Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1895-12-13
HER ELOPEMENT.

hall If her mistress was out, " and her re-
ply, "She said you wasn't to wait dinner
for her, sorr." Incidentally he wondered
"why these people never return direct
answer to any question asked and gener-
ally convey a wrong idea, even when they
have no intent to deceive" Denims must
have understood, as he had, that Mrs.
Sharplelgh had gone out, might be de-
tanned beyond the ordinary dinner hour
and would return home later. Yet all the
time this lay under his plate:
Mr.. SHARPLEIGH-Farewell make no re-
proaches leave you to your conscience. /
simply go. 1t win be useless to seek me. If
you should find me, you could not bring me
back to this house. Perhaps after the step /
am taking you would not wish to. No matter.
Farewell. Your wife until now, ETHEL
He wished he knew II Mary was aware
of that note and guessed its contents. She
had guilty conscious look, he fanoied,
though possibly 1t was only consciously
guilty expression referable to raiding his
sideboard for the policeman's delectation.
If Ethel had only waited a few days 1t
would not have been so bad, but here was
Jack Denims who would think it strange
II he did not see her, particularly as his
wife-her old friend Annie-would arrive
in town tomorrow and had already been
telegraphed to by her husband that she
should "come to Sharpleighs" to meet
him. What would she say when told that
Mrs. S. had eloped2 Some explanation
would have to be made to Jack, that he
might break it to her gently and make
the situation little less awkward. The
letter would explain sufficiently, so Mr..
Sharpleigh simply handed it across the
table to his friend.
Jack read it in silence. His eyebrows
lifted, and his eyes seemed to bulge out
little, but he returned it without q word
and went on with his soup. Mr. Sharp
leigh added q little tabasoo and a dash of
sherry to his soup, got it just to his taste
and began his dinner. When the girl who
waited at the table had gone out for the
fish, Mr.. Denims suggested:
Perhaps she has just gone to her moth
er's."
Scarcely so desperate as that, should
fancy" replied Mr.. Sharpleigh dryly.
MRS. Grymm would be an awful alter
native, in any case"
"Then have you any Suspicion
"Who he isP Why, might as well say
you as anybody else. It's an old snying,
you know, that the guilty man is the one
least likely to be suspected, so by that
ruiz as YOU Onlg hIIlNGu ny Nbuhg bttulll-
er from Europe, met me at the pier and
have been with me ever since, 1t should be
you"
add the damning circumstance that
haven't seen Mrs. Sharpleigh for two
years"
Exactly. I can think of nobody more
open to suspicion, except perhaps a total
stranger"
you've got good nerve, Dick, to take q
thing like this as coolly as you do"
TRY that claret. think you'll like 1t. "
81 suppose I've got to tell Annie.
There's no way now of heading her of
from coming here. She's on the road and
ought to get in before s o'clock
Head her off No; of course not. Why
should your Sooner or later she would
have to know It, Everybody will. A mar
who marries takes his chances Of affording
that much amusement to the public. THAI
he does so involuntarily and unwillingly
only makes him the more enjoyable as {
spectacle. And the harder he takes 1t thu
more amusing he is. Even men who arr
themselves married chuckle at seeing hin
writhe. Obi 1 know what 1 have to ex
pect. In few hours the rumor will b,
all over the town. Then the reporters will
have the audacity to come for details. TIT
newspapers will try to be funny; the gos
sips will circulate lies to the husband
prejudice; the shyster divorce lawyer
will offer themselves.
"Dick, you are getting excited. Tha
bottle you've got hold of is the brandy
not the claret."
"Well, brandy is what 1 want. But In
not excited. I'm not made of wood, that
all"
81 aIo
leigh sent to his room for cigars and upol
receiving them proceeded to light one.
Hadn't we better go up to your roor
to smoke" suggested Jack hesitatingly.
"No, not now. I'm a bachelor agai
and don't care ouss for the curtains
Light up, and after a smoke Wen go t
the club"
The hour was late when the two gentle
men returned from the club, but MI
Sharpleigh did not feel inclined to see
his lonely room without a preliminar
"bracer." Turning on the electric ligh
in the dining room, he led the way to tn
sideboard, but suddenly paused, stare
steadily at omething-vaoancy only, s
far as Jack could see-and then, with
chuckle went on with his purpose. H!
friend noted the pause and shook his hea
when he heard the chuokle, but he mad
no remark. Poor fellow" he reflected
Gin fancy he saw her He is hard hi
but carries it off bravely." They touche
glasses and retired to their respectiN
. rooms.
Before 8 O'Clock, as predicted, Mr.
Denims was in her husbands arms Q
fusively welcoming him back from abroa,
and so demonstrative of her wifely affe
tion that Jack felt alphabetically sorl
. for his friend Dick, who stood looking @
,.imly during their scene. Then the II
lie woman greeted Mr.. Sharpleigh warm
' and asked for Ethel.
: "She is not at home" answered Il
abandoned husband. "Your coming WI
not anticipated by her when she wei
away"
, "What on earth does Jack meant VIII
possesses him to go on like tbatP' 81
wondered, staring at him as he, behi1
Mr.. SharpleiGh'e hack. made faces at h
and gesticulated as If his arms were sign
: flags. But before her curiosity could
satisfied she had to introduce the you
= friend who had come up from the count
l. with her, Miss Jennie Mech, one of
o prettiest and jolliest looking girls imaI
. nabls. Then, as soon as possible, taking
y opportunity when Mr.. Sharpleigh W
q engrossed with Jennie, Jack told his W
in low, tragic whisper: "Don't menti
Ethel again. She has run away"
"Oh, don't believe It'll"
n (which does not at all prevent its bel
d true. have seen her farewell letter"
d "The monsterl"
y az knew you would say so, dear, as
it true women should. There's no tell
% how many good men, like Dick and n
" seIf ara deterred from MARRYING by sect