The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1895-08-02
FRIDAY, AUGUST 2, 1898. N

He ate solitary dinner and smoked
his cigar afterward, and the evening
dragged along to 10, half past 10, II.
Then Philip resolved that he was justi-
fed in reading the letter which lay on
his dresser. Before he sent the police
officers in search of her he must obtain
whatever clew were possible from this
letter. This was what he read:
DEAR SUzANNE-I'll be at this hotel, like you
tole me to be, all day tomorrow waitin for
yer. Your friend til deth, DICK.
The note was mailed the previous
evening. If fiery bolt from the May
heavens had fallen at his feet, Philip
could not have been more astounded.
He did not love his wife, but his pride,
self respect, faith and trust all had re-
ceived tremendous blow, and he stag
gered under it. There was no mistaking
the wording of the letter. Suzanne had
written to Dick Dunning, her OLD ad-
mirer, to meet her at the Union Square
hotel. She had gone there to keep an ap-
pointment with hiIn at 10 o'clock in the
morning, and she had not returned.
Well, he would not send an officer to
look for her, that was sure. He would
wait the developments of the next IL
hours. There might be, there must be,
tome explanation of this terrible mys-
terry. Suzanne was utterly ignorant of
the ways of the world, and she might
have some explanation of this remark.
able occurrence when she returned. But
at noon the next day she had not re-
turned, and then Philip Hughes sent a
messenger boy to ask his best friend,
Lawrence Wentworth, young attor-
ney, to call and see him on important
business.
Lawrence Wentworth came and lis
tened with lawyerlike stocism to what
Philip had to say. Then he remarked:
81 have met Mrs. Hughes on several oo-
casions, and l must confess, my dear
Philip, that among all the women I
have ever seen she is the last one whom
would accuse of an intrigue. Bad as
the ciroumstantial evidence against her
seems feel sure there is some eXplana-
tion which we shall discover that will
exonerate her. The first step to take Is
for me to go to the Union Square hotel
and make quiet investigations. I will
return and report to you. :"
1t was several hours before Mr.
Wentworth returned. When he did, he
dared not meet Philips eyes. my dear
fellow, " he cried, wringing his hand
and looking away, Gin all my profes
sional life have never had so difficult
Inf oc lorn1uoS
Gods sake, take it bravely, bad as it
is"
"Well?" 1t was all Philip said as his
friend paused.
''She met the man at the hotel yes
terday at half past 10. She was alone
with him in his room for over an hour.
Then the two left the hotel, and traced
them to the Grand Central depot, where
they purchased tickets for Portland,
Me. There is but one thing for you to
do-obtain divorce as quietly as pos
sible on statutory grounds. Itcan be done
with very little publicity or noise. am
glad of one thing, my dear fellow, and
that is am glad you do not love her.
Of course know your heart story, al
tHouSH you uoVer meHtloHeu IL 10 ue.
| But 1 know it, and I know this mar.
riage of yours was sudden wild freak
of man under great mental strain.
This disgrace strikes your pride and
self respect, but am glad, Philip, that
it does not go deeper. Let us now look
the matter of the divorce in the face in
all its practical details and see how we
may best proceed. The sooner it is over
! the better. :"
While the two men sat thus absorbed
in conversation the woman who was the
subject of this conversation lay like one