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

A-1uIne one 70 see tod ma am,
announced the rosy-faced housemaid
Of the widow one morning a few weeks
before the wedding day
Some one on business. Julias' asked
Mrs Dunbar, looking up from the
morning paper.
"Y-e-s'm. l expect he wants help.
lie looks kind Of shabby"
"He Is not a gentleman"
Il should say not. ma'am. and he
isn't a tramp exactly kind Of betwixt
and between
4 viii see him." said Mrs Dunbar.
and she laid aside her paper and left
the bright fire burning IN the CRATE a
little relunctantly She had laid aside
I her mourning now that she was en-
I gagged 10 another man, and wore a pret-
" breakfast gown that was suitable
to her petite stature. and most becom-
ing.
When she entered the little reception
room where the caller awaited. she saw
a thin, emaclated- man shabbily dress
ed and bearing many marks Of priva-
tion-and she saw something else. a
likeness IN his profile that set her heart
to beating with an awful fear When
be rose and confronted her she fell
back. and with whitening lips gasped
out the name:
Maurice Dunbar
'Yes Maurice Dunbar, returned
from the dead" was the cruel, sneering
answer
Then she tainted and mercifully
knew 10 more
Again. Richard Lester. a bowed and
miserable man. was seated IN his Of
flee alone in the gloom and depression
Of approaching night aud Of his own
unhappy thoughts Before him was
the one letter he had received from her
since the cruel necessity Of parting had
come upon them II contained the ring
with which they had plighted their
troth. He had written a mad and hasty
reply. in which he had urged her 10 hy
with him. and offered the devotion Of n
lifetime, and she had to come TO him
and rcbuked him with broken heart
"Do not make II harder for me, she
said ia that brief final interview. "You
can do one thing 10 help me. II Il Is not
wrong This money really belongs to-
tony husband, but / think God has
made me his almoner AS long as he
believes the money to be mine, l can
control him aud compel him to live like
a gentleman and perhaps help him
morally. II he has 1t he will go to in
stant ruin. WIN you help me keep the
secret2 He shall have every comfort.
but be must take all AT my hands. Can
you do this legallyT
No. he could not. but for love OF her
I concluded 10 keep silent aud let her be.
lleve il was right So he pays the an
nuity regularly and asks God to forgive
him If he does evil that good may come.
A strange sequel to this was-a call on
one occasion from Maurice Dunbar
himself who. well dressed and cared
for, presented the appearance OF a gen
tleman. a moral phase Of Development
which was the effect Of his wife's faith
ful iabors at first from a sense OF duty.
but later from a revival Of the old love.
Il have come" he said. as he fol-
lowed his card into the presence Of the
lawyer, ito consult you on a matter Of
Importance upon which require legal
advice"
He has heard Of the bequests."
thought Lester with a sudden fear. but
aloud he said calmly. please state
The circumstances as briefly as possI-
BILE"
And he listened to another phase IN
the complicated life OF the woman he
loved
Il wish 10 Inquire" proceeded Maur-
Ice Dunbar. whether a man who mar
rles under an assumed name is legally
married or notg'
Richard Lester made no outward
demonstration OF great joy that for
one moment filled his heart, to be fol.
lowed by thrill Of despair.
Yes" be said. after moments
thought ''yes. by the law Of this State
man who marries under any name is
legally married | assume them
continued the lawyer, that you are In
terested In such a casegr
Il am personally interested. The
name by which / am known. Maurice
Dunbar. IS not my own name l have
been troubled with some doubts. Ny
wife IS a lovely Christian woman. and
| feared / had done her a wrong IN
marrying her under a name that was
assumed as a matter Of convenience.
There is no disgrace attached to il, but
when I renounced my family left on |
fhe old name. / shall keep the one /
have until die"
He paid a liberal Zee and left the
stunned and dazed man Of law with an
other complexity to combat.
Richard Lester never by any chance /
sees Mrs Dunbar. whose man OF busi-
ness he remains; nor does he know /
that to her De Is only a memory associ.
ated with a certain legal transaction.
which she believes she Is justified In 4
keeping secret; for she realizes that her
husband is weak. and his present good
moss ON forn.nH fttt af.a