The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1903-01-23
Mrs. F0rrester's First Husband
BY E. RALPH.

BY E. RALPH.
My name is Spencer Lockwood, my
profession the law.
Last summer I spent my vacation, as
usual, in charmingly old fashioned inn
near Milford, Penn.
I congratulated myself upon having
left ''pleas," "plaints,'' and all such
things legal far behind, for time at any
rate, absolutely unsuspicious that was
OIL the eve Of becoming leading actor
in a stranger criminal drama than ever
I had played in at the court of general
sessions.
'By jove!" I said to myself as sat
at the open window after dinner on the
evening of my arrival and watched A
young lady, accompanied by an older
one, passing up the road, "that's the
sweetest looking girl I have seen for
many day! Wonder who she is? I'll
ask Jackson, perhaps he knows; or,
rather, he's sure to know"
jackson. the proprietor, knew me we'll,
| and would have no hesitation in enlight-
ening me as to the identity of the fair
! stranger.
Chem two" said Jackson, lis Mrs
Russell and her daughter. Mrs. Russell
is the widow of a captain in the navy,
and I should say, is pretty we'll off.
They live in that old red shingled house
half mile up the hill road.
"The old lady's bit soft-headed, so
they say, hasn't a soul above tea-table
gossip, and is about the worst kind of
mother Il young girl could possibly have,
|. according to my opinion"
All this whetted my curiosity to know
more of the young lady, desire which
the next day was gratified through the
good offices of friend, who introduced
me to Miss Russell.
She was young; in fact, barely 81.
She was good looking, too, but wore, I
thought, depressed and anxious express
sion. Naturally, I concluded that she
was in ill health, victim, perhaps, to
the gayeties of the New York season.
Later on limited as much to Mrs. Rus.
sell, who, as it seemed to me, with some
what heartless Indifference, deprecated
the idea in no measured terms.
Meta Russell and I became very good
friends, but I came no nearer to getting
at the reason of her trouble. Her
strangeness of manner haunted me, and
yet, after all, I thought, why should I
worry about it. 1t did not concern me.
But I was not able to satisfy myself
so easily. I was obliged to confess that
my interest in Meta Russell was
stronger than had imagined. was not
in love with her; the idea was absurd,
having regard to the shortness of the &C.
quaintance, though she peculiarly inter-
ested me, and earnestly wished to be of
service to her.
An exploring pedestrian of the ardent
order, was making my way, toward the
end of the week, through what was local
ly known as the 'big clearing"
This was at least a square mile if not
more, of dense new growth, now about
ten feet high, through which ran a mar
row strip of path.
I was about half way through this
leafy tangle, when I heard voices within
a stones throw of me.
One of them was evidently woman's,
and, for the life of me, I could not shake
off the impression that knew it's owner.
The other was that OF an uneducated,
if not vulgar, man.
Every well, Mrs. Forrester!'' the latter
was saying: 'I've given you Jacks mes
sage, and you'll only have yourself to
blame if you don't do as he says. Which,
shall tell him, is it to be; you to 60
back to him, or-what think'll suit him
just as we'll, or, Perhaps, better-that
you send him, by me, $4,000 before the
end of next week %
"Neither!" replied the woman, in
raised, decisive tones, "and you may tell
him SOL"
"You'd best listen to reason" per-
suasively replied the other. "Jack For
roster is a dangerous customer to cross
and I know as he'll never let you alone
or leave you, if you don't do one or the
other of them two things"
| swell, you have my last word! will
do neither, and any attempt to modest me
in any way will only bring trouble to you
and to him.
"Have you any money about you
now?"
mo; AMI if I had 1 would not give ii
you'll"
"Supposing I were to take it. This is
pretty lonely spot; nobody could hea,
You, fancy"
It was Meta Russell without a doubt
and, unless was mistaken, in sore strait
from some Matchmaking ruffian. That he
addressed her as Mrs. Forester did not
for the moment appeal to me. .....-
Forcing my way in break-neck fashion
through the intervening brushes in, the
direction of the voices, came face to
face with Miss Russell and her threat.
ener. '~s ...'* i
Don't be too sure of that" I cried
addressing the latter, q truculent looking
underlined loafer. II have overheard
quite enough to know that you are in.
timidating this lady, and I warn 70,
that if you don't sheer OH on the instant
it will be the worse for you.' y. D.. q
The fellow looked me up and down, a,
if 70 calculate .probabilit ties, but, Judging
discretion to pe the wiser course, with !
jeeringly defiant laugh, disappeared ii
the thicket to the right. $50. j Il. .ss. j
The immediate strain lifted, Netts
Russell ali but completely collapsed o.
the reaction, and saw that there wa.
nothing for It but for me to accompany
her home 49,. W 80. -