The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-01-19
,,ren. h,,eb,. q p,rf,ot married happi.

meaning Of locked door," Here Agnes
laughed in sort Of bysterio way and
pointed to near chair. "That's one Of
his overcoats, now." While speaking she
slipped across the room and lifted u mass
of dark broadcloth, holding it aloft.
"Why, yes," said Marion. raising her
quiet brows in surprise. HE came back
this morning after leaving for down town
and ordered thicker one Of Strayne be-
cause of the changed weather. Strayne
must have left 1t there. He's good serv-
ant enough, but he has his careless moods"
Agnes, with another odd laugh, thrust
her hand into one of the pockets. "You've
no fear of finding anything, you irritat-
ingly happy Marion. You are'-
Suddenly she paused. She had drawn
forth lilac tinted envelope which had
been raggedly torn open at one of its sides
"a womans hand, Marion" she ex-
claimed, "or I've never seen onel And
the date of arrival four days back. 1t
smells of violets too. WE'LL really"
"AgnesH'
Marion went forward and took the note
from her friends grasp with uncharacter-
istic speed. She was pale already, but she
grew paler as she scanned the superscrip-
nostrils
She loved her husband intensely and
knew that he returned her love. Not the
slightest incident of her life had she ever
kept concealed from him. and she had al
ways felt confident that on his own side
there was like dissolution of confidence
and candor. 1t stabbed her to the soul as
she thought now that no forgetfulness
had prevented him from telling her Of this
note They led fashionable lives, but they
led them together. For all that they might
sometimes pass hours apart, their constant
intimacy and comradery were beyond dis
pute.
For few seconds she stood perfectly
still, holding the letter. Then she went to
the overcoat which Agnes had just re-
placed upon the chair and slipped the let
ter back into one of its side pockets
She was a woman who had always been
held to possess no common share OF self
command She justified this belief now.
"Bluebeard's chamber" she said, with
smile, but it was smile quite dim and
joyless. And then she raised one finger
and put 1t against her lips In a gesture
that not only symboled silence, but en-
joined It,
Agnes watched her in establishment
She knew that there was never any pose
about her friend; that what Marion seri-
ously did and said were done and said from
sincerity at daggers drawn with sham.
"And you'll never even ask him whom
it's from" Agnes exclaimed
Newer"
"But you suspect
"No matter what suspect"
"And you'll never let him know you
saw it-and didn't open it9"
"Never'
"But this thing, Marion, will come be-
tween you and him. 1t may ruin your
future happiness.
"That can't be helped. If it's what I
think it is" cher placid voice broke little
here), "then letting him know would do
more harm than good"
"But perhaps it's the merest trife, after
all" said Agnes, she herself now gener-
ously turning CONSIDER despite her own sor-
rows, "some request for financial advice
or loan of money from some woman
| whom we both know"
"Perhaps,' returned Marion musingly.
And then 1t passed through her mind;
"He would have told me If 1t had been
that He tells me everything-or 20 till
| now I've believed. "
"Ah, good morning, Agnes" voice
suddenly said in the half open doorway.
"Haying gossipy powwow with my wife,
Ell? You didn't expect to see me here at
this hour, did yous You Thought was
too much of u poor, Woodworking Wall
street drudge, didn't your And you were
quite right am"
| Trent, :" faltered Marion.
She had instantly seen that her husband
was trihe paer than usual, and that
some inward agitation which he struggled
to hide, controlled him. His eyes, wander
| ing quickly yet covertly about the room,
| lit on the ovGrCoat
| "Ah," he said otis here'' And then
he caught the garment up and thrust
hand into one of its pockets. Meanwhile
no was talking with speed and now ad-
| dressed his wife without looking at her.
'The fact is, Marion, l remembered
when half way down town in the elevated
| that l d left an important business letter
| in this coat. Strayne has just told me
| that he forgot to take the coat up stairs
stupid fellow-so l hurried down stairs
| again to get it All, here's the letter
wantl'
Marion saw, If her friend did not sec,
, the CLEAN of a lilac tinted envelope as 1t
was swept into breast pocket of the
oyercoat which adorned the person of Mr..
Trent Kingsland.
And then this gentleman, q little flushed
after his late pallor, said Il few words of
| genial farep$ll to Agnes, made few
buoyant waves of the hand toward his
wife and gracefully disappeared
The two women looked at one another
in silence.
"Marion," at length said Agnes In a
voice vibrant with feeling, she came back
to get that letter And he was very con-
cerned about it, was he nots"
Very
Agnes FASTENED to her friends side.
"Maron, do you mean that you'll never
say word to him even now"
'No shall never say word to him
even now"
Agnes looked steadily at the floor as IL
In deep meditation. Then she caught one
of Maron's hands In both her own.
"But you will suffer"
Eyes, l shall-suffer.
| "And-give-no-sig
"And give no sign"
| Agnes stopped and kissed the hand she
was holding After slight interval she
said somewhat brokenly, Marion, II
don't think I'll take the 8 O'Clock train to
Boston after all. Edgar Fawcett in Col
lier's Weekly.
Cool on the Gallows.
| 1Tbo oooIeet man that ever monnted a