New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-07
A Suburban Scandal.
BY A. ST. JOHN ADCOCK.

Edmund Dolby went home from the City that
evening by an earlier train than usual. and Mrs.
Dolby was out do you know where Mrs Dolby
Is MARTHA he called to the girl in the kitchen.
The mistress went out. sir about ten minutes
ago. and said she'd be back in half an hour
Edmund returned TO the sitting room and lay
back in the low armchair by the fire in gloomy
meditation He had been uneasy In his mind all
day. for. the night before he and Lefty had guar
relied. and It was because this had been frettIng
him and he wistfuI of making his peace with
her that he had contrived 10 get home so much
earlier than usual And now she out.
The fact that this CHANGED to DO his birthday
gave keener edge to his sufrerings. and made
her absence, when he came yearning for recon-
Citation. much the more inexcusabIe. He sat-
hunched In the armchair. broOding until he began
to SEQ sinister significance In her being there
TO welcome him. II became clear him again
as II It had been last night that he had been JUS
tilted in the complaints he had made and that her
indignation had been assumed simply to blind him.
The facts in connection with that quarrel were.
chiefly. these. Edmunds particular friend IN
Watford Alfred Hilbert. and Letty's one par
ticuar friend Nelly Hilbert. his wife. Once a
week the Dolbys went round the corner and spent
an evening with the HiIberts. and once week the
Hiberts came round the and spent an
evening with the Dobys Moreover. they fire.
quently dropped in on each other informally; the
wives occasionally shopped together. the husbands
took Sunday stros together and their friendliness
would have been absolutely ideal but for one Jar
ring circumstance.
There had been time when Alfred Hilbert was
desperately in love with Lefty. Twice she had
rejected him. when Edmund made her acquaintance
and they fell in love with each other at sight.
Alfred resigned himself to the inevitable so COM
pletely that few months later. being a breezy
young man whose heart too we'll seasoned to
break easily he transferred his affections to Nelly
who already Letty's dearest friend and had
remained since.
Edmund knew all about this from the heonnIng
Alfred treated 1t a jest After they were all
married. he would speak of his past infatuation
openly at their weekly meetings. and laugh about
II, seeming realize that nobody enjoyed
the Joke but himself
He that sort OF man Instead of growing
Injured his facetous descriptions OF his extinct
passion. Edmund more and more resented them.
even rebuking Lefty now and then. as If she were
to blame for having been passively responsible for
Alfred's fascination
Last night after the HiIberts were gone he had
rebuked her with unreasona BILE irritation, for he
of naturally jealous temperament. and had
gradually persuaded himself that Alfred was much
too attentive TO his wife. and that Letty's manner
toward him unnecessarily gracious. He told
her so In measured terms. magnifying his
grievances and saying more than he meant. as an
angry man will.
Lefty was disposed at the outset to answer him
Iaughingly her hippancy exasperated him.
Finally, he lost control Of himself that his pre-:
her Her cold dgr' " was undated by breakfast
time this morning, and, he could not humble
himself surrender. he had gone off to the city
sulenly without kissing her.
her he remembered all her sweetness
and was ashamed that his jealousy could out
rageousy befool him. He yearned to be with her
thinking OF tender things he would say to her; he
would ask her to forgive him; and only to
imagine how she would lean her head upon his
breast and cry brought tears to his eyes
He had pictured it all wildly: he had FASTENED
home TO fulfil his happy imaginings-and she was
out.
III she had sent me telegram asking to
come home. 1t would have been nothing astonish-
ing he muttered bitterly: but, instead OF that
she isn't even waiting for me when do come
There was a piece of crunpled paper lying IN
tho fender He had noticed IL idly, directly he sat
down and now suddenly seeing there was writing |
on it. he picked it up. Strengthened II out. and
read IT:
than 7. and will CO. Till death and after. |
Alfre<.'
II meant nothing to him. Gradually the words |
seemed to burn into his brain Here. ther, was fun
and dreadful confirmation of his worst suspicious |
there was some secret understanding between them.
Here was their secret flashed bewilderingly before
him. |
from his pocket. y quarter past &. There a /
bare possibility that he might yet be in time ,
TO Intercept them. and he must make the most |
of that.
AS he passed the Hilberts' door vaguely for |
The servant opened It.
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