The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-08-31

gaping faces watching the boxes. DR..
Gordon s box was an object Of especial
interest. Indeed, that was the only one
to be depended upon to contain some
thing when the two mails per day ar
New York paper which reached the
little hamlet. Alton had no paper of
its own: The nearest was printed in
Stanbridge. One man, the Presby-
terrain minister, subscribed to the Stan
bridge paper, and paid for it in farm
produce. He had little farm, and
titled the 4h soil when he was not saving
rived the night before, and the minister
had been good enough to impart some
Of its contents to the curious throng in
the store. He was accustomed to do
SO. Likewise Gordon, when he was not
too hurried, would open his New York
paper, and read the most startling
"headersU to a wide.eyed audience.
] This morning the paper was in the box
men pressed in suggestive way around
James, as he took the parcel from the
postmaster. There were no lockboxes.
James hesitated moment. He had not
much time, but he was good natured,
and the eager hunger in the men IS eyes
fbng nab to HIN abon THIS S;s
for intelligence of their kind, and its
progress or otherwise, among these plod-
ding folk, who had so to count their
pence that a newspaper was an I'M
heard-of luxury to them -
James opened the paper and glanced
over the headlines on the first page.
Now, had he looked, he might have
seen something sinister and malicious
in the curious eyes, but he was so dazed
by the very first thing. he saw as to be
for tor the moment ao obliyious to ANYTHING
the headline: "strange dual life Of
q prominent physician in Alton, New
lived with his 1 WIFE for yeafsa a nai
called her his widowed sister,
Mrs.: Clara Ewing. Upon her
DEATH a. few days 1,,.s since, he re-
sons for this strange conduct simply
states that he was justified, ev en- com
PEELED, by circumstances. Then fol-
lowed a caricature portrait of Gordon,
a photograph of the house, one Of the
village church, and the cemetery and
Gordon IS wife's grave, with various
surmises and comments. enough to fill
He had not known Of Gordon's action
in telling that the dead woman was
his wife. He looked around in be-
wildered fashion, and met the hungry
eyes. One small, mean face of small
man peered around his shoulder gloat-
ingly. Some news this mornin 's'' he
observed, with a smack of the lips, as
if he tasted sweets. -
Then James arose to the occasion. He
faced them all and smiled coolly.
=. .S,,aa he IS replied; you mean about
There was "a murmur Of assent.
James read the article from begin
n on1 ct r. IN
q, you," he said, when he had finished.
- He looked at them all with a superior
air. He looked older and more manly
than when he had first come in their
midst. He was older and more manly,
and he was superior. The men recog-
: nized it, not sullenly nor defantly, but
with the unquestioning. attitude of the
low the scale in birth and education.
Still their faces all expressed malicious
cunning and cruel curiosity, which they
hesitated to put into words. They knew
that Elliot was to marry Gordon s
men, but they were afraid Of Gordon.
Still Jim Goodman found courage of
his meanness and smallness and spoke.
HIt seems strange thing, p he said,
"that DR.. Gordon should zhev came and
went here for years, and all of us
th h kin, his his wife were his sister when
Sne were nOC.
"Well, what Of it7"s asked. Jan
The men stared at one another.
What Of it2' repeated James. 1T
don It suppose there is anything cr1m1-
nal in man 3 calling his wife by his
SISTERS name. DR.. Gordon has Sis
ter named Ewing.
Again the men stared at one another,
and Jim Goodman was the only one
who. had the miserable courage to
speak rs pose him an her were mar
RED" he said, in thin voice like
the squel Of fox.
(which Of you wants to be knocked
down can make statement to the
contrary Numbered James. els that
what you make Of it9''
Goodman shuffled from one foot to
the other. Men nudged shoulders.
Goodman spoke; Nobody never
them newspapers" he observed, and
there was a note Of alarm in his voice.
I did not read thing in the whole
column which even implied such a
| thing as you intimated,O James said
| hotly. Don It put it off on the news