The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-01-11


| ruin. suppose she knew that the thing
would not much longer hide, and deter
mined on bold stroke.' one night saw,
or thought l saw. The same handsome viii
lain passing the house, and looking at A.;
but when | mentioned the circumstance
TO her she prazenly laughed at me, said
IL was probably lie / had seen, and ended
by daring me 20 lay finger on .-cr. The
words We're NenOmOuslN spoken that
my hand itched 10 obey and fell her be-
fore me; but something like "A devilish
sparkle Ia her eye stayed my hand. 1
seemed 20 read misChief IA the very gilt
ter, and let my hand drop, simply say
ing that from that moment she must con-
slider herself no longer my wife-a state
OF matters which l was resolved 10 con-
firm legally at the earliest opportunity.
Then she became more maddened than IL
1 had struck her. and screamed and
shouted, and finally struck me. / held
back no longer then, and even with my
BARN In the room, threw out my bst ana
felled her with one blow. When she got
up she made great fuss. and as she was
bleeding freely from the rose. looked
worse than she really was. Her cries had
attracted a great crowd. and the police
coming in, she charged me with attempt
Ing TO murder her by strangling her, tax
ing a razor and threatening to Kill. pull
Ing her about by the hair. and finally
dashing her head against the WALL
(which was false, 1 supposeT'
False as Satani" hotly breathed Blake
but what of that? The police could act
only upon evidence am not blaming
them. | was taken away. Of course. and
bail refused. as she swore she was In ter
ror OF her life. and next day when l was
charged, and pied not guilty, didn't she
bring host of witnesses who saw the
former assault and among them her
l.. 1.cts fltnf
was sent to prison for thirty days with
out the option OF fine, the punishment
being made heavy by her artfully begging
the court not to be too hard upon me. as
| was her husband!"
IL have seen such cases. but not often"
But l have not done yet" excitedy
pursued my visitor. II thought that the
worst was past: and. having resolved TO
procure a divorce as soon as ] was set
free. determined not TO trouble myself
about the temporary disgrace OF contine-
ment. | had II all planned-how l would
go home straight from the prison and
turn her out into the streets, and then
defy her TO interfere with me further.
while | took steps to secure a divorce.
] gloated over the thought-smlled at IL
--hugged myself in delight, but | forgot
that | was dealing with woman. When
1 was released / went TO my place or
business. and was horriiied TO find IL shut
with bills posted all over. announcing
that the entire stock would be sold by
auction on day then fortnight past
Then / went home. and found II also shut
and empty. and then some neighbors told
me that my wife had left the place. TAX
Ing my BARN with her. and III company
with a gentleman whom ] had no difficult
~ in recognizing as her former handsome
admrer. | believe l went mad then; at
least they tell me OF mad things 1 did.
a..E- a. ..lt. hut
what could they do? / had on marriage
constituted my wife a sleeping partner
I'm my business, so that she might be able
TO carry it on N | should be i'll or alb
sent, and they would not interfere. unless
/ could prove that the man--the villain
who led her off-had had a hand In the
pie. and himself stolen something. told
them he had stolen all I possessed-my
balrn. above ali-my happiness. my life;
but they only-ieeked pityiHgly, and said
soothing things about seeing into II, II
would have patience. Patience! oh. God.
how could have patience when my BARN
was stolen? The fiend OF woman might
have run off. and welcome. She might
even have robbed me unquestioned. but
she might have left me my lassle-all
thought worth living for"
"lIave YOU never heard of them since?'
inquired. after "a pause to look away
so as To appear not TO see his tears.
Never till yesterday, when ] got "a
message from the Central Office In Glas-
gov, saying that man answering the
description had been seen In the city that
day and that he was known TO have taxi
en- "a railway ticket for Edinburgh. ]
went To the Office at once, where they
were very kind and sympathising- was
SO much changed -n the short time that
they saw | had suffered~and then one of
them, John Farrell by name, when ! said
would come through here I'm the morn
ing told me 10 ask for YOU. and mention
his name. and YOU would be sure TO help
me all in your power"
"Ah, now I understand YOU" I said,
smiling out at the childiike trust and
wistfu eaEerness. hut no recommenda-
tion from Johnny Is needed from you.
Your hasgard face and grey hairs have
done more for you than any friends word.
II is written In your face that you have
suffered"
II have suffered. and ! suffer STILL" he
said. with a grateful clasp at my hand;
but II you only restore me my BARN. |
shall seek no more. am poor now-the
Jade having taken everything. and left
me only the heavy accounts 90 pay: but
all have Is freely at your disposal
Hush! J don't want that" | returned
with pained look but have YOU no
clue so tho guilty ones no portrait OF
II had n portrait of her taken shortly
before we were married. but even II IL
had not been lost in the wreck or my
home ID would be of no use ~ you" he
replied. with weary look OF sorrow.
-Four years have changed her more than
they have me. Drink ages quite as fast
AS care. But have a portrait OF my wee
lasslo, which | got taken only six weeks
before the smash up. | have brought IL
with me, as she IL really all / wish to re
cover"
lie took out little fodng case. and.
opening IT, placed before mo the glass
photograph OF little girl OF some years,
with laughing eyes and light colorcd hair,
who. even on the duh and leaden pho
tograph. looked 50 pretty and engaging
that ! invoiuntarily exclaimed:
what n lituo beautyl'
"She Is that" chollngly responded the
father smiling gratefully at my undis-
gmsed admira ~ And as merry. and
bright and loving as q BARN could be.
I tell YOU that child fairly wound herself
round my heart IN place OF the mother.
who has been lost 90 me Cor years. and
when ! woke up 70 hnd her stolen '