Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-04

anger at having ever doubted her. But how
could l act at that moment, save in obedi-
ence to my friend Jevons' instructions? He
had urged me to go and find out some de-
tails regarding her recent life with the
Hennikers, and with that object l remarked:
she hasn't been very we'll of late, I
fear. The change of air should do her
good"
That's true, poor girl. She's seemed
very unwell, and I've often told her that
only one doctor in the world could cure her
malady-yourself.'
l smiled, The malady was, l knew too
well, the grief of a disappointed love, and
a perfect cure for that could only be &C
complished by a reconciliation. l was filled
with regret that she was absent, for l
longed there and then to take her to my
breast and whisper into her ear the out
pourings of my heart. Yes, we men are
very foolish in our impetuosity.
"How long will she be away"
"Why?" inquired the smartly dressed
little woman, mischievously "What can it
matter to you?"
81 have her welfare at heart, Mrs. Hen
mixer" 1 answered seriously.
Then you have a curious way of showing
your solicitude on her behalf" she said
bluntly, smiling again. Poor Ethelwynn
has been pining day after day for a word
from you, but you seldom IL ever wrote,
and when you did the GOODNESS of your let
tiers added to her burden of grief. l knew
always when she had received one by the
traces of secret tears upon her cheeks.
Forgive me for saying so. Doctor, but you
men either in order to test the strength OF
! a woman's affection or perhaps out of mere
! aaprfpa nftan try hnr natfpnra until the
strained thread snaps, and she who was a
good and pure woman becomes reckless of
everything-her name, her family, pride,
and even her own honor"
Her words aroused my curiosity.
"And you believe that Ethelwynn's pa
thence is exhausted" l asked, anxiously.
Her eyes met mine, and l saw a mysteri-
Gus expression in them. There is always
something strange in the eyes OF a fair
woman who is hiding a secret.
well, DOCTOR" she answered, in a voice
quite calm and deliberate, you've already
shown yourself so openly as being indis-
posed to further associate yourself publicly
with poor Ethelwynn, because Of the trag'
edy that befell the household, that you
surely cannot complain IL you find YOU
place usurped by a new and more devoted
lover"
"What?" / cried, starting up, fercely
What is this you tell me? Ethelwynn hal
a ~lover7"
81 have nothing whatever to do with heI
affairs, Doctor" said the tantalizing woman
who affected all the foibles Of the smarteI
set. Now that you have forsaken her sh.
is, Of course, entirely mistress of her owl
actions"
But haven't forsaken herr I blurte'
forth.
She only smiled superciliously, with tn.
same mysterious look in her eyes-an ex
preston that l cannot define, but by whicI
l knew that she had told me the crushing
truth. Ethelwynn, believing that / ha
cast her aside, had allowed herself TO b
loved by another!
Who was the man who had usurped m
place? DESERVED II all, without a doubt
Yol. reader. have already in your hear
condemned me as being hard and indineren
toward the woman l once loved so trul
{ aud so well. But IN extenuation l woul
ask you to r~ecolleet how grave were IN
suspicious against her-how every fac
seemed TO prove eonclusiyely that her sis
e ter's husband had died by her hand.
% / saw plainly in Mrs. Henniker's yeile
( words a statement Of the truth, and aftS