Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1900-08-28
The Non Of l 1l0N1nd.
By N. Quad.
Copyright. 1900. by c. B. Lewis

IL By NJ. Quad.
] Copyright. 1900. by c. B. Lewis !
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They called him Judge" Dale. be
cause In the far west you never mis-
ter" a man when you can call him
colonel or Judge" As James Dale
looked more like Judge than a colo
mel, they called him a I have said
He was a mine owner. and when things
went wrong he could make hot times
for his engineers and foremen, but he
didn't do It In q vulgar way. He was
always gentleman even when be
cussed the hardest. As a matter OF
fact, the judges motto was good
FORM" and he carried II out In his
clothes, his cigars, his dinner and the
| way he took the news when q fall Of
rock In the Emma mine buried II men
ut once. What he said on that occa.
sion was. please wipe your feet on the
rug next time" What he did was to
ill out u checks for $1,000 apiece Tor
the respective widowa
have II on good authority that
Judge Dale was not vulgarly startled
when he received word from Denver
that his handsome wife. to whom he
had been married Ave years and who
was visiting friends, had taken an old
lovers arm and severed conJugal rela-
tons by eloping. Others got the news
about the same time. and they couldn't
find anything to criticise In his con-
duct. He went through the daily rou-
tine just the same for three or four
days, and he bad the same placid look
and the same even voice as he called
his head clerk into the private office
and said:
Thomas. l am going away for . few
days. and you will take charge"
-Yes, sir" replied Thomas. and next
morning the judge was on his way to
Denver. He picked up his clew there
without having elbowed anybody or
soiled the polish Of his shoes. BE
met friends aud talked politics and
real estate and mines. and, lighting a
fresh cigar. he took q train for the
east. Arriving In New York city, he
paid q detective to locate the couple.
but he didn't lug out gun and shout
at the top Of his voice that he was an
injured husband thirsting for gore. He
simply threw couple Of big goldpieces
on the table to pay for the Information
and descended TO the cafe for lunch. A
steamer was sailing for the Mediterra-
mean at the end Of the fourth day. and
when she departed the Judge was one
Of her passengers There were more
than a hundred others, and as the
weather was also stormy for the first
two or three days out no one comment
ed on the fact that the passenger who
was registered as Major Davis stuck
close 10 his cabin and had his meals
brought to him by q steward. Judge
Dale had changed his name, but he bad
no idea Of changing his identity. There
were laughter and conversation and Q
clatter OF dishes as all the passengers
finally gathered for dinner for the frst
time since leaving Sandy Hook. To
the right Of the captain sat one OF the
handsomest ladies' and one Of the finest
looking gentlemen on the list. but tax.
en- altogether II was grand array Of
wealth and culture. Dinner was fairly
under way, and the lady on the cap.
taiu's right was bcamlng. when she
happened to cast her eyes down the
table, and her face went n white az
death In a second. Half dozen poo
pie caught her words as she whispered
to her supposed husband:
my God, John. but there Is the
judge"'
The man looked. and the color went
out OF his cheeks. and his Jaw fell.
Near the foot Of the table sat the man
who had taken q new name. He was
cool and placid, and only the ghost OF
a smile hoyered around his mouth. He
looked the woman and the man full In
the eyes for a minute. but made no
sign Of recognition.
what Is itY' asked the captain as
"Mrs. Bemis" shuddered and gasped
and seemed on the point Of fainting.
"A-a sudden illness-heart trouble.
she stammered as she left the table for
her stateroom, followed by her suppos-
ed husband.
There were wonder and curiosity, but
little was said. Good form" demands
that such incidents be passed over as
easily as possible. There were those
who thosght It might be heart trouble
and others who suspected the presence
of the major had something to do
with It, but that was no place to COM
pare notes. Neither Of the pair was
seen again that evening. though Ma
jor Davis was very much In evidence
until a late hour. At breakfast next
morning Mr.. Bemis appeared alone.
His wife was better. thank you, was
his reply to inquirers, but thought u
best to remain quiet for day or two.
Not once did he let his eyes roam
around the table, but he knew that
Major Davis was there among the
rest. He knew that pair Of steel blue
eyes were scanning his troubled face
and that a pair Of soft white hands
were aching to grip his throat. Aftel
breakfast, as the men sought the smok'
ling room, Mr.. Bemis started to act on
IA plan which had doubtless been talk.
led over with his wife. He walked
straight up to Major Davis and began
"Judge. don't know what can ~
In extenuation, but r.
Excuse me, sir" interrupted the
other, 'but you have evidently made
mistake. think the gentleman called
the Judge has passed into the salon."
Mr.. Bemis looked at the major like
q man seeing the face Of death tn Z
nightmare, and beads Of perspiration
started out on his forehead.
"Your-your wife ID better this morn
ing, think heard you sayT Querasd
the major in courteous tones
"Y-yes!
"Glad to hear It. She should beware
| Of overexcitement Weather seems to
have settled. and we are making . fine
run Of It. Have . lighti MOI Well,
I'll walk little"
Mr.. Bemis stared after him - II see'
ting q ghost. and his breath came q
sobs a. he finally turned away. BE
haA soon fha man xhoaa hnuna he hNd