Middletown transcript., 1898-05-14

ut apdS not the heat 1Dhtch nl0Ge me
faint" she said.
that had been called out Of town by q
telegram from my sister. Why / should
have done this when I meant never to
return to him I do not know. But it
was a providence, for it gives me a
chance to rectify my fatal mistake if
you will assist me. I have discovered
that my belief was wholly wrong and
that I have done terrible THE girl
put her hand to her eyes and seemed
overcome at the thought for moment
-"a terrible injustice to one Of the
finest men that ever lived" )"
It was naturally very trying confes-
sion for devoted wife to make, and
that she should feel the greatest reluc-
tance to it was to be expected. Her mar
ratiye was full of pauses, hesitations
and difficulty. But when she would
master this repugnance she went on
quickly, and her speech was not only
fluent, but full of feeling. The young
man respectfully waited in silence till
she should recover her control, though
considerably affected by her emotion.
"I know him better than any one liv-
ing" she resumed. "If he were to find
out what have done, even If I return
ed with the box Of documents, showed
the hatefully specious grounds for my
suspicious, confessed my fault and plead
for forgiveness, he would drive me from
him and never look at or speak to me
again. He is one of those stern, unyield-
ing men who cannot forgive an injus-
tice-too good to forgive fault.
"Here is where you can be of greater
assistance to me than I ever dreamed a
mortal could. If lean get that box back
to the very place from which took it
before he returns tonight, he will new
er know that it has been touched. To-
morrow come back after this visit, ap-
parently to my sister, and all will go
on as before. He has no idea that ever
entertained doubt Of him. I dare not
take it back myself for fear, in some
way, he should discover what I have
DONE If his distrust were aroused in
the slightest degree, he would get the
whole thing out Of me despite myself.
And this worry and prostration from
the heat would make me afraid to at
tempt 1t, lest ! should be overcome
again. am not strong, and this strain
has quite unnerved me. You must see
with what effort am letting you know
the situation.
"After ruin had fallen on him I
meant to declare myself, his wronged
wife, as its author. Oh, it was hide
ous wrongl You must despise me al
most as much as despise myself. The
only excuse is that it was the mad act
of woman who loved her husband to
distraction and felt that she had been
cruelty wronged by him; but as I say,
you can make this dreadful state Of
things right once more. You can pre-
vent my life from being one of constant
misery. Will you do this? Heaven has
thrown you in my way as if for this
very purpose. I assure you solemnly it
involves no peril for you. Will you
save me?"
She spoke the words with intense
feeling, turning her brilliant, greenish
eyes on him with the look of a hunted
fawn. The young man felt the grasp of
their magnetic intensity.
"n can do anything to relieve you,
certainly will" he replied little
nervously, "but you must see that l
cannot promise absolutely till /. bnow
what you wish me to do.
''Simply this" returned the young
woman quickly, but in low, excited
tones "Take back that box for me.
Listenl He will not return before 10
this evening, We live on the top floor
of = East - street. My husbands
name is Wheeler-William Wheeler.
There is no one else in the house at
present The caretaker comes in the
morning and leaves at Z in the evening,
when the private watchman comes on
duty. It is only the fear that somebody
might see me with the box and it
would reach his ears that keeps me
from going. I will give you my latch
key. Go there at s, open the door with
it and 60 at once to his rooms. In his
bedroom is tall, upright folding bed.
Take the hox-you will have to get on a
chair to do it-and put 1t on the shelf
made by the foot Of the bed when it is
turned up. about two feet from the
right hand side and with the lock
turned to the wall. That is exactly
whore it was taken from, and it was
placed in that way. II you knew how
keen an observer my husband is, you
would understand why / am SO particu-
lar about these petty details. It will
not take you ten minutes to do 1t. Then
bring me back the key. There is no
danger. To secure you perfectly against
even the remote possibility of it ! will
give you letter saying I asked you to
undertake an important commission for
me to my husband, but if you can go
at the time I say it is the unlikeliest
/ =. R~nA -