The Portland daily press., 1898-04-20
A TERRIBLE TRUTH.

| Elias cold, formal aiieu stunned me.
stood open-nouthed, petrified. We had
parted on the best of terms, she kissing
me affectionately. and with wifely solicit
tude bidding me hasten back; yet in my
absence she had departed, evidently carry
ing out some pre-arranged plan. Her
maid, Roberts, had noticed her packing
her trunks three days before; therefore,
it was certain that she meant to desert
me as soon as opportunity offered.
Unaccountable and astounding as was
her sudden flight. the discovery I had
was even more amazing. 1t held me
Supplied and aghast.
The paper I held in my hand was the
original of the secret convention between
England and Germany; the document
that had been stolen from me, transmit
teddy telegraph to the Russian Foreign
Office and had nearly caused o terrible
and disastrous European war.
| When l took it from among the letters
and saw it's neat, formal writing and
| sprawly signatures, gazed upon it in
blank aInazement, unable at first to real
| ize the startling truth. There was,a how
ever, no room for doubt. 1t was the ac-
| tual document that had been SO iugen-
| iously purloined, for it repOsed in the
escritoire still in it's official envelope. The
great black seal affixed by the Earl of
Warnham had been broken, and both en-
velope and document had the appearance
of having at some time or other been
| folded small, besides being sadly crump-
led.
Beneath the shaded light 1 examined
the envelope carefully, and detected a
faint carmine streak upon it, then, plac-
ing it to my nostrils, found that it ex-
uded stale odor of sampaguita. In an
instant the truth was plain. The pink
discoloration had been caused by rouge;
the scent was Elias favorite perfume
that.she always procured from Paris. No
doubt the document had been carried for
considerable period in her pocket for
safety, and become crumpled, as papers
will if carried in woman 8 dress While
the envelope might easily have absorbed
the cdor of that unmistakable perfume
| from her handkerchief. the streak of
rouge puzzled me, for l had never sus-
pected her of an artificial complexion, nor
had 1 ever seen the hare's foot and
carmine among her toilet articles.
"TelI Roberts l wish to speak to her, !"
[ said, turning to Juckes, who had stood
by in silence, puzzled at my strange
action of breaking the top of the es-
critoire.
He obeyed, and in few moments the
neat dark-eyed maid entered.
Roberts, / exclaimed, 81 want you to
tell me something. Does my wife use
any carmine to give artificial color to her
cheeks?'
"Oh, no, sir,' the girl assured me.
Madam is very averse to the use of such
things. Once or twice. when she has
been going out at night and looked un-
usually pale I have suggested little adj
ditional color, but she has always re-
fused"
"Did she have any rouge or anything of
that sort in her possession?' inquired
"No, sir, am quite certain she
hadn' t."
"Why are you SO confident?''
because only the other DAY when I
was i'll with a sick headache madam
urged me to use some color, as my face
was so pale. Visitors were coming, she
said, and she didn't want me to look like
ghost. / told her that I had no car
mine, and she remarked that she had
none, therefore nothing could be done"
"When did my wife pack those two
trunks she took with her this EVENING"
Last Monday, sir" the girl answered,
slowly twisting her befrilled apron in her
hands. ''She received note by boy mes
senger and Immediately set about pack
ing the boxes
did she tell You anything?" asked,
believe that my wife has left US, there
fore anything you tell me may assist me
in tracing her,
The girl glancsd at me in genuine sur
prise.
"Do you mean, sir, that madam has
has run away?" she gasped.
Novel;. not exactly" stammered.
"But did she tell you anything?"
With eyes downcast the girl paused in
hesitation, answering at last: sShe
didn't actually telllm anything"
But what do you know about her in
tentions?"
Nothing" she answered. Then, after
IL III L. Ali -
truth, sir, l had suspicious"
sOf what? Do not fear to speak be-
cause l am her husband" said reassur-
ingly. 81 may as well know the worstsat
once"
'She used frequently to receive notes
from gentleman. They were brought
by commissionaire, or by a maniservant
came always knew that on the follow
ing day she would be absent many
hours
You believe that she met this mysteri-
Gus individual-eh?" asked huskily.
eyes, for she always told me never to
admit to you that she had been long alb
sent. Therefore had suspicion that she
met somebody clandestinely.
what was his name?"
81 have never been able to ascertain.
Once | glanced at note lying on
madam's dressing-table. 1t merely an
-nounced the writer's intention to attend
Lady Pearson's at home, and was signed
*"
"Wen," said hoarsely, after long
silence. "What else?''
Nothing" she replied. "That is all
know. SIR
"Has my wife taken her jewels?" in
ouired.
"No. She has left her jewel-case I'M
locked. but everything is there. She has
even left behind her wedding-ring.
"Her wedding ring p' echoed, astound
ed and Gismayed. "Then she has discard
cd me completely"
Unfortunately it appears SO, sir,'' tine
girl observed, gravely.
Very we'll, Roberts," said in a
broken voice. "Thank you. You may
CO."
The girl glanced at me for an instant,
with sad plying look, then turned and
left, closing the door noiselessly behind
her.
Alone. 1 sank into the chair utterly
broken down, still holding in my nerv-
GUS, trembling fingers the secret document
that secured the peace and welfare Of the
two most powerful nations on earth. I
had at last discovered the hideous truth.