The age-herald., 1898-02-27

tention. His name is Gregory. Gregory
 "But I insist upon it that the fellow IS dead" said Eugene.
 Hush, Eugenei" said his sister-in-law.
 "f believe she knows it too.'' he went on.
 q think Mrs. Tivvers ought to be cross examined" I suggested. "She started the trouble"
 ''I'm afraid I started the trouble" re- marked Mrs. Alfred, penitently.
 Just then the door bell rang, and there was the voice of Mrs. Tivvers down in the hall, imploring to be allowed to see Miss Carroll or Mrs. Alfred Landon. Mrs Al fred flew down to welcome her and brought her into the conclave as if g. unanimous vote had adopted my suggestion.
 ''Oh. my dear Mrs. Alfred Landon,' the remorseful clarvoyante was circulating as she entered the room without taking any notice of us three men, "do tell me what l must do! My conscience would give me no rest I turned back as soon as l reached my door. Is your young friend better? May I speak before these gentlemen? How do you do, Mr. Barker?'
 "Yes, Mrs. Tivvers,'' said Mrs Alfred "We were just wishing you would come back. You see, Mrs. Tivvers. mother is a little foreign in her ideas, though she has poor Madge in her own room now, taking care of her. Now do try to be calm. We want to ask you a few things. Please be
  Tivvers."
 Nobody invited the distracted woman to sit down. or she did not heed the invitation. We were all standing. All five of us. Mrs. Tivvers her heavy Astrachan jacket, only just far enough into the room to let Alfred close the door behind her. The occasion of this investigation was indeed gruesome, but it's form was most incongruously comic.
 "We wanted to ask you. Mrs. Tivvers," began my examination, whether these as- tral shells as I believe they called, ever leave the individual during his life time"
 ''Shells?" she echoed helplessy, "I don't understand"
 "I mean, when you see form like that as you did down stairs, you know-doesn't it always mean that the person Is dead?"
 Why, I thought-I always thought it meant that the person had left this world"
 But this one-this Dr. Decastro-is he dead?"
 "Oh, dear mel" She stood twisting her fingers in agony, splitting the seams of her dark green gloves. "Oh, dear mep' she murmured to herself. Didn't she know? Poor thing!"
 "Know what?" Eugene interrupted. push ing past his brother who had been trying to keep him quiet. Mrs Trivvers seemed not to hear.
 Why" she went on, "that is worse and worse-I thought I had only touched an old wound" She shook her head mournfully. "He couldn't live with that-that right here" And she put her hand to spot just beneath the bunch of muslin violets that decorated the front of her bonnet on the right side.
 That" queted even Eugene. =
 Poor Mrs. Tivvers stood murmuring "Dear me, dear mei' and looking from one to the other of us in dismay
 Except for these half audible expressions, there was silence for long interval until at last Mrs. Alfred said, Wont you take off your jacket, Mrs. Tivvers?"
 I hardly know how the whole matter came to be so satisfactorily cleared up as 1t was. I know that Eugene left the city that same evening for Chicago, spent more than three weeks in travelling about the coun- try, and returned with ample legal proof that Gregory Moorsome Decastro had com- mitted suicide somewhere in Oregon, on the very day of Mrs. Alfred Landons dreadful afternoon reception.
 Madame must have worn out her preju- dices nursing the sick girl, for not more than a year later Eugene went to Chicago and came back married.