Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-07-20

his Intense lsstIessiiess. I'VE did have
some words. Her conduct the night
before had not pleased me. 1 am nat.
urally jealous, vilely jealous, and 1
thought she was little frivolous at
had no idea she would take my sharp
speeches SO much to heart. 1 had no
idea that she would care so much or
that should care so much. A little
Jealousy Is certainly pardonable in a
bridegroom, and if her mind had not
already been upset she would have re-
membered how I loved her and hope
fully waited for reconciliation"
"You did love your wife, then? 1t
was you and not she who had right
to be JEALOUSY have heard the con-
trary stated. 1t is matter of public
gossip that you loved another woman
previous to your acquaintance with
Miss Moore, woman whom your wife
regarded with sisterly affection and
subsequently took into her new home."
"Aiiss Tuttle?" Mr.. Jeffrey stopped
in his walk to fling out this ejacula-
ton. II admire and respect Miss Tut
tle," he went on to declare, "but new
err loved her-not as did my wife,"
he finished, but with n certain hard ac-
cent, apparent enough to n sensitive
ear.
pardon me, 1t is as difficult for me
to put these questions as it is for you
| IN Nd Miss T>,,t-
tie ever engaged2"
! started. This was question which
half OF Washington had been asking
itself for the last three months.
Would Mr.. jeffrey answer it, or, re-
membering that these questions were
rather friendly than official, refuse to
satisfy curiosity which he might well
consider intrusive? The set aspect Of
his features promised little In the way
of Information, and we were both sur
prised when moment later he re-
sponded with grim emphasis hardly
to be expected from one OF his impul.
sive temperament:
"Unhappily, no. My attentions new
er went SO far"
Instantly the coroner pounced on the
one weak word which Mr.. Jeffrey had
let fall.
"Unhappily?" he repeated. "Why
do you say 'unhappily?"
Mr.. Jeffrey flushed and seemed to
come out of some dream.
"Did say 'unhappily?'" he inquired.
"Well, repeat it-AIiss futile would
never have given me any cause for
jealousy"
The coroner bowed and for the pres.
ent dropped her name out Of the con
versation.
"You speak again of the jealousy
aroused in you by your wife's impetu
osities. Was this increased or dimin
ished by the tone of the few lines she
left behind her?'
The response was long in coming. L
was hard for this man to lie. The
struggle he made at it was pitiful. Al
noted what it cost him, began t.
have new and curious thoughts con
corning him and the whole matter I'm
der discussion.
II shall never overcome the remorst
reused in me by those few lines" III
/ finally rejoined. "She showed a con
} sideration for me-
"What!" 49,
: The coroner's exclamation showed al
: the surprise lie felt. Mr.. Jeffrey tot
} tered under it, then grew slowly pale
as If only through our amazed look.
2 he had come to realize the charge O
Inconsistency to which he had lait
!, himself open.
81 mean," he endeayored to explain
"that Mrs. jeffrey showed an unex
pected tenderness toward me by takin,
j ali tie blame ef-~our misunderstood
> ing upon herself. 1t was generous o
her and will do much toward making
/ my memory of her gentle one."
!, He was forgetting himself again
Indeed his manner and attempted ex
n plantations were full Of contradictions
i To emphasize this fact Coroner 2. ex
claimed:
v II should think so! She paid a heav
b penalty for her professed lack of love
G You believe that her mind was ur
i. seated?"
"Does not her action show it?"
q "Unseated by the mishap occurrin
q at her marriage?"
Eyes"
5 "You really think that2"
"Yes."
"By anything that passed betwee
your
yes" ..
MAY ask you to tell us what pas.
z ed between you on this point?"
n ."Yes."
u He had uttered the monosyllable 6
often it seemed to come unconsciousl
n from his lips. But he recognized a
). most as soon as we did that it was nc
u natural reply to the last question
e and, making gesture of apology, b
G added, with the same monotony O
S tone which had characterized these II
|. plies:
J. "She spoke of her strange guests ur
accountable death more than once, an
Il whenever she did SO it was with a
t unnatural excitement and in an Ill
r balanced way. This was SO noticeabl
b to us all that the subject present.
was tabooed among us, but thong
s she henceforth spared us all allusio
e to 1t she continued to talk about til
h house itself and of the previous death
+ which had occurred there till we wer
e forced to forbid that topic also. Sh
was never really herself after cross
), ing the threshold of this desolate hous
to be married. The shadow whic
turks within its walls fell at that il
slant upon her life. May God hav
e mercy
Tho provar ra,no ,nod ,,n8p;c,,o3 IT,