The National tribune., 1901-04-18
SUMMERDALE BRABBLE.
Continued from first page)

never seem to remember we're sitting an
waiting and longing for just one WORD
They even get angry if we hint the leas
little bit that they're negectful, bccaus
in their hearts they didn't mean Co be
When did you hear last, dearF
IL haven't heard from him at-all,
said Margaret, bursting into tears again
Mrs. Ashbel pushed the girl away an
stood looking at her as if she saw ghost
Not since he went away she WINS
pered, shriily. Margaret shook her head
''That-that is strange, said the eide
woman, with Cry lips. do you-know-
any reaSon?'
Crossing to the bed. Margaret picked
mp a crumpled paper, which she put int
Mrs. Ashbel's hand. 1T was with thu
papers in the pocket-bo0k," she said
thickly.
CHANGING at it, Mrs. Ashbel read: Sex
tract from letter of instructions from Lucy
Greenlee to James Bettson, delivered af
ter, execution of will" She went to the
window, where she opened a shutter to gel
care. 'The shameful huzzy!" she cried
vehemently. Where was this, Margaret
Where did you get it?"
"It was in the-the pocket-book," she
repeated, that Gilbert gave me after we
got ashore. That's why it is so blurred
lit got wet" sobbed the girl.
t'He didn't leave you TO get ashore
alone, did he? He even carried you near,
Iy mile so you shouldn't get your feet
dirty? And when you were afraid people
would talk, he did the one and only thing
any man could do, legally and complete,
ly. And now you thinko he planned a
nasty little scheme to get the Greenlee
lucrc?' Mrs. Ashbel snapped her fingers
excitediy at Mr.. Bettsons neat Extract.
Margaret flushed and dropped her head.
ut must have been great temptation -
she began.
"My DEAR interrupted Mrs. Ashbel, al
most sternly, you do not deserve to be
Gilbert Sears's wife. 1t is not strange
that you should be troubled at not hear
ing from him, for he was by no means
perfectly well when he left, but that you
should doubt him! When you hear what
Tn going to tell you'll never question his
honor again. never"
"Oh, / didn't doubt him, Auntie Ash
bel. I didn't" broke in Margaret, wall
ing.
The night before the storm, while you
and Julius were at the concert, Gilbert
was tempted as few men have been since
EYES day. And | did it, Margaret /
tried my best to have him marry you out
of hand, secretly, common-law, any way,
lust so that he married you before you
went to Europe. Yes" flushing a little,
81 did. / was sure that unless you were
bound to him you would marry James
Bettson before you came back. l jeered
anu Cdileu uiLlA tOhaIN
fool. And he only answered that If he
could only have you through casting
reflection on you, he would rather you mar
ried Mr.. Bettson. And | called him
worse than a fool!" Margaret had sunk
TO the floor, and wept tremulously, with
knee What could have happened to
Gilbert, l declare l don't know: Unless
something very unexpected has happened
he would have written or telegraphed to
somebody. We must consult the Doctor
and telephone for Mr.. Bettson. Women
can never get along without men"
Mrs. Ashbel caressingiy persuaded Mar
earet TO lie down, bathed her hot face
gently, and, darkening the room. stole out.
Within an hour the lawyer, dapper and
alert, came up the walk from the landing.
When DIR. Ashbel met him on the yeran-
da and told him of the extract Mar
garet had found, expressing dlsapprov-
ing surprise at the matter, Mr.. BettsOn
looked his profound sympathy. When the
minister proceeded and spoke Of Gilberts
peculiar silence, his expression changed.
He requested DIR. Ashbel to repeat what
he had said, and then asked to see Mar.
garet. When the girl came down, still
little tremulous, he put her through
thorough examination as to what she
knew of Gilbert's occupation and possible
movements. After having flashed from
point to point with all the ease and keen
ness in the elucidation of truth that prac-
lice of his profession gave, he proved be-
yond a doubt that, even unconsciously,
she knew no more than he did himself,
pnd turned his dark eyes on her, saying:
''This is a mysterious affair, Margaret.
You may be sure your husbands letters
have either gone astray or that he has
been unable to-c0mmunicate."
But what could preventT' began DR..
Ashbel, running his fingers through his
hair in perplexity. His wife touched him
warningiy.
''That is for us to find out" answered
the lawyer. I'VE have actually no point
TO start from except that Sears told Mar
Earet that thousands of dollars depended
on his keeping an appointment in Pitts
burg. To Pittsburg we go, then. / have
n notion he represented a firm of con-
tractors or something of the kind. He
used to want TO study mechanical engi-
neering, but yielded to Miss Greenlee's
wish that he take an A. B. at the Uni
versity. Hum, he was in st. Louis when
he heard of her death; in Cleveland when
he was Hand now disappears in Pitts
burg"
Mrs. Ashbel had been listening intent
iy. Now she raised her trumpet with q
woman to tell you that he has had a re
lapse of the fever, Mr.. Bettson? The
strain Of that awful night, on top of
everything else-oh, dear, don't you see
he's lying in some hospital, all alone"
cried the little woman, fumbling for her
handkerchief.
"Oh, Mrs. Ashbel, I beg''-begsn the
lawyer with an apprehensiVe glance to-
ward Margaret "Ah, Mrs. Sears, have
Zu recent photograph Of your hus-
bsnd:n
They had been sitting on the upper We
randa just outside Margarets room. She
rose, and entering through the long win
dow took cabinet likeness of Gilbe'1
from her bureau. 1t showed the slight
mustache he had allowed TO grow since
his Illness, and was in a carved wooden
frame. Mr.. Bettson asked permission to
take it out, and, handing the frame back
TO Margaret, slipped the photograph into
his breast-pocket. ITS all right, little
girl" he said, patting her shoulder affec-
tionately. We'll have him back in a
day or two"
Mr.. Bettson was wrong. Another week
went by, and another and another The
crowds left Chautauqua and the Autumn
fell. The simple disappearance of Gil
bert Sears had been heralded in the news
papers by big headlines as a very mys-
ferrous affair, and then, giving place to
newer excitements, the public began to
lose interest IN it.
Absolutely no trace of the young man
had been found after the moment he went
out into the night from the dim hotel
Office. The memory of every employee of
the nearby railroads had been sharpened
by the offer OF large rewards. The police
in every town within days journey had
been notified. Handbills containing a de-