Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-12-11

!
I'ichae; angriiy, but at the came time
= Gnew that he should
He quilted the office earlier than usu-
81 that afternoon. The discussion had
left his brain too perplexed for business,
and the proximity of Joseph recalled
the unpleasantness to him. So he re-
solved to return to Sydenham and chase
away his care in Elias smiles. He en-.
| tered a smoking compartment Of the
train as usual at London bridge, and,
| laying his head back on the cushions,
tried TO compose himself to sleep. But
IT, chatter Of two young men in the
same carriage arrested his attention.
They We're discussing some woman, aft
er the manner Of their kind, and, al
most against his will, he could not help
listening tc them.
Shes awfuliy jolly" said one of
them. Just my style, you know-tall
and slim. with gray eyes and brown
hair; quiet little woman to look at, but
knows a deal, my boy.'
Married. Dick, Eh:'
Married? should think SO. Idon't
care hang for them till they're mar
fIed. No bread and butter misses for
me, " continued the creature, who had
not hair upon his face. Il like won.
an with some nous about her and who
knows thing or two''
"Where did you meet her:''
lin the palace-first rate place for
'mashing. The residents make it q reg.
ular rendezvous. Why, spend half my
time there now
She lives at Sydenham, then?'
Yes, but OF course she can't take ne
home with her. 1t would be too danger.
Gus. She says monsieur is a regular fire
eater. But she has promised to meet me
this afternoon without the children (she
generally has a pair of COMPOUNDED kids
with herr. SO I'm looking forward to q
high old time
'And what's her name?''
"Oh, hang it all, old fellow, you don't
expect me to tell you her name, do you:
"Ob, by Jove, that would be too bad
entirely. Kiss and tell, chi? That's not
my motto. No, by Jove.'' And the two
animals dug each other in the ribs with
their canes and chuckled with inane
meIriment. Michael Denza listened to
the balderdash with q fast beating
pulse. 1t recalled SO painfully the un-
pleasant Conversation he had held with
his brother Joseph. he took hatred to
the speaker, although he had never
| looked at him before, and the instant his
train reached the Sydenham station he
leaped out aud walked rapidly to his
! own house. His first inquiry was for the
mistress Of it. The servant replied that
she was out.
"Out at this tinle:" he said with "a
frown as he consulted his watch.
why, it is nearly dark. Are the chill
dren with her:''
No, Sir. They are in the nursery.
My mistress wouldn't take them out to.
day. She said it was too cold
Michael Denza began to pace the room
in fury. He was naturally passionate
and jealous, Ike the race he sprany
frcni, but he had never had his feelings
reused in like manner before. The
words he had exchanged with his BROTH
er Joseph, and those to which he had
listened in the train, all seemed to
rush back upon his mind like so maly
flashes Of electric light to dispense the
mist which had blinded hinl-perhaps
to his own dishonor. In a moment
the twin demons doubt and suspicion
caught hold of him and worked him up
into state bordering ON madness Was
1t possible Che asked himself) that the
words Of that vainglorious, blatant fool
in the railway carriage pointed to his
wife? Was she the married woman he
n M, n,
absence attributable to the fact Of her
keeping the appointment? y suspicion
which he would have laughed at as the
absurdest folly IL hours before appeared
quite reasonable now, under tie infiu-
ence OF Joseph's sneers and Ella S mys-
ferrous demands for money. He had
heard OF such tbings-of young, unprin-
| clpled men feeding tie vanity Of foolish
women until they had got them III
their power and lived upon the profits
Of their dishonorable knowledge. But
Ella-Elia. who seemed SO gentle and
retiring and modest i'll her dcmeanor--
surely she could never be guilty of such
double dealing. Yet the fact remained
that sic had passed through all the hor-
rors Of the divorce court. and heaven
only Kew now mach her CCE6uct may
have aggravated her first husband before
he treated her i'll such naDner as to
insure her freedom.
Michael De,za had never considered
the matter i'll this light befo,c. Ee had
always believed his wife To have tcan .
most injured woman, but tire devil of
conb' hat! been raised in his breast and
he was ready to believe the very worst.
And if-as he. said to himself with
clincbed tee,h-Lis trother's suspic;ous
proved TO be correct, ard he found tina.
Ella had deceived kim. there wou,d be
murder in that house before the night
was over. He had been pacing the floor
OF the dining room for perhaps a couple
of hours before his wife's step sounded
IL the hail. She came il LUrr:ejiv and
nervCusly. ana when she heard that her
husband had returned home it seemed
TO him that hey voice indicated mere
| than surprise.
Already" she exclaimed falter;rc
ly- Surely, it is not yell Whore is