The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1902-01-23

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was very extravagant in her ways and
was given to fits of sulks when re-
proved. 1t was also said that she was
fond of going to parties and balls and
was being generally criticised. Every
week for many weeks heard some
new gossip. and. while realizing that it
must be exaggerated. there was enough
truth to make me anxious about my
old pard's happiness. ! hated to be-
lieve the tales. and yet found many
others limiting that the young wife
was not playing straight game with
the trusting husband. Such an affair
Is one of the meanest on earth to med
die with. 1t is none of your business
even if you are a brother. and vet you
feel that it is and want to do some
thing. wouldn't have had old Jim
deceived. and yet how could go to
him with the gossip?
By and by a passenger engineer
named Frazer came to live at the Hill
He was a man of %. good looking,
good company and free handed. He
knew Jim well. and he soon got ac-
Quainted with the wife. threw my
self in Frazer's way one day and told
him what public gossip said and left
1t to him whether he shouldn't stop be-
fore the home was wrecked. He laugh
ed in contempt. When BECAME indig-
nant, he became defiant. and the result
was fight in which | battered him up
until he was in bed for a week. Old
Jim was sure to hear of the row, of
course. and the day after it happened
he looked at me in a queer way fas we
took our engine out Of the stable.
felt sure he was going to speak about
the fight. but he checked himself after
q word or two. He had not only been
told about the scrap but what had led
up to it as well. and there was only
one Of two courses for him to take. He
must either bid me mind my own bust
ness and let him attend to his own do
nestle affairs or take it for granted
that | was acting in friendly spirit
and be put upon his guard for the flu.
ture. When he remained silent. knew
that he had adopted the latter course.
| | do not know what man or woman
my chum took into his confidence. but
1t was some one who kept him thor
Oughly posted. He must have reproved.
argued and commanded. but the girl
wife either openly defied him or slyly1
deceived him. Frazer was less bold
after the row. and for time it seemed
as il harmony and happiness might be
restored. 1t was all trick. however,
on the part of an infatuated. vain
minded young wife on the one hand
and an unprincipled man OF the world
on the other. a. man who cared not
what wreck he left behind him.
We were Just leaving our western
terminus one morning when old Jim
received a telegram. He opened the
telegram with steady hand, read the
message without tremOr and then
twisted it up and lighted his pipe with
it. And yet / came to know that the
telegram told him that his wife and
Frazer We're clipping together and had
tickets for the day express bound
west. His imperturbability deceived
me, and did not give the message
second thought. A man must have
nerves of steel to con a message like
that and never blancfi! At noon when
we reached Thomasville, wesgot orders
to run to Bascomb's and there side
track for the express. We could do Il
with three or four minutes to spare.
Bascom's was not even station, but
a siding half q mile long on the prairie,
and we must do our own switching.
For three miles beyond It was q
straight track, and them IT. went cuYvs
ing and turning among the hills and
over brawling creek. When we had