follow the doctors broug-
ham, or to suspect his errand. And If
he did he would get no information
from him. As a medical man, any IN
formation that came into his hands
through a patient was sacred.
This task accomplished, Rose went
back and tried to comfort and soothe
the invalid.
At ten o'clock the female detective
went away. The man remained till
i'll in the house. He had seen the SER
want go for the doctor, and he had
seen Mrs. Smedley go to the doctor
afterwards. Miss Gilmore had not come
out. 1t was probably Miss Gilmore.
The case was getting more complicated
than ever, but he made up his mind
that the young lady wouldn't oblige
him by coming out while he was there,
and 81 he went away.
It was evident to him that for the
present he was foiled. That John
Smedley was in London he felt sure,
that he was the actor who called him.
self Wilson he was convinced, and his
view was strengthened by the fact that
he had ascertained through his female
assistant that Miss Gilmore had given
no address at the agents except a we'll
known p~ostof1ce, where people of all
sorts were in the habit Of having their
letters left.
The next morning Miss Gilmore was
much better. Rose had watched her
till she slept, and had then gone to lie
down on the sofa in the sitting-room.
She was so much better that towards
middle day, when the doctor came, he
allowed her to get up.
Then she and Rose talked the situa-
ton over, and little by little the young
actress told her story.
She had been playing with a com-
pany in America when she first met
Wilson, who was then taking to the
stage. He was not a good actor, but
he was a gentleman, and made him.
self agreeable, and people liked him.
They saw q good deal Of each other
and they fell in love. He asked her to
be his wife and she consented, and
they were married. Soon afterwards
she heard that her mother was ser
iously ill in England, and she wanted
to return and see her. At first her hus-
band objected, but at last, upon think
ing it over, he consented, but she no
| ticed that he seemed very nervous as
| soon as they landed upon English soil.
She returned to find her mother dead.
All their funds had been exhausted by
the journey, and she proposed that
they should get engagements in Eng
land. At last she succeeded in obtain
ing one with a travelling company for
herself and her husband. One night,
in q little town near London, a mes
sage was brought to her husband that
a gentleman named Marlborough want
ed to see him. He was terribly agitat-
| ed, and exclaimed, MY God, they've
recognized me. 1 thought after all
these years I was forgot+en."-
That night he told her his story. He
confessed that some years before he
had been in an Office in London, and
had been accused of embezzzlement.
He assured her that he was innocent,
but could not prove 1t, and that If
| he were taken he would be sent
to prison for years. She was terri
fled, and they left the place at once
| and came to London. Jack after that
rarely went out. Ha seemed in con-
slant terror Of being recognized. They
were very poor. and she had had to
pawn to pay their rent. Then they saw
the advertisement for an ACTOR to 60
to the Cape with a company. Her hus-
band said that would be the best thing
for them, and he had sent her to try
and get the engageme nt. Rose knew
the rest.
49," thought Rose to herself, "he has
deceived this poor girl, and she really
believes that she is his wife! What
am I to say to her? What will she do
when she knows the truth"
A great pity welled up In the heart
Of Rose Smedley for this poor girl who
had been so loyal to the man she loved.
She ceased to regard her as a rival
and looked upon her only as q fellow
victim.
But now more than ever she felt bit
ter against her husband, and deter
| mined to let him see that his baseness
was known to her. Then he might 60
to the Cape IL he liked. She would not
raise q finger to stop him. But no
mercy she might show him would ma
BILE him to atone for the wrong he had
done Kate Gilmore. " 49, 49,.
The doctor had still forbidden Kate
to leave the house under any circt.m-
stances. Leaving her at home, Rose
went out. She was determined in some
way to see John Smelley that day.
She looked about her to make sure that
the house was not watched and saw the
detective at the top OF the street He
had resumed his watch. But an she
came out his back was turned. for q
moment. A few doors below was a
corner Of the street-round this Mrs.
Smedley darted. Then she stopped well
out Of sight and waited. If the detec-
tive had seen her he would come after
her at ono
She waited q few minutes and he
did not come. Then she was sure that
he had not seen her leave the house,
but was still watching 1t.
She was safe now. She went up the
side street to the top and took a short
cut and made her way into Holborn
there che took a cub and drove to the
address given by Kate Gilmore.
II was i poor, mean little house, with
dirty blinds, and a general appearance
OF being let on Ia lodgings to people
Nho were not too particular.
She knocked at sthc door, and the
landlady, an lntidys person with an I'M
tidy baby In her arms and q small,
untdy child clinaing TO- her skirts,
opened the door.
81 come from Mrs.. Wilson, with q
message FOR her husband. n he at
homer
NO. he ain't ma,am, He's cone
way, "
aGone away exclaimed Rose, u J
.tcnishment.
Yes lie paid me my rent, and went