Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1896-04-17


ing the night, in whose company he is
enjoying himself, while but he II find
that am not his dupe. I shall leave
him at once. There is train at O'Clock
in the morning, which I am going to
take and go home to my parents. "
At 5 o'clock she called the serving
maid. whom she sent to the garrett for a
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, exclaimine in a
furry OF excitement: "Did Won hear
about it, madam? A thief was here last
night and made an attempt to enter the
house. Some one must have frightened
him off. He left broken key stuck fast
III the lock, and was unable to unlock
the door. had to call from the window
until I aroused neighbor, who ran for
locksmith. Now I am going to have
patent lock put on and spoil their little
game. But you look very pale, my dear
madam. 1 am sorry to have frightened
you with my burglar story. Are you 60
ing to take ride SO early in the morn.
ing?"
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 I had last
night! How near came being robbed
perhaps worse!' She was now thor
oughly angry. $50 much more reason
for leaving the fellow, no matter what
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 waiting
room. Annie entered and made for an
empty table, when suddenly she drop
ped the valise and almost screamed
aloud. Wasn't that her husband, cher"
Gus sitting there i'll a corner and snor-
ing 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 dilapidated
condition? She stood for moment un-
decided and unable to take her eyes off
his drawn, wornout features.
Suddenly the sleeper opened his eyes.
Whatever the outcome, she must avoid
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 unconcerned, and
took seat beside her husband. Some
how her anger had suddenly vanished.
ooh, darling. what brought mel
mean rather what brought you-here?"
he asked, astonished at the unexpected
appearance of his wife, dressed for a
journey.
"Never mind, dear. Don't bother
about that now,'' che whispered.
"Come, let us ride home, where I will
explain ALL. I"
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 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 tend
ed to corroborate and exonerate him.
But he could not quite 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 servant that "they had
changed their mind and would not go
away because her husband, who had
preceded her to the depot, had been sud-
denly taken SICK" and sent her after a
physician.
Gus was very sick. For two weeks he
could not leave his bed. A complicated
and aggravated attack Of influenza was
the result of his experience during that
Ill fated night
it was her great care and tireless, de-
voted nursing that opened his eyes as to
the depth and unselfshness of her great
love for him.
At last Gus got we'll, and, though he
would now and then go to have social
game of whist, his wife never again
doubted him, even if he staid out later
than 11.-From the German.
Conflicting.