The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1906-09-15

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and the occupants. two sun-tanned
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, "it's
good to be back In Gods country aft
er two and half years in the Philip
pines! Look at the girls In muslin!
Jimmy. let's charter the hanson for
the afternoon and 60 round aAd 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.
hope?"
bad news! have had none at
ALL" ...
Faith! there's plenty OF good fish
in the sea. Believe me, Jimmy, there
is safety in numbers. I have run aft
er women all my life and never caught
one yet, 70 I 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 on 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 a woman who has utterly ig-
nored you for six long months. and
now treats your homecoming with alb
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
4he causeless. merciless abandonment
TO which he had been subjected had
scared his heart. Nevertheless, pride
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, whore NO man
knows his next door neighbor, the In
terval opposed q blank wall against
further inquiry. It struck him ~ =
small coincidence that At the period
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-silence!
Being a determined man, he inter
viewed local tradesmen, policemen
post ONCE ofhcials. and finally doc
tor. Here he found 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.
Abiaze with uncertainty. Tenant
went back to his hotel. A man await
ed his arrival. an army officer, like
himself. and it was sufficiently amaz-
ing to read on the strangers card:
Capt. ]. w. Tenant"
II have been chasing you round the
world" he explained. My business is
| important. Can we have a quiet talk
somewhere?"
| Jimmie led his namesake to SIT
ring-room. Here the other Capt. Ten
nant seated himself. lit cigarette, and
produced an envelope.
| do you recognize the handwriting? p
he said.
Jimmie required no second glance
1t was Elsies.
How the deuce did this come into
your possession be demanded. fierce
ly.
Hold OF! This AFFAIR may have
caused you some trouble, but not hall
so much as 1t has given me. Now, Jus,
sit still and listen. My name happens
to be John Watson Tenant. My wife
whom recently married, and who wa.
a millionaire's widow, happens to b<
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. and devilish well-written one,
at that, from young lady named
Elsie. By Jove! didn't she make 1.
hot for me! Never a word did she lei
on, though. for should have discov.
cred the mistake at once. To her there
was only one ]. w. remnant In exist
ence. and she did not believe me whe.
showed her your name in the arm,
list. / must admit that the last ;ette,
appeared to Justify her suspicious.
THE last letteri"
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