Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1905-12-30
The Doctors Wife
CHA PIER xxIrr-Con,inued)
~ MSS N. e. BRADDON

CHAPTER XX111.-(Continued.
"Raymond, IL this true?" Mr.. Lansdell
asked. as the door closed upon his uncle.
He spoke as II there had been no break
or change In the conversation since Mrs.
Gilbert's name had been mentioned.
II the answer to this question had In
volved sentence Of death. or re-.
rrieve from the gallows. Roland 1.ans-
dell could not have asked 1t more eager
~. He ought to have believed in Isabel
Do firmly rs to be quite unmoved by any
village Islander; but he loved her too
much to he reasonable. Jealousy. the
demon-closely united as Siamcse twin
to Love. the god---was already gnawing
at his entrails. 1t could not be. IL could
not be. that she had deceived and de-
luded him: but If she had; ali. what
baseness, what treachcry!
"Tbcre Is a strange man staying at n
little rustic tavern In Nessborough Hol.
low. You know what gossips these coun-
try people are. Heaven knows I have
never put myself out of the way to learn
other peoples business; but these things
get bruted about in all manner Of
places"
"Tell your story plainly. Raymond.
There Is strange man staying In Ness
borough 1lollow--well, what has all this
TO do with Mrs. Gilbert?'
"Only this much--she has been seen
walking alone with this man, after dark,
In Nessborough Hollow"
ut must be n lie: a villninous invcn.
ton! or Tiff she has been seen to meet
this man. he is some relation. Yes. ]
have reason to think that she has some
relation staying In this neiehborhood.' "
"Bnt why. In that case. should she
meet the man secretly at such an hour,
while her husband Ii lying illT'
'"There might be n hundred reasons. -
Mr.. Raymond shrugged his shoulders
Scan you suggest oncY' he asked.
"But has she been seen to meet him 2
cried Roland. suddenly. mo. I will no,
believe It. Some woman has been seen
walking with some man: and the Gray.
bridge vultures. eager to swoop down
upon my poor innocent dove, must have
tt that the woman Il Isabel Gilbert. No
] will not believe this story"
"So be Il. them" answered Mr.. Ray
mond. I'm that case We can drop the
subject"
But Roland was not so easily to b,
satisfied. The poisoned arrow had en-
tered far into his soul. and he mus,
needs drag the cruel barb backward ant
forward In the wound.
"Not till you have given me the nam,
OF your authority" he said.
"Pshaw! my dear Roland. have I no
already told you that my authority Il
the common Graybridge gossipY"
"l'll not believe that. You IRE thu
last man In the world to be influence,
by pnltry village scandal. You hav,
better grounds for what you told me
Some one has seen Isabel and this man
Who was that person.
II protest against this cross.examina
ton. You refuse to be spared. and mus
take tho consequences Of your own oh
stinncy. ! was the person who saw
Isabel Gilbert walking with strange
"A showily dressed, disrcputablc lookinI
fsllow--in NcssborouRh Hollow. ha,
been dining with Hardwick. the lawyer
ut GraybridRe. and rode home acrOs
country by the BriarwOod and Hurston
leigh road. instead Of going through
Waverly. heard about Mrs. Gilbcr
at Graybridge-heard her name lInke,
with that Of somc stranger staying a
Nessborough Hollow. who had heel
known 10 send letter. 70 her. and "a mee
her after DARK. Heaven oniv know
how country ncopls And ont these thInsr
hut these thines always nre dI.coverc
somshow mr. oth.r aofenLoI I..hci-
I know her head In n so,d ono. thoup
rs mo means m we'll hoio mead n. n mivi,
be-I defended issheI throuohout n i'm
discussion with tho iowvor'. vic. nm
ridIng homo Inv rho Rria y.,e road I ms