The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1896-04-10

lounge.
And how did his wife fare? She
awoke in the middle of the night with
start, almost frightened out of her wits
by horrid dream. in which her hus-
band had appeared before her. wounded,
bleeding. and torn by huge blood
hounds. Pretty soon, however, she
comprehended the situation. Her face
bathed in tears, she paced restlessly up
and down the room wringing her hands.
''Oh, the wretch! To stay out all night!
Just to think of it! Such man has the
effrontery to talk to me of love. Not
content to act like villain, he even had
to make fun of me last night by pretend
ing he would henceforth be home at II
o'clock. Who would ever have thought
him so base? They close the beer
house after midnight, hence he cannot
pretend to be playing cards there all
night. Heaven only knows where he
is spending the night. while IL But
he'll find that | am not his dupe. !
shall leave him at once. There is
train at seven o'clock in the morning.
which l am going to take and go home
to my parents SO forth and so on.
More wringing of her hands, more tears,
more self-pity and accusations. until in
her eyes her husband appeared verit-
able Bluebeard.
At five o'clock she called the serving
maid, whom she sent to the garnet for
valise. and commenced to pack. The
maid said nothing. but she was sur
prised that her master had not risen and
did not help his wife. However, she
made the coffee and then went after a
cab.
The front door was wide open and a
locksmith busy with the big lock when
Annie appeared in the hall. The land
lady ran to meet her, eXclaiming in
furry of excitement: did you hear
about it, madam? A thief was here
last night and made an attempt to enter
the house. Some one must have fright
ened him off. He left broken key
stuck fast in the lock, and was unable
to unlock the door. had to call from
the window until aroused neighbor,
who ran for a locksmith. Now ] am
going to have patent lock put on and
spoil their little game. But you look
very pale, my dear madam. am sorry
to have frightened you with my burglar
story. Are you going to take a ride so
early in the morning?"
Annie nodded and passed on. She
was glad that the woman had not seen
her valise, which her maid had already
put into the cab.
What a narrow escape l had last
night. How near | came being robbed
perhaps worse!" She was now
thoroughly angry. $50 much more
reason for leaving the fellow, no matter
the consequences! For the present
shall remain with my parents" Thus
musing she arrived at the depot.
Before purchasing her ticket she in
tended to leave her valise in the wait
ing-room. Annie entered and made
for an empty table, when suddenly
she dropped the valise and almost
screamed aloud-wasn't that her hus-
band, cher" Gus sitting there in cor
her and snoring loud enough to make
everybody in the room smile at his
nasal powers? He looked tired and
worn and his garments appeared damp.
How did he get here and why was he in
such a dilapidated condition? She
stood for moment undecided and un
able to take her eyes off his drawn,
worn out features.
Suddenly the sleeper opened his eyes.
Whatever the outcome she must avoid
a scene in public room. Anything
but that! The walters had more than
once looked wonderingly at the man
who had drunk three cups of coffee and
then fallen sound asleep hours ago
Annie tried to appear quite uncon-
cerned, and took a scat beside her hus-
band. Somehow her anger had sud
denly vanished.
"Oh. darling, what brought me-
mean rather what brought you
here?" he asked, astonished at the IN
expected appearance of his wife.
dressed for journey.
'Never mind. dear. Don't bother
about that now" she whispered.
"Come, let us ride home, where / will
explain ALL
Gus acquiesced in silence. His feet
felt heavy and hardly able to carry his
weight. He was sick. All he could
do was to drag himself to a cab.
And then explanations were in order.
Annie had no reason to doubt her hus-
bands narration of his adventures dur
Ing the night. and what the landlady
had told her about the broken key
tended to corroborate and exonerate
him. But he could not make out from
her explanations what had taken her to
the railway station. He was, however.
too i'll to ask many questions.
Arrived at home she simply told the
astonished servants that "they had
changed their mind and would not go
away because her husband. who had
preceded her to the depot, had been
suddenly taken sick" and sent her
after physician.
Gus was very sick; for two weeks he
could not leave his bed. compli-
Gated and aggravated attack of influen-
"a was the result of his experience
during that Inflated night.
Annie never left his bedside. and now
it was her great care and tireless de-
voted nursing that opened his eyes as
to the depth and unselfishness of her
great love for him.
At last Gus got well, and though he
would now and then go to have so
cial game of whist. his wife never again
L.. $685. IL ~4oxvoI n..&