The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-08-26
CASE OF BLACKMAIL.

II She's a ripper, uncle" said hi
nephew and articled clerk, who ha
brought It to him; but she will onl
see you."
Then I suppose must" said MI
Blest; show her up" He took
piece Of paper that looked like the
atrical programme and seemed to Civ
an air Of frivolity to the papers OF
his table, and drop" ed 1t into the vast
paper basket; his nephew saw him d.
1t, and said In tone Of remon
STRANGE:
uncle, can't vow Gomez"
Cant you see I'm busy?" said Mr.
Blest. "Show the woman up, and tel
her to be quick II ahe can"
"A minute later a young lady came
in smiling. with very small hand
held out, incased apparently in still
smaller glove.
"You have forgotten me-" she
laughed, as he bowed stiffly. Mrs
Smythe-Maude Uttersen."
Dear me-" said Mr.. Blest, $50 II
is"
The small hand rose and lowered
somewhere above his shoulder as he
caught its fnger-tips in bis bony old
claw.
Well" she exclaimed, ITS three
years since you've seen me, and then
I had Just come Of age, and you only
saw me when you gave me away: Of
course, no one looks on her wedding
day like she does afterward." !.
"You are looking very we'll" -
Thank you; I was afraid was
growing thin" she said, pinching her
arm critically. II am very unhappy;
that is why I came to see you.'
Indeed" said Mr.. Blest. you pain
me extremely-your husband
''It's not quite come to that; but It
will soon, II you can't help me. Look
here, Mr.. Blest, I feel l have known
you since I was little girl, because
you used to send me postofflce orders
for pocket money, with typewriter
letters, to ask II they were kind to lae
at school. just as II ! should have dared
to say they were Lott" ..s.
"Ah, never thought of that" said
Mr.. Blest.
And then you tied up my wretched
little $4,000 in marriage settlement,
so that get nothiag year and have
to buy all my clothes out of it-and
now II you will only not interrupt me
think I can tell you everything"
He bowed silentls as she settled her
self In the batte- ed easy chair ex-
tending pair Of pointed little patent
leather boots to the gas fire in the
CRATE.
mot bad for country parsons
wife. eh?" she said, following the d.
rection of his eyes. "It's my hats,
though, that they talk about most
down there; you can't show your
boots very well In pew"
As he had been asked not to inter-
rupt he said nothing, while she ar
ranged her left sleeve and pulled down
the right hand corner of her veil.
1T is hard on me-" she went on, with
sigh, because truly don't deserve
it; but it is like this. Years ago be-
fore I married knew a captain-his
name does not matter, call him
Doe" suggested Mr.. Blest.
Sounds rather like a baker; well.
never mind. Captain Dough and
were great pals; friends. you know,
nothing more; and he went away to
India, and wrote him letters-natur-
ally"
Mr.. Blest bowed.
II thought myself rather more than
just pal, then, you know; was only
eighteen, and my letters said good
deal, fancy. l should not write like
that now to any one. However, I sup
pose he liked them, and kept them.
Never keep letter from a woman,
Mr.. Blest; PERHAPS you never did,
lawyers are SO careful. Well, he Is
dead now, poor fe low! He died in
India, and his servant, or somebody,
must have stolen all my poor little
scrawls, and Just listen to the letter |
received a fortnight ago; I'll read 1t
to you:
Madam: We are instructed by
client to offer you for sale certain let
tiers written by you to Captain -
dough, late Of the-never mind the
regiment). Kindly let us know IL
you would care to purchase them for
a thousand pounds cash, or whether
your husband would possibly be likely
to desire them. 1t seems a pity that doc
uments so interesting to your family
should fall into other hands. Faith
fully yours,
JAMES HEDGETER.'
HE calls himself an autograph deal
er. There!-a thousand pounds"
Dear me-" said Mr. BEST How
many letters are there?"
Only four that matter. I wrote
one afterward to say that. was en-
gagged, and another after l was mar
led; quite formal; there was nothing
n either of them"
Then" said Mr.. Blest, III what you
ell me Is correct" (he coughed apollo
,etically as the phrase slipped from his
ips), II cannot see how your husband
AN reasonably be made Jealous"
"Of course; JUS what l thought"
aid Mrs. Symthe, .apping her foot on
he fender impatie tly. And l wrote
md said so; and hey wrote back to
ay that If wants particulars of the
etters, they were undated-just as II
ne went poking about in almanacs
efore writing letters-and that II
7anted extracts they would inclose
ONE. They did, ind I burned them,
nd haven't slept since"
But they are undated" said Mr..
Hest, still cheerful and consolatory.
She shook her head. They also
aid that two were in envelopes with ,
ostmarks. They told me the dates
ne Just before, one just after, l was
larried." 1
Dear me-" said the old solicitor
oking grave. Then they have nut .
70 early letters into envelopes that
harmless ones, merely say
g good-by."
Il thought you would begin to un- 6
'rstand soon," said his client. 7
You must tell your husband every t
ing, Of course" began Mr.. Blest t
She stood up, looking sorrowful, but b
m. Mr.. Blest, I cannot, positively
ear William is good husband. and t
love him very much; but he is a n
srgyman, and he does not under
and. I'm afraid he has been v
Their cross with me once or twice. t,
1en other men have liked to come
see me, and-that sort of thing, 81
ls will be the last straw; you see, n
ave never said word about Cap h
Doe" said the old solicitor, quick II
That seems pity, and the let
J. are they very. Mr.. Blest b
ghed behind his hand. II