The Mercur miner. [volume] (Mercur, Utah) 1895-1913, 1906-08-29

| men, stamped with the cavalry seal,
each clutched at a window-rest and ex-
changed smiles of quick understand
ing.
Great Scott" cried the major, ITS
good to he back in Gods country aft
er two and half years in the Philip
pinosl Lock at the girls in mustn't
Jimmy let's charter the hanson for
the afternoon ana go round and see
things!"
His excitement met with no re-
Spouse. CHANGING at his companion,
he suddenly checked the further out
burst on his lips.
What's up. Jimmy? No bad news,
| hopper"
Bad news! have had none at
ALL"
"Faithl there's plenty OF good fish
In the sea. Believe me. Jimmy, there
is safety in numbers. l have run aft
er women all my life and never caught
one yet so have had all the sport
and none Of the worry"
Tenant agreed with him. He was
in no mood for discussion, nor did his
friends cynical badinage appeal TO him
at the moment.
At last, when the major had
gone off to a club Tenant stood ir-
resolutely in the foyer of his hotel
whilst pride and common sense wres-
tied for supremacy.
Pride said: why trouble your soul
about woman who has utterly ig-
nored you for six long months, and
now treats your homecoming with abb
solute Indifference? Give her no fur
Their heed"
But common sense whispered: Find
out the truth before you decide. You
would have trusted Elsie Stapleton
with your life, your future, your honor.
Do not now condemn her unheard."
He was hard man and an obstinate
one. Not readily, nor yet in stinted
measure had he bestowed his love. and
the causeless, merciless abandonment
to which he had been subjected had
scared his heart. Nevertheless, prlde
went under in the struggle, and he
started forth TO ascertain from the
lady herself why he no longer found
favor in her sight.
When he reached the lady's house.
she was not there; indeed no one
knew where she was. Her father had
given up the house eight months ago.
and in New York. where no man
knows his next door neighbor, the in
terval opposed a blank wall against
further inquiry. It struck him as a
small coincidence that at the period
J of this change of residence he was In
the widest part OF the Philippines and
temporarily incapacitated from writing
home. Letters from Elsie, breathing
love and hope, continued to reach him
by devious routes for some weeks
Then-sllencel
Being q determined man, he inter
viewed local tradesmen, policemen
post oftre officials, and finally a doc
tor. Here he found a clew. Yes. ex-
actly eight months ago, Miss Elsie
Stapleton, suddenly became very ILL
received a shock, he believed. by un-
expected news concerning friend in
the Philippines, and was taken abroad
by her father. The girl was danger
ously ILL.,
Ablaze with uncertainty, Tenant
went back 20 his hotel. A man await
ed his arrival, an army officer, like
himself. and 1t was sufficiently amaz-
ing to read on the strangers card:
Capt ]. w. Tenant"
Il hare been chasing you round the
world" he explained. MY business is
important. Can we have a quiet talk
somewhere"
Jimmie led his namesake TO a sit
ting-roou. Here the other Capt Ten
nant seated himself. lit cigarette, and
produced an envelope.
do you recognize the handwriting"
he said
Jimmie required no second glance
II was Elsie's.
How the deuce did this come into
your poSsession?" be demanded, fierce
iy.
Hold onl This AFFAIR may have
caused you some trouble. but not hall
so much as II has given me. Now, Just
| sit still and listen. My name happens
| 10 be JOAN Watson Tenant My wife
whom recently married. and who was
a milliolaire's widow, happens To be
extremely jealous. She collects my
correspondence. don't mind, as !
thought all the letters would be from
duns. | didn't count on receiving love
letters, und deyilish well-written ones
at that, from a young lady name
Elsie. BY Jovel didn't she make Il
hot for zoe? Never a word did she let
on, though, for | should have discov-
cred tho mistake AT once. To her there
was ouiy one j. w. Tenant in exist
ence, and she did not believe ne when
| showed her your name in the army
list. must admit that the last letter
appeared 20 Justify her suspicious.
THE last letter."
Yes. | am awfully sorry for you,
old man, but | couldn't help II. Miss
Elsie evidently saw an account OF my
marriage in some papers and thought
1t was yours. as you had not written
| 20 her for some weeks. Then the fat
was in the fire--with my wife, | mean.
| Since that document reached her abs