The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-04-11
.Fair to whomsn

10 your nusDand- and NY
friend"
.Oh"
They ate in silence for a time
well after all, there's no harm
done, said the girl after a pause
"iIe'll never know"
"No, he'll never know replied
: Cha lie "But there will always be
that beastly secret between US Any
way for the future we must wipe out
all remembrance OF to-day We must
meet as II We had never met before
As you will" she replied; ''bat
you are such a nice boy"
Anyhow. I'm not a blackguard,
Instead Of looking annoyed, Char
lies companion appeared 20 be
amused She made an excellent ain.
ner and drank fully thfee-quarters Of
a bottle Of champagne. AS for Char
lie, the discovery that Madge Benson
was none other than Mrs. Martin
Fardell had taken away his appetite.
For the woman who answers very
we'll as an evening acquaintance does
not necessarily come up 10 the stand
ard one requires ia the wife Of ones
best friend And Charles admira-
ti0n for the undOubted beauty OF
Madge Benson was quite swallowed
up ia disgust at the highly improper
conduct OF Mrs Martin Fardell
They talked but little during the rest
OF dinner The lady watch ed Charlie
with a look half Of amusement and
half OF pity The latter was GLAD
when il was time to call for his bin
and get away. He felt that every in
stant he spent alone with his friends
wife was fresh insult to his friend.
you're going home to-nights"
asked Charlie, as they stood uD to 90.
.Of course" answered she
"But we can't 90 together"
mo; il you'll get me a hanson,
I'll start first Don't forget my dress
ing bag
Charlie called a cab and placed her
in it, handed in the bag, and told
the driver the address. She waved
her hand to him as the cab drove of.
and Charlie turned away with a
muttered oath.
Thank Heavenl that's over. he
said to himself as he turned up Pic
eadilly Il never thought I should
feel such a scoundrel as / have done
for the last hour How on earth did
Martin get hold OF woman like that
for a wife? She has no more heart
than an oyster Poor devil"
For an hour or more Charlie hung
about Piccadllly thinking over COM
monplaces to say TO Martin when he
arrived, aud meditating on the best
manner Of facing the curious situa-
tion into which he had fallen.
Whatever happens, he con-
cluded, ''if Martins wife wants to
make devil Of some man OF other,
that man shan't be Charlie Blagden"
Then he called a handson and
started for Martins house at Ken
sington. Martin Fardell met him IN
the hall.
"Well, Charlie, the wife turned up
all right By later train. She'll be
down in a minute and III introduce
you"
"Ah II yes II thanks-of course"
said Charlie.
'lrs rather unlu.kXn continued
Martin, 'but she lost her dressing
bag on the journey and 1t contained
a lot Of her icwelrH We've been
telegraphing inquiries, but nothing
has been heard Of It
'Oh, but she had it all right
when" then Charlie stopped
"Yes, when she started. But It's
gone now"
A glimmer OF susr icion began to
steal over Charles mind. Just then
a lady came down stairs
Here, Emmie," said Martin Far
dell, "this is my old friend, Charlie
Blagden.
Charlie shook hands 10 a kind OF
stulor. For Mrs Martin Fardell was
not in the least like his acQuaint-
ance OF the afternoon.
"rm-rm afraid, he stammered,
"that 1 have given your bag Toto"
"You have given itn exclaimed
Mrs. Fardell
ITO whom asked Martin.
w tllf 4 III u--u II 1 hnOM ~ WAANHN
I have given 1t, said Charlie, forget
ting his manners in his mystidcaticn.
"But where did you and itg" asked
Martin
'Oh. II picked IL up in the
train, and A knock was heard
at the door and Martin stepped
across the hail and opened IL
"Hore is the bag, dear said Mar
tin, exultlnglY, coming back with
tho missing article In bis hand. "A
boy handed IL in He said a lady
had given him a shilling 10 bring IT,"
Mrs Fardell opened 1t at once to
see If the jewelcase was there. 1t
was gone In its place was a piece
OF paper folded.
1T is addressed to you. Mr. Blag-
den :" said Mrs Farrell, picking it
out Charlie took Il and opened It
This is what he read:
DEAR CHARE-Nauv thanks for your help.
/ don't know how should have got the bag
fhrouuh the station rrffhnuf Won as there