Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1896-10-03

very BOOu. 1neu 1 Will Ue w " uie
city Immediately. II Mr.. Ferguson
has any virtues and any failings I shall
certainly hear Of them there"
'sThen I may really HOPPER
ITO the extent Of the few hundreds
you can afford to expend In tho matter,
Mr.. Ruyton," said the detective.
IL.
In these words there seemed to Ralph,
after the expiration Of week, no en-
enlargement.
Mr.. Porter had absolutely nothing to
tell him in derogntion Of Mr.. Tereu.
sons pocket, which had perhaps mt
urally appeared his only assailable side.
II wish, sir" said the detective, "that
my credit was NJ good a. this Aus
tralian gentleman's. Folks smack
their lips when they speak Of hint"
whereat Ralph groaned.
I'VE may 40 well stop. thcn." he
murmured.
"You Just leave It with me-" he said.
"we've not done with him yet. Ill
tell you soon enough when It's hope.
less case"
And 30 Ralph went his way with
shoulder shrug. and made all manner
Of foolish mistakes Mt the Office. for
the nearer Maimie's wedding day ap.
preached tho less lie was ablo to live
like the promising young man lie had
been accountcd-beforc Donald For.
guson came on the scene.
The last week arrived.
Tho impending marriage had been
mentioned In the papers. ana MaiInle's
wedding gown had been described In
two or three Of the ladies' wccllies.
Ralph's own particular chums, who
knew how hard he was hit, had done
their best with him--aud failed. They
could not convince him TINT there was
40 good fish In the North Sea as any
that reached Grimsby market. Nei.
thor could they persuade him that Mai.
mie Wrottesley was heartlcss mink
and worth no true mans alteration.
Meantime Mr.. Porter had not been ac-
cessiblc.
Ralph had called twice and had not
seen him. Hc had written and re.
ceived no answer.
The truth was that his client irrf.
tatcd the good detective, WAC prefer.
red not to sec Ralph until he lad hit
what he was aiming at, or was positive
he never could hit II. Mr.. Porter WIS,
In fact. mot at home to Ralph Ruy.
ton.
This. II Ralph could have known II.
would have made yet ono moro Of
those pleasant arrows which the fntcs
Just then took delight In shooting Mt
him.
A. II was, he thought comparatively
little about the detective. sud oil about
Mamie.
He had seen hcr and the Coolga rt,ie
man driving together with Mrs. Wrot.
tesley) In tho row. and he had seen
them together In q Bond street shop.
II no could Judge by Malmie's face she
was prodigiously happy. Aud he did
20 Judge.
Mrs. Wrottesley was wiser. She
know better. Now that the marriage
was only three days distant this o..
tute lady felt sure nothing could keep
her from being mothcr.in.law to a
millionaire. But instinct told her 90
much that was In her daughters mind
that she longed intensely for the quick
and safe transit Of these last three
days.
Needless anxiety, you would have
thought. II you could have seen tho
marriage ceremony, which was duly
celebrated with all the pomp exacted
Of the rich by Dame Fashion. There
was not hitch anywhere. True. Mai.
milo was very pale. and once held hcr
hand to her heart. But other brides
did the same thing. and were not q
whit less happy for It as wives.
Then came the breakfast. and soon
afterward Mr.. and Mrs. Ferguson were
carried north.
Mamie hankcred after tho likes for
Q honeymoon, said her mamma, and
20 Mr.. Ferguson had eng .ged rooms at
q Windcrmere hotel.
Matters had got thus far, Indeed, ere
Mr.. Porter obtruded himself upon the
unhappy Ralph. The latter was ut the
once. after an Intellectual luncheon,
when the detective appeared.
| WELL MT. 1OT 4butpu WuD Ue-
ginning. with great irony, when the
other stopped him.
"There's no time for talk, sir" he
exclaimed. "Come with me ut once"
"But do you know"
II know everything. That confound-
ed ship only came In Mt II o'clock this
morning. and couldn't trust my doc.
uments until them. I've thought II
best to charter a special for US all"
The detective spoke with junction..
He enjoyed his clients surprise i'm.
measurably.
TN explain It all as We 60 along In
the hanson" he added. ''The Others
are already at Custom"
It was Ralph's turn to feel faint
However. Mr.. Porter's subsequent
words were better for him than sal
volatile.
"There was another woman In tho
case" ran Portcr's tale. II learned
that from q Melbourne man who knew
the parties. He vowed Ferguson wal
married to her eight years ago. How
ever, they're wide-awake lot In Mel
bourne. and, thanks quite as much Il
that Melbourne man (who has might,
fne grudge against Ferguson as t.
your hundreds), Mr.. Ruyton. every
| <llu go oloov Tho wife herso1f nd h0I