The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1901-04-10
CHAPTER VIII.
A CRUEL AWAKENING.

This was the question Sim Banks
asked himself as he sat there holding
that note in his hands, reading over
and YER the few lines it contained.
What could it mean, and who could
have written it?
Though Sim pondercd these uues-
tons long. he was able to find no an
swcr to them. The whole affair was
wrapped in Il thick and impcnctrable
mystery which he could not solve. He
felt, however, that there must be some
thing dark and unpleasant back of it
all, and Il sensation of uncaSincss took
cnccS OF that day. which had been n
day Of events III his u%nrvcntful life, he
was in n state of mind to expect all
manner Of curious and un~accountable
happenings.
Could it be possible that Louisa had
an important secret that she was keep
Ing hidden from him? Could it be DOS.
Siblr that she and some man had form
ed Il friendship, or at least an %acQuaint-
anceship, the existence Of which they
had guarded so well that he had never
even so much as suspected IT,
That the author Of the note vas n
man he was assured from the first.
h strong, bold chirography and the
language Of the note convinced him OF
that, This much, and this much only,
was clear TO him.
The thought that his wife and some
man should be linked together by n Sc
crct which no one else must share
made his heart sick. TO his mind it
smackcd OF a dangerous and unwar-
rantcd intimacy, and 1t caused him to
surmisc the possibility OF unpleasant
things. For the first time in his life
he felt the bitter pangs of .calousy.
1T did occur to him for a moment
that the note might have been written
by Melvin, which was very natural
considering all that had happened that
day and in view OF the fact that Mel
vim was the MY strange man who had
been at Becketfs Mil for weeks. X
little reflection, however, decided him
that he would have to look further for
the author. Melvin was n total stran-
ger there, so what could Louisa know
of him or his name?
Sim said nothing to his wife that
night about the note. but thu next
morning when they were seated at the
breakfast table he took the scrap of
paper from his pocket and handed ii to
her. rcmarking quietly:
"Ihnr'S somcthin | found last night.
LouccSy. an from what | can make out
1t must he yOur'n."
Louisa reached out and took the note.
and as she glanced over 1t Sim was
watching her. He saw the color mount
to her face. while her head dropped un.
I'll her eyes were fixed on her plate.
She remained silent, and after n mo-
ment's walt he said:
"Loucesy, is that your'n?'
There was a short pause. Then she
looked up. and instead Of answering
his question she asked:
Where did you get itT'
Il foundi it on the floor, where you'd
likely dropped It. Is it your'n?"
Yes, It is." she admitted hesitating-
ly.
Then what does 1t mean, an who Ia
1t from?' he demanded almost sternly.
That I cannot tell you" she answer.
cd in low tones.
why can't youf"
Because | have no right to tell"
n right to tell anything to your
man, your WI h%usDand!"
Not that. You had as well say no
more about It,"
Sim looked at his wife very hard for
almost n minute, his face rapidly chang
ing color and a variety OF thoughts
hashing through his mind.
"Loueesy," he said ut last, that note
was wrote by n man, an | want to
what 1t means. l have a right to
know"
h flashed him n look full Of resent
ment.
whether you have a right to know
or not" she replied, you will never
know from me-"
"Whyf"
Because, as I have already said, I
cannot tell you"
Cant tell me? Loueesy, what am
to think Of such talk as that2"
"You are to think what you please, l
presume"
But what can I think when you and
some man have a secret between you
that I amt allowed to shere2"
She fixed him with her Dyes and with '
a scornful curl Of heEsApaxstaxfaai