The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1902-01-24
HER GUILTY SECRET

charming, and Joshua was as proud
and happy as 1t was possible for him
to be.
At the end Of that time Joshua's sus-
picious disposition received a morsel TO
feed on. One day Mrs. Hurd was miss
ing from the house, and nobody knew
where she al
High and low Joshua sought her,
questioning every n he met, but re-
ceiving no satisfaction. He went in
frantic haste around to all the neigh
bors, asking for his wife.
He felt sure that she had eloped, just
as the wives do in story books. When
he reached home, Mrs. Hurd was work.
ing in the parlor as easy and contented
as usual.
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 1t
extended over nearly all the afternoon,
and Joshua's indignation reached a
white heat.
Az tAC P1SAAAOCo NCAy tAO1
oughly, he cross questioned the .serv.
ants and made himself obnoxious to
everybody he encountered by a relation
Of his difficulties, but he got no light
OF the subject Of Mrs. Hurd's mys-
FERROUS absence.
At dinner time she appeared, quiet
and serene as ever, and to all Joshua's
fnAfnnor f 0nfroofioc <ho< chn xuor116
tell him where she had been she only
laughed and declared he was the sill.
Hest old noodle she ever saw.
Then Joshua took refuge In dignified
silence, and his wife kissed him and
called him a bear and went of to ride
with Katie Evans, q young girl favor
tie Of hers.
At the end Of another week the mys-
ferrous 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 In watching his wife
closely.
And after two weeks Of the most
p~ersevering surveillance he was able
to trace her to an ~unoccupied chamber
over the coachhouse. The door was
always locked. and the wooden shut
tiers Of the windows always closed.
He said nothing to his wife Of his
discovery, but he resolved to be quiet
and relentless as the grave the next
time she INDUCED in one Of her secret
sessions in the chamber Of the coach
house.
That time soon arrived. Joshua had
made %confidants OF two gentleman
friends. old bachelors. who had warn
ed him OF the evil to come when he
had married the Widow Bedford.
There was no method Of getting into
that chamber Of secrets except through
the chimney. Mr.. Hurd did not want
to effect a forcible entrance, because
he feared in that event he should not
find out his wife's secret.
Mrs. Hurd had been closeted in her
secret chamber not more than half an
hour when Mr.. Hurd's friends planted
themselves in the passage outside the
locked door, while Mr.. Hurd climbed
on a long ladder to the roof Of the
coachhouse and made preparations to
descend the chimney.
The chimney was rather small, and
Mr.. Hurd was not the leanest man in
the world, and the consequence was
that after descending about eight or
ten feet the aperture narrowed. and
Mr.. Hurd stuck fast.
Frightened half out Of his senses
lest he should be obliged to remain
there and perish. Mr.. Hurd made vio-
lent efforts to, extrlcate himself. but he
was very soon convinced that 1t was
useless to wriggle In the expectation
Of getting any farther down the Chin
ney. 30 he directed all his efforts to
the aim Of going up.
On the top Of the house he> disrobed
himself Of. all apparel except his under
clothes and again essayed the 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. and Joshua
shot down the opening like the last
kernel Of corn through the hopper OF
q gristmill.
There was a small fire on the hearth.
and the frantic leap given by our hero
to avoid scorching his feet scattered
the Goals In every direction.
At sight OF the sparsely clad. sooty
apparition thus suddenly launched up
on her notice Mrs. Hurd uttered q
piercing scream and fed to the door,
which she unlocked In mad haste and
precipitated herself into the very arms
of MI. Hurd's sentinel friends.
"Don't kill me!' cried Mrs. Hurd, too
much beside herself with terror to
recognize her husband. II did all to
please Joshua. l wanted to keep his
love. 1t was getting %gray-and, oh,
dear, dear dear. dear!'' And she burst
into a at Of passionate sobbing.
Getting gray" cried Joshua. my
love getting gray? The woman Is In
sane!"
my hair!' screamed she. ut was
my hair that was grav. and I'm 4