Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-08-12

while he was out of doors the man
| had arrived.
Tell you what, Marian" said he to
Mrs. Baldock, 1 think I'll step across
the road and ask the party at No.
II if he has seen any one going in
next door this evening. En-"
Don't make a bigger fool of your
self than you are. William said Mrs.
| Baldock, looking up from copy of
| a novelette, she was devouring.
| Mr.. Baldock seldom answered his
wife back. He had caught a Tartar
in her and he knew it. So, with a
| sigh of despair, he proceeded TO the
sideboard and mixed himself stiff
tumbler of grog. He made no further
remarks to his wife about the people
next door until he found himself in
! his bedroom at II O'Clock, but he kept
a fairly constant watch on No. II
! through the Venetian blinds of the
front window. However, he saw no
one go in or out of the house. The
only visitor was the postman, who
raped loudly at $50. "A letter, no
doubt, from the man she is deceiving,"
reflected Mr.. Baldock with a shake of
the head.
Mr.. Baldock spent a very restless
night. He thought he heard a dog
! bark next door more than once, and
he knew Hankinson didn't keep a
| dog. No doubt it was the visitors
dog.
At O'Clock Mr.. Baldock arose from
bed, and, stepping across to the win
dow of his bedroom, he turned back
the laths of the Venetian blind in
order to have look at the sky. "A
dirty, raw morning" said he. And
then his heart gave throb. He heard
the hall door of No. II closing, and a
moment afterward young man went
i down the small forecourt and passed
out through the small iron gate.
Mr.. Baldock almost shouted for joy
and excitement. At any rate, he
awoke his wife. He told her of his
| great discovery, and then proceeded to
dress himself.
| ut might be a ledger or the doctor"
Doctor be bloWed!" said Mr.. Bal
dock 'fThere amt no one i'll next
door. [ saw Mr.. H. and the child this
morning in the back garden. Beside,
the only doctor in Brickwell is old
! Nettlethrope, and that wasn't the old
blOke. I'll take my davy," exclaimed
Mr.. Baldock, gleefully. Landlord al
lows no dodgers in this road, as you
ought to know" he added, haughtily.
The occupier of No 10 saw no sign
of the lady next door during the day,
hit at 3 O'clock he stroIled down the
/ Tregorn road and stood at the end
of the road in order to waylay Han
kinson's charwOman. He stopped
that eminently reputable and elderly
female and inquired after the Rankin
sons. Yes, the missus was quite well.
Child seemed all right, too. And the
master was expected back the follow
ing evening. mo dodgers in the
house?" oh, dear no, sir! The masters
return was quite unexpected"
Mr.. Baldock rubbed his hands as he
| babe the charwoman good afternoon
GA regular mixed-up job altoeether!"
he cried, half aloud, as he proceeded
! homeward. ''I'll spoil his appetite for
! his supper tomorrow evening. for it
won't do to have the character of the
respectable neighborhood taken away
by people of that sort"
A fever of unrest possessed the re-
tired butler for twenty-four hours, and
he felt sense of tremendous relief as
he gaZed at the cab which was deposit
ing Mr.. Hankinson and his luggage 4
No II the following afternoon. Should
he call at No. IL, or should he send
on word to the outraged husband that
he wished to see him at No. Is. It
was fully an hour before he made I'D
his mind to call. BY calling he could
Kill two birds with one stone-he
could see what sort of furniture the
Hankinsons had and in what manner
they lived, and at the same time put
the awful intelligence before the ip
jured husband.
The praying butler full of virtuous
indignation, was soon knocking at the
door of No H. He was rather taken
aback at finding the door opened by
the surly Hankinson. He expected to
have been admitted by the guilty
woman.
I want word in private with you, -
said William Baldock, in a somewhat
agitated voice. He did not feel quite
as self-pOssesSed as usual
Mr.. Hankinson brought his visitor
into little parlor which corresponded
With the parlor next door, The table
was laid for meal, and the whole
house seemed to the retired butler to
have an air of that quiet responsibility
which he hankered so much after.
It's matter of serious Importance, )"
said Mr.. Baldock. and | come only
as matter of duty. I feel you ought
to be told the truth at once"
The truth about what?" inquired
Mr.. Hankinson.
well, my friend, may l ask you if
you have any intimate male friends
in Brickwen?"
mo, l have not But what's that
to you, sir?"
No friends such as might be likely
to spend the night here in your alb
sepce?"
Certainly not. l don't understand
you, sir, and | think it is very i'm
pertinent of you to pry into my
affairs
Don't lose your temper. l am only
doing a auty To society t0 tho moi oh