The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1899-11-08
S0CIETY'S VERDICT.


with the news, just as 1 was sitting
down to dinner. The old boy was
clearly out of his mind with excite
ment, and wouldn't stop for a drink,
or, what was worse, wouldn't let me
have one, but dragged me down stairs
and bundled me into a cab.
The rest of the night was spent in
driving about London to hunt up police
agencies. Finally, at o'clock in the
morning, we landed at his fat in Earl's
Court, thoroughly dead beat.
And the papers bristled with it.
suppose it came as a godsend in the
slack time, for most of them gave US
couple Of columns.
The journalists had done it thor
oughly. They gave highly decorated
account of Talbot's private career, and
an analysis of his character and dispo-
sition. They did the same for his van
ished wife, with precise account Of
when and where she disappeared. Then
they speculated as to the reason. Was
it murder, robbery, suicide or an elope-
ment?
1t seems that Talbot arranged to meet
his wife at Waterloo at o'clock the
previous afternoon, on her return from
a country visit. When the train came
in, the compartment in which she had
travelled contained magazine with her
initials inscribbled on it, novel, $50
ciety's Verdict" small handbag, and
an umbrella-but not Lady Dolly. Tai
DO. had inquired of the guard. That
intelligent functionary remembered the
young lady quite well, but had not seen
her get out. "Then where the dickens
is she?" roared Talbot. The guard
looked under the seat, and referred him
to the station-master.
After wiring in every direction with
out getting any tidings except that she
had certainly entered the train, Talbot
concluded that she was the victim o
foul play. There was no doubt that
she had travelled alone, and that she
had her little jewel-case with her. The
jewel case was now missing, while all
the articles which were practically val
ueless were undisturbed. There was no
sign of a struggle. So Talbot drove
down to my place, dragged me away
from dinner, and then went to the po-
lice.
1t was delicate case, because, al
though simple-minded, old Talbot was
quite certain it meant robbery, or per-
haps something worse, and although
the police supported him, it seemed
quite on the cards that Lady Dolly had
disappeared Of her own free will. To
search railway lines for corpse is
waste of time, if the supposed victim
has gone yachting.
The fact is, Talbot was the last man
on earth TO understand Lady Dolly.
He was brainy creature, solidly and
respectfully ambitious, who studied law
as q science, and nearly killed himself
with anxiety over the few briefs he re-
ceived. Lady Dolly was pretty, frivo-
lous and feather-brained. When Tai
bot net her she was penniless widow.
Society was watching her closely. She
was making desperate fiutter to cling
to her position, and society was cyni-
cally amused. Would she make q
wealthy match-which was her only
chance-or would she go under?
She did neither. She married steady
going, hard working Talbot. It's no
good trying to explain why they mar
ried. Talbot had fallen ridiculously in
love, like brainy men always do, and
she-well, it's my opinion that the poor
little creature accepted him as refuge
against herself Somewhere in her
giddy nature there was dash Of COM
mon sense and principle; she had
suatcbed at respectable poverty as 3
safeguard against something worse.
But was it possible she had tired of it?
Had Talbot, meaning well all the time,
made life unbearable for the little but
terfly? Had she found him too steady
going, too high in principle, too self-re-
strained? It's the kind Of subject you
can't discuss freely with man, even If
he is your best chum. At any rate, il
was just like q woman to leave every
thing except her trinkets, and Talbot
might be only making a fool Of himself
in drawing attention to the matter.
"I SUPPOSE there wasn't any little
tiff, or misunderstanding between
you ?" / asked, suggestively.
Mot bit of it, he said, heartily.
1--WE were never so thoroughly united
ss we were last Thursday when / saw
her of. In fact, old man, don't mind
telling you that it's only during the last
month or two that we have begun to
understand one another. You haven't
any idea what good little woman Dol
ly is On the surface she seems TO be a
trifie ain-and-frivolous, but at heart
she's as true as steel. She wasn't very
fond of me when we first married.
admit it-but Pm certain it's all right
now"
81 suppose there were no money
troubles?" / said, carelessly.
Nothing more than usual" I" he said,
with a faint smile. "As you know,
my income is small, but won't let her
drop out of the set she has been used to,
because / don't think il would be wise,
consequently it's bit Of pinch to
keep afioat-"
guessed as much.
"But that hasn't anything TO do with
it," he said, warmly. THAT little
woman has been decoyed away and
robbed / only hope no harm has
come to her. By Georgel Cliff give
you my word, I'D sacrifice my life to
save hers" / knew he meant it liter.
ally, and l was rather sorry 20 see him
50 much in earnest, for believed that
within the next few days he would
have q nasty shock. "Why, man." be
went on, "at the very moment il hap
pened she was reading my own novel" !"
"Your novel," I said. "What on
earth do you mean? You don't mean
to say that you have written novel?'
He blushed like schoolboy. ''She
made me do it,n he said. ''She said 1t
was q quicker way Of getting ON than