El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-11-25
EN& NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. !,
s WAS HE ACTING? s
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES 4

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They had been married three months
and had never had a quarrel, not even
misunderstanding, which is infinitely
worse than a quarrel. She was young,
much younger than he, and had romantic
notions.
"It'S ridiculous that we never have any
tiffs," she ,pouted one morning at the
breakfast table. "Other people quarrel
and have delightful times making up"
give no objections to a we'll conducted
family jar provided it is tastefully deco
rated and contains a quantity of potpour-
ri,'' replied John. GAS for the other
kind, excuse me-"
That evening as he entered the house
he saw Agnes standing between the por-
there's dividing the hall from the parlor, a
new expression on her winsome face.
'You have come" she said tragically.
Certainly I've come" replied John in
q mystified tone. Its about the time
usually get here, isn't it?'
"You have not seen-herv she went on
In the same intense way.
Her? Who in the world are you talk
ing about?' he asked, trying to kiss her.
She warned him away, the palm of her
hand turned outward.
81 mean the woman with the black,
black hair and the little brown mole on
her chin, who has crossed the water to
find you"
John Updegraf was hanging his hat on
the rack, and, CHANGING to glance in the
little mirror, he saw a face turned sud-
denly so bleached and haggard that he
hardly recognized it as his own. He
therefore made a feint of smoothing his
hair and pulling his mustache before he
faced his wife.
Agnes, what in the name of wonder
do you mean by all this nonsense? What
woman is this-and has she been here?"
he concluded lamely.
"Ah, you admit, then, that you know
her?"
81 admit nothing, 1 know nothing" be-
gan John. There was however, a Gu
rious, strained look about his eyes.
"You know nothing about the black
haired woman with an Italian look and
brown mole on her chin who has been
looking for you for the past five years?
Do you dare deny that you know her?
There was an awful silence. The pair
looked into each others eyes, the woman
savagely imperious, the man gradually
weakening.
you will meet her in less than three
days." went on Agnes.
"Oh, Godv cried John Updegraf sud-
denly, sinking into a chair and burying
his face in his hands. "My God, what
shall 1 do?'
The woman in the doorway stood look
ing at him in a sort of Mortified astonish7
ment. The mien and expression of i'm
perious tragedy about her were relaxing
and fading and in their place struggled
mixture of fear and amazement.
"John," she said in a changed tone,
''who is she?"
"Don't ask me-" came from John in a
stif1ed growl behind his hands. "She be-
longs to the past. 1 thought she was
dead to me long ago. And she dared to
come herer' he added, springing to his
feet and beginning to pace the room.
way after this, I'll kill her as 1 would a
mad dog, if she is a womanr'
Agnes regarded her husband with
growing terror. Was this savage man
with haggard face and bloodshot eyes
John Updegraf? She began to tremble
and sank into chair, big tears running
down her cheeks. 81 never dreamed of
such thing as this" she sobbed; "that
there was a woman on earth that could
affect you like this. 1 don't believe that
you would be so moved if-you heard I
was-dead. She must have a great hold
on you. Oh, you must|love- I feel
nothing to her-nor to-you. Tell me
who she is-where she is-how she looks
all about her. I demand itr'
''You must know how she looks; you've
seen her."
''Stick to the truth. 1t will be better in
the end. You said she called here to-
day"
81 said nothing of the kind. Nobody
has been here today but the grocer and
the iceman.''
Now, see here. You must tell a
straight story. At least make it consist
you never sawW
1T was only a joke. L thought we'd
have a little tiff and then make up. Oh,
never dreamed you knew such a WON
an! 1 went to the bazaar this afternoon,
and they had a gypsy fortune teller there
to amuse customers while they waited.
She told me about black haired woman
with brown mole from across the wa
ter
''Oh, see. Ha, hal" broke in John,
though the laugh ran little hollow.
'This is good. We've been playing at
cross purposes, haven't we, sweetheart?
Well, l saw you were posed for private
theatricals the minute 1 opened the door.
SO fell in with the idea at once. 1 never
would have believed, Agnes, that you
were such a perfect actress. You cried
as naturally-why, as 1 live, here is a real
tear"
John, do you mean that there isn't
any such woman?"
''Never heard of her till you sprung it
on me minute ago."
Agnes crossed the room tremblingly and
placed two nervous hands on his shout
ders. "John, don't deceive me. I can't
bear it. Look me straight in the eyes and
tell me the whole truth. You don't know
such a woman as 1 described? Swearv'
John Updegraf looked at her, hesitated
while one could count five and took the
oath. The next instant he was half chok-
ed with hugs and kisses.
81 don't like quarreling," said Aggie,
half laughing, half crying.
1.-The making up is all right, though"
Quoth John.