The daily morning Alaskan., 1902-07-23
HER GUILTY SECRET

Joshua Huru married me ID hte widow of thlrty-fve.
 For space of a week after heh marriage everything went on lovely Mrs. Hurd was very afectionate and charming, and Joshua was as proud and happy as lt was possible for him Co be.
 At the end of that time Joshua's sus- plclous disposition received morsel to feed on One day Mrs. Hurd was miss ing from the hous0 and nobody knew where she was.
 High and low JJshua sought her. questioning every one be met, but re- celylng no satisfaction. He went in frantic haste around to all the neigh bors. asklne for his wife.
 He felt sure that she had eloped, just as the wives do In story books. When he reached home. Mrs. Hurd wus work Ing In the parlor as easy and contented as usunl
 Jushua overwhelmed her with a tor rent of questions. but she gave him only laughing replies.
 A week went by. and the mysterious absence occurred again. This time ii extended over nearly an the afternoon and Joshua's indignation reached Q white heat
 He searched the premises very thor oughly. he cross questioned the sery' ants and made himself obnoxious Co everybody he encountered by a relation of hls difficulties. but he got no light on the subject Of Mrs Hurd's mys terious absence
 At dinner time she appeared, quiet and serene as ever. and to all JOshua's indignant entreaties that she would tell him where she had been she only laughed and declared be was the sil Hest old noodle she ever saw.
 Then Joshua took refuge in digniaed silence. and his wife kissed him and called him a bear and went on to ride with Katie Evans. young girl favor Ice of hers
 At the end of another week the mys- terious absence was repeated, and as time passed on strange things occur red with wonderful regularity.
 Joshua grew nearly Insane with the wild and dreadful suspicious which had crept Into his mind. He felt him self fully justified ln watching his wife closely.
 And after two weeks of the most pcrseyerlng surveillance he w0s able Co trace her Co an unoccupied chamber over the coachhousc The door was always locked. and the wooden shut ters of thc windows always closed.
 He said nothing Co his wife of his discovery. but he resolved to be quiet and relentless as the grave the next time she indulgcd In one Of hcr secret sessions in the chamber of the coach house.
 That time soon arrived Joshua had made conAdants of two gentleman friends. old bachelors. who had warn cd him Of the evil to come when be had married the Widow Bedford.
 There was no method of getting Into that chamber of secrets except through Che chimney. Mir. Hurd did not want Co effect a forclble entrance, because he fcarcd In thnt event he should noi dnd out his wife's secret
 Mrs. Hurd had been closetcd ln her secret chnmbcr not more than half an hour when Mir. Hurds friends planted themselves ln the passage outside the locked door. while Nr Hurd climbed on a long ladder to the roof of the coachhousc and made preparations 70 descend the chimney
 The chimney was rather small, and Mir Hurd was not the lcancst man in the world. and the consequence was chat after descending about eight or ten feet the aperture narrowed, and Mir Uurd stuck fast.
 Fr!ehtrncd hulf out oi bis scuscs les, he should be obliged to remain there and perish. Mir Hurd made vio. lent efforts Co extricate himself, but he was very soon convinced that lt was useless Co wriggle in the expectation of getting any further down the chim. ney. SO be directed an his efforts ty Che aim of going up.
 On thc top of the house he disroOec himself Of an apparel except his under clothes and again cssayed Che descent This time he was more successful than he had hoped for or even desired, for the chimney grew suddenly wider just below the narrow place, nod Joshua shot down the opening Ike the hs' kernel Of corn through the hopper oi a grlstmilL
 There was a small Ore on the hearth and the frantic leap given by our hero Co avoid scorching his feet scattered the coals ln every direction.
 At sight of the sparsely clad. sooty apparitlon thus suddenly launched up on her notice Mrs. Hurd uttered a piercing scream and fled to the door which she unlocked in mad haste and precipltated herself into the very arms of Mir. Hurds sentinel friends.
 Don't kin mer cried Mrs. Hurd. ,oc much beside herself with terror tc recognize her husband. -l did an C please Joshua. wanted Co keep h's love. It was getting gray-and, oh dear. dcar dear, dearT And she bursi into n fit of passionate sobblng