The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1906-08-17
A QUARTET
[Original.l

[Original-l
In the spring of 1S9-- young couple, |
| Mr. and Mrs. Chaplin appeared III a |
western city. and. having found lodg- |
| ings, the husband sought employment.
He developed striking business talents, |
! and it was not long before he was en-
gagged in a small manufacturing enter
nrise of his own. The article he made |
was patented, and the business became
very valuable. Mr.. Chaplin bought
house in the best part Of the city, and
the couple entertained. considerably.
But it was not long before it began
to be whispered that all was not we'll
with the Chapins. A young man, Ar
thur Gilman, was deyoting himself to
young Mrs. Chaplin. 1t appeared to be
one of those cases wherein husband
having perfect confidence in his wife
fails to see what every one else sees
either this or seeing he pretends not
to see. Chaplin, at least so far as the
world knew. gave himself no concern
as to his wifes attendant, seeming to
! be himself absorbed in friendship
, with one of his own sex. He and
Fletcher Ford were inseparable. They
constantly drove out together, attended
; amusements together and at social en-
tertainments would sit chatting togeth-
! er instead of devoting themselves to
/! the women.
"What. a fool" said Madam Grundy.
/ ITO be so devoted to a man friend as
to let his wife drift into trouble"
The world did not see all that was
going on in the quartet. II Chaplin did
Y not hear of the scandal of which he
L was the one most interested, Fletcher
Ford did He took it upon himself to
y admonish his friend that, though per-
sonally he considered Mrs. Chaplin per-
I fectly innocent society was becoming
Il shocked
V The admonitiOn was taken in good
part Chaplin admitted that he had
" noticed Gilman's attentions, but his
Y confidence in his wife's purity was
v absolute. The only change that came
from Ford's interference was that Gill
NJ man and Mrs. Chaplin We're seen less to-
v gether in public. But Gilman was still
v 40 much at the Chapins home that
NJ Ford who was a witness of the fact
n told his friend he was beginning to lose
y respect for him This seemed to trouble
v Chaplin, but he did not seem to have
n the courage to break up his wife's llal
M son. Finally Ford became 50 irritateo
y, at the sneering remarks he heard thai
v he went to Ch2pin'S house one evening
N and told him that their friendship was
:: at an end.
Chaplin at this thrust broke down
and Ford was astonished to see tea
. in his eye. 1t was the first evidence
he had seen that after all there mus
be something in the affair that had no
been explained But above all Gilman
was made aware of Chapin's value o
his good opinion. Ford affectionatel,
laid his hand on his friends arm ant
besought him to give him his conn
dence The young husband, thoug
much moved, would not reveal wha
was troubling him. Ford pressed hr
to confide in him, but Chaplin suddenl
sprang up and left the room, sayin
that he would confer with his wife an
see what could be done to mend tn
matter. Ford was much affected
seeing his friends emotion and seize
his hand as he left the room with
view to comfort him. But Chaplin brok
away from him and went upstairs.
Ford was puzzled. He could see Il
evidence of trouble on his friends min
pertaining to his wife, Chapin's sol
grief seeming to be at losing II
friends respect and the parting thu
was imminent between them. He II
NAMED waiting in the library whel
Chaplin had left him for some tim
then was about to depart. when /
heard a rustling of skirts on the stal
case and Mrs. Chaplin entered, accon
panied by lady whom Ford did NJ
at first recognize. Yet there was som
thing about her that struck him wit
astonshment. She was SO like b
friend Chaplin that she must be his twi
sister. Her face alternated betwee
bushes and pallor. and she seemed
at ease in her feminine apparel.
Henry Chaplin exclaimed For'
What do you mean by getting you
self up in womans dress!"
Il am not Henry Chaplin; l am Ma
garet Eaton. This is Blanche Eato
my sister. When we were thrown c
our own resources after a life of lu.
ury l shrank from supporting myse
and my sister-for she was too delica
to shift for herseif-clOgged by won
ans skirts woman's disadvantages.
put on mans clothes, and we can
here where he were not known.
were prospecting when my sister fe
In love with Arthur Gilman, and, u
fortunately, he fell in love with he
Nor is that all. Failing to induce
to reveal our secret, he married n
clandestinely and has been living vii