The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1903-01-23

SO far, at least, as to enable me to do
what could for her.
She then, after brief hesitation, told
me the most extraordinary story, i'm
posing upon me, however, the condition
that l would not repeat it to a soul.
|, of course, assured her upon this
point, and listened thunderstruck to
what practically amounted to confess
sion.
miss RUSSELL" I said, -
THAT is not my name," she interrupt.
ed me.
"Not your name?" I exclaimed.
mo. Not human being knows what
/ am going to tell you'll am married.
married." echoed.
eyes; I was married nearly four years
ago, and my name isis Forester
Then she went on to say that when
a girl Of l7-she was staying with some
friends at Long Branch, she met a man
with whom she fell in love. Handsome,
fascinating and knowing far more of the
world than she did, she believed in him.
His proposal of marriage to her, on the
condition that she should keep the mat
ter a profound secret for month, SO
that he might obtain the consent of his
father-who, he said, was wealthy Chi
cago banker-she innocently agreed to.
She, indeeu, told her mother, who, with
the imbecility natural to her. made no
Inquiries; letting the girl in fact do just
as she pleased.
Leaving home one day on the pretext
Of paying visit to a relative in New
York, she met Jack Forester by arrange
ment, at certain little church on the
east side and was married with only the
sexton and his assistant as witnesses.
The catastrophe was not long delayed.
At the entrance of the hotel, where
they were to dine, her new made husband
was arrested on charge of swindling,
BY couple of detectives, who. it ap-
peaced, had been upon his track for days.
Not staying to think or hear more, she
returned home at once, and managed to
keep the whole wretched affair secret.
Her mother thought it was but an en-
gagement; weak minded as she was, she
never dreamed of q. runaway marriage.
,Hs& she known that, Metals life would
haYe been unbearable. The poor girl just
they away her wedding ring, and re-
sighed herself to misery.
III little more than year, she saw in
a paper that her husband was dead. He
had tried to escape from Sing Sing, and
had been shot.
able to shake off the haunting memory
conscience upbraided her with deception
as toward her mother, with passing I'M
der false name, and with posing as an
I'd Il cho
a widow.
"But this man." I said, "who is he
the man [ mean who accosted you this
afternoon?''
He had followed, she had explained to
ceived from her husband. :
"But," said l, bit bewildered, Fl
thought you said he was dead.'
s"Yes-yes!-I quite believed so; but
supposed the man who had tried to
escape was another of the same name.
He demands"
II know" I interrupted her. "Your
return to him, or sum of money"
II would sooner die than to return tc
him; and as for $4,000, I haven't it, and
would not send it to him if I had"
"You have his letter." asked her.
She produced and gave it to me.
You are sure that it is his handwrit-
ing?"
"No; I am not sure, but I think it is
4 never had letter from him before"
In flash I saw what ought to be done,
and at once. =:
"You must answer this letter." said.
"No;" she replied, II will not write to
him!"
Then sought to show her that if she
would write note at my dictation, say
ing that at that moment she had no
money; but promising to send him some
in the course of few days, would take
charge Of it, and go to New York with it.
| The same evening I. started with the
letter in my pocket, and within three
hours had laid the whole case before the
smartest private detective in town.
In three days he had news for me:
Jack Forester, confidence man, swindler
and forger, had been undoubtedly mar
ried to Meta Russell; and, as undoubted-
ly, was now dead, in the way the news.
papers had stated. :~>rTss>s
The relief I felt was immense. Meta
was free, and the way was open to me to
win her for myself if could. .... =.
There was, however, one little thing
more to discover-the writer of the let
ter. ~ ~ ..:.-s =. il. -.
Il think said the detective, chat if
you will wait half an hour my agent will
have something to tell us about this very
epterprising gentleman" As, indeed, he
had: i. =. .4. IL. =
He reported that, having taken Netta's
note to the address given-a cigar store
with private letter boxes to rent-he left