Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1897-11-10

you will find me capable cook and
faithful servant"
Quite a little speech, you see, with
delicate cheeks all ablaze, and tiny
hands neryously clenched.
MY dear" said l. Impulsiyely. 4 Will
take you ON trust"
SO my new cook came home. Foul
faultless meals she prepared, and ere
the hour for the fifth arrived Harry
Gordon arrived also.
He was tall, thin, quiet man, with
wayy hair, almost pure white, though
he could not be over 80, brushed back
off his temples.
Not at all my idea of an Australian
shepherd king, which indeed he could
scarcely now be called, as Of late years
he had devoted himself much to colo
NAL politics. Indeed, IL Jim's raptar-
GUS account could be believed, a great
future lay before him In that direction,
could he only shake of the load Of de
preston which appeared to be resting
on him. He seemed, as my husband
dSidt W ibN, AZ biNob N"ht
of a mental tonic"
Still, his conversation was most
agreeable. He had been keen observ-
er Of men and things, and could relate
his experiences well.
Only he seemed burdened with
mentioned, nor the dear, dead wife.
Perhaps he could not trust himself TO
speak of these with composure-at least
not yet
Jim had lntrusted a small parcel to
him for US, aud short time after din
ner he rose to leave the room to reich II.
At the same time l felt rather than
heard light footstep ascending the
stairs. Carelessly noted 1t.
sit is Mary going to bed. She was up
early"
Her room was on the top fat, and to
reach 1t she had to ascend the front
stairs
Mr.. Gordon had just paused on the
landing, his hand still lightly catching
the handle of the door.
Suddenly the footsteps faltered-
stopped.
Harry
'sMarier'
The mans heart was in the cry.
The little feet flew on as If on wings.
The door reopened, and with the face
of one transfixed he again stood before
us.
My husband started up.
What Is the matter?"
l am afraid | lost my head little,
and to relieve the strain Of the situation
remarked foolishly:
MIR. Gordon looks as II he had seen
n ghost instead of such an ordinary per-
son as the cook"
''The cook" he repeated. Mrs. Ma.
son, it is my wife!"
George found his voice first.
But thought You said you had lost
your wlfe?'
A new light broke upon me.
Yes, lost but found
do not generally speak to my hus-
band In tone of authority, but on this
occasion | did.
George" l said, $50 down to your
study directly and wait for me there.
Stop here, Mr.. Gordon
l went up to Mary's room-a tiny box
of place. 10 feet by 7, but ike each
Of my girls to Lave a room. however
small, that she can call her own. The
girl lay prone upon the little white bed.
MARY" I said, you must come
downstairs"
She shuddered.
us she with himT''
"She? Whom?" said |. ooh, there
has been some sad misunderstanding!
Come with me-"
l led her, unresisting, to the drawing
room door and left her there.
At this point l may as well tell you
the story which we gathered in detach-
ed bits later on.
In her maiden days in that distant
colony Marie Steven had two lovers,
friends Of one another, and bearing the
same Christian name. There was, how
ever, in her mind, no question of choice
between them. For her Harry Gordon
was and always had been the only man
In the world.
For some time after the marriage the
friendship between the two men con-
tlnued to all seeming unimpared. Then
ugly whispers in regard to Gordon's
happiness and personal affairs began
to float about. These had, of course,
originated solely in the fertile brain of
his respectable namesake, and by him
1t was duly arranged that they should
reach the ears of the young wife. Per-
haps from dread of hearing them con-
firmed by his own lips, she from day
to day delayed repeating them to her
husband. Wild suspicious tore her
heart and left her with no rocks of
firm faith on which 90 cling in the
crisis that was fast coming.
Sitting alone one afternoon Marie
was surprised by the entrance of her
husbands friend. He placed in her
hand the letter of woman signing her
self, Your deserted wife. and conjur-
Ing Harry to remember the promise OF