The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-06-29
A STRANGE VISITOR.
By W. J. HAMPTON.

{ (Copyright, 1905, by Daily Story Pup.
 Company.l
 I never believed in ghosts. never believed in anything much except Mar garet vane. didn't even have faith in my own courage. If had I might have made a winning fight Tor her against that wild fellow, Tom Brent, whom she ran away with and married. I was such a man as she should nave had for her husband. while ne was such a man as no woman should nave married Yet he possessed that pecu- liar fascination over good women which seems to be present in every bad man. x Margaret Vane was rich and Tom needed money. So did, I, for that mat ter, and worked with my pen to get it, while Tom got his by any means which promised profit l loved Mar garet and told her so, many many times She loved Tom Brent, and suppose he told her so, as had done. although that was not necessary. Tor when the woman loves the man he need say little more than what must be said before the minister of the Sos- pei to establish the woman's claim upon him.
 Brent was handsome, interruptions and a drunkard, but Margaret over looked the handicaps to happiness and became his wife. God knows l tried my utmost to dissuade her, but was neither handsome. interruptions nor drunkard and my prayers availed not.
 For a year, Margaret was bltndly happy. and Tom was unnaturally good. Then. as if fearful that she might not continue her affection for this reformed creature, he swung back into the old paths and began his old course by go- ing on a prolonged spree. Margaret suffered much during this defection, but frightened again when he sooered. After this he divided his trunks and had them in less pronounced form. but with much greater frequency. He also began to gamble and to spend money in the hundreds of ways open to any one who has it to spend. Margaret. of course, was his chief source of reve- nue, and she furnished him with what he asked. foollshly hoping that her Kindness would win him to her and hold him fast to better things.
 For five years this continued, and at last Brent became involved in a dis graceful scandal, in which a man was shot a family broken up and several thousand dollars were missing. Brent's connection was not well defined, but 1t was enough to compel his absence, and he disappeared. Mar garet went down with brain fever, and for weeks her life was despaired of. but she rallied in time. and once more was well. But now changed she was. We had always been good friends and now she turned to me as the one who was nearest. She was an orphan and no other had bet ter right to her guardianship than l had, now that her husband had proved unworthy of the trust she had reposed in him.
 Six months after he went away a report came through the newspapers that he had been lost In a hotel fire in a western town. Margaret insist ed on my going to investigate. I found that several unrecognizable bodies had been taken from the ruins and buried, and among the baggage saved was a trunk containing effects which conclu- sively proved that Brent had a room in the hotel on the night of the fire. though he had registered under a dif- ferent name. claimed the trunk and took it back to Margaret with my story.
 Her mind appeared to be at rest now and she began to improve in health and spirits. But the cruel blows had been struck. and 1t was not possible that she could ever be the same again.
 As the time passed and she began to lean more upon me, I took hope once more, and very gently led her back to the paths we had trod in other days. l must be very careful, as I could see, and I was. Margaret did not seem to realize at first that I was her lover still. but after many days she did, and when asked her to marry me she con- scented. Not 1oyously, as one whose