Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-04-17
CHAPTER VIII.
A CRUEL AWAKENING.

Ed them.
CHAPTER VIII.
A CRUEL AWAKENING.
What did 1t mean?
This was the question Sim Banks
asked himself as he sat there holding
that note in his hands, reading over
and over the few lines it contained.
What could 1t mean, and who could
have written It?
Though Sim pondered these ques-
lions long, he was able to find no an
swer to them. The whole affair was
wrapped In thick and impenetrable
mystery which he could not solve. He
felt, however, that there must be some
thing dark and unpleasant back of it
all, and a sensation of uneasiness took
possession Of him. After his experi-
ences Of that day, which had been a
day OF events In his uneventful life, he
was In state of mind to expect all
manner OF curious and unaccountable
happenings.
Gould 1t be possible that Louisa had
an important secret that she was keep
ing hidden from him? Could 1t be pos
sible that she and some man had form
ed 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 tt?
Tint the author Of the note was a
man he was assured from the first.
The 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 Ills wife and some
man should be linked together by se-
cret which no one else must share
made his heart sick. To his mind It
smacked Of dangerous and unwar-
ranted intimacy, and II CAUSED him to
surmise the possibility of unpleasant
things. For the first time in his life
he felt the bitter pangs OF jealousy.
It 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 only strange man who had
been at Beckett's Mill for weeks. A
little reflection. however. decided him
that he would have to look further for
the author. Melvin was 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 the next
morning when they were seated at the
breakfast table he took the scrap of
paper from his pocket and handed it to
her. remarking quietly:
'Thar's somethln found last night,
Loueesy. an from what can make out
II must be 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-
til her eyes were fixed on her plate.
She remained silent, and after a mo-
ment's wait he said:
"Loueesy. is that your'nr'
There was short pause. Then she
looked up. and instead of answering
10
where did you get 1t r.
II found 1t on the floor. where you'd
likely dropped 1t. Is 1t your'nr
Eyes. It is," she admitted hesltating-
~.
"Then what does It mean, an who Il
1t fromf" he demanded almost sternly.
That cannot tell you" she answer
ed IN low tones.
why can't your
because ! have no right to tell"
mo right to tell anything to your
man, your own husband7"
mot that. You had as we'll say no
more about IT.
Sim looked at his wife very hard for
almost minute. his face rapidly chang
ing color and variety of thoughts
flashing through his mind.
'Loueesy." he said at last, .'that note
was wrote by man. an l want to
know what 1t means. have right to
know"
She flashed him look full of resent
ment.
Whether you have right to know
or not" she replied. you will never
know from me-"
"WhyY'
Because, ash have already said.
cannot tell you"
Cant tell me? Loueesy. what am
10 think of such talk as that?''
You are to think what you please, l
presume
but what can think when you and
some man have secret between you
that amt allowed to share7"
She fixed him with her eyes and with
q scornful curl of her lips retorted:
And what am to think when you
and some woman have not only one Sc
cret, but many secrets, between you
that am not allowed to share1"
He looked at her In astonishment.
me nm some woman have secretsr'
he repeated. "What do you mean by
thatl'
~ mean Just what say. Last night
was not so long ago that you should
forget what took place then"
II don't understand you. I've never
had secret from you in all my life,
much less secret between me an any
woman"
"Are you SO sure of that9'
II am"
Then you must have forgotten Mary
Manu."
Sims face flushed instantly. and his
head dropped. He had forgotten Mary
Mann, but now he remembered her. as
well as his meeting with her the night
before. 1t was the memory of that
meeting that made him blush. and he
blnshed. not for himself. but for her.
And your meeting with her last
NIGHT" Louisa added arter u pause.