Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-11-10

to think of the rast, the present, and
the future. ard eli ccntcrcd in Esther
Thorndike, the atlianced bride of Rich
ard Raymond, his wife. lie remem-
bered each of those sentiments and
sensations, and in memory they be-
came, or seemed to become, more real,
deep, and intense. But the more he
Thought, the more the mystery grew,
and the morning sun streaming into
his Office window found him as help
lessly entangled as ever.
He recalled her warnings of horrors
he would have to face, when the first of
them appeared in the person of the Of
| flee boy. He was too full of curiosity
to contain himself, and ventured
question distantly relating to a wife.
For the first time in Robert Stanton's
Office an office-boy received an almost
savage rebuke.
The next came in the form of a press
| reporter asking for an interview. Be-
ing abruptly refused, he proceeded
very calmly to lay before the lawyer an
array of facts and fancies relative to
the subject, which were simply bewil-
dering to one who thought the secret
was all his own.
With broadening smile of satisfac-
ton, the scribe closed his notebook, re-
marking:
There's stuff for racy half-page
there, and rousing card for me for an
exclusive. l didn't want to take up
your valuable time, of course, but
you're sure to be interviewed by every
reporter in town before tomorrow, and
it may save you something to give me
your side at once. AT any rate, man
of your prominence ought to have an
opportunity to speak in matter like
this, and thought I'd just run in and
see if you want to say anything, before
making it up for the noon edition"
For time Stanton had been writing.
Now he blotted two papers, took them
up, wheeled his chair about, and sat
facing the scribe. The smile quivered
like lanp-fame in u breeze. Stanton
sat silently watching him for mo-
ment, and with twitch about the lips
the smile went out. Then, speaking
very slowly, the lawyer said:
"There are some mistakes in what YOU
AaNS lSilSdI SCSly anu ttlSO SOllG
facts. which were obviously given you
by man named Raymond, with the evil
dent intention of in.iurng woman. 1t
would prove a serious matter to the
journal which published them. Person
ally, the truth is at the service of the
world if any journal wishes to retail it,
and for what have actually done am
ready to take the consequences. For
what you and your paper do you must
accept the same. If you wish to pub
lish your story and to add an interview
with me, there you have it. 1t is all
have to say. But for the woman in
question l have n word for you which
is not an interview. 1t would be pos
-sible 10 keep within the bounds of the
law in such an article as you propose,
and yet do an incalculable injury to a
woman whom no one but Richard Ray
mond could wish to harm. Here is my
check, to bearer, for $5,OC0 Use it as
you see fit One year from to-day
shall be here in this office, if am alive.
If in the meantime there has not q
word appeared in any New York or
Brooklyn paper connecting the woman
you mention with the story you have
|. rehearsed. come to me on that day and
will honor this other paper, which
calls for. $4,000 more"
The i,lc1lqlres.. was at an end, but the
scribe hesitated First he tore from
his notebook dozen pages. remarking:
Pm sure it's an exclusive so far, sir,
, and that's all have" Then he laid
the second paper on the notes. adding:
''If succeed you will not forget. That
) paper might fall into other hands and
make you trouble in some way. hope
1 shall be back in year.
With that he went out; but he was
hardly gone when the trustees ap-
peared, as full of curiosity as the Office
!, boy. They were handled almost as
roughly, however, and quickly subsidized
to the business in hand.
> DIR. Borden had hurried to Judge Rus
], sell with the official news, and the two
had notified the trustees, only to find
that Raymond, too, had discovered the
facts and had been there before them
,, He had withdrawn his claim and APP.
!. piled for the $4,000 under the terms OF
: the will.
1t was easily arranged for them tic
, retain their charge of the property fol
another year, as Stanton briefly in
a formed them that he should be away
They left with much better feelings
toward the young lawyer than they
q had possessed for years, for charity ant
+ John Olmsteads millions were old as
sociates.
1t was late in tile evening when Stan
ton returned to his home for the frs
y time in two days that seemed Longer
f than lifetime,
II pr. Borden had been zealously spread
: ting the news of the marriage, as any
one but Stanton would have antici
n pated. The card table at the door wa
y covered with congratulations and in
: quiries. The good doctor had mad
an earnest search for information con
n corning Esther Thorndike, too, and
d finding her one of the best unknown
D individuals in all Brooklyn, he had lef
e note for Stanton omlnously request
v ing q call from him at his earliest con
n yenience.
q Thus everything warned the poor fel
a low of the increasing horrors he mus
= face. He reached his home longing TO
. nothing so much as rest, but in les
i than an hour he was on his way to
Il hotel in New York, having left instruc
. tons with Sam and his wife to pac
| for him SDcb fbiprS would ~, ,,o.oe