Free press., 1907-02-09

been withdrawn. and that the warrant
still in the hands of the police.
Some who owed SmedIey a grudge in
the city-a former clerk of the firm he had
away to Scotland Yard with 1t, and a de-
tective went down at once to the town
where Marlborough thought he had seen the
culprit at the theater. And so it came
about that after a lapse of years, during
which Jack Smedley's crime and his mys-
terious fight had almost dropped out of
remembrance, Tom Yarborough's chance
visit to a little provincial theater suddenly
track.
Rose smedIey. convinced that the man
under the name of Wilson was her missing
husband, went back to London with the
photograph of the. woman who called her
self Mrs. Wilson in her pocket.
The photograph the clew by which
she hoped to trace the man. She thought
all the circumstances over, and made up
her mind that her husband alarmed at
being recognized by Marlborough, would not
5n9 5sk t public appeaFanee Fd again yet awhile
engagement. They were evidently poor and
would have to live on her salary.
Mrs. Smedley's first visit was to a big
theatrical agency near the Strand-an
agency through which managers all over
pretended that she was in search of a
young friend, an actress, whose where
abOuts she had lost sight of for some time.
The agent might be able to give her some
information. Rose showed him the photo
graph, but he didn't recognize it. He ex-
plained that he had such enormous
number of clients it quite impossible
that he should remember them all Many
of them he did not even see but obtained
them engagements by correspondence. How
ever, II she would leave the photograph
with him he would make inquiries and he
might be able to let her know something.
she liked
and then she called upon the agent again.
The clerk took in her name and came back
busy; would she kindly excuse him not
seeing her? He had no information to give
her.
Rose was disappointed, although she had
hardly hoped for anything better.
,.~a Thank aEasn yGg;" she said I'm sorry to
win YOU kindly ask him to let me me have the
photograph left with him?"
The clerk went into the private room
which he handed to Rose.
Rose was just going when the agent came
given you the wrong photograph"
"Oh. no." replied Rose. this is the one
The agent looked at it,
That's curious, he said. 'for I've an
other on my desk now. 1 didn't look close
Iy at what I was giving my clerk, and I
faneied that must have made mistake
He went into his room and returned with
a letter.
81 see how it's happened" he said "The
letter which my clerk opened and put with
a number of others on my desk
"A letter from Mrs. Wilson,
mo, it is from a Miss Elmore, but this
is the photograph. because my clerk en-
dorsed it with the and address after
taking it out of the envelope
He showed Rose photograph. 1t a
fellow one to the photograph she held in
her hand Both were photographs of the
same woman.
'Tve advertised for lady and gentle
man to go out with company to the Cape,''
said the agent, 'and this is in reply to it.
Miss Elmore is evidently your missing
friend. She is anxious to secure an en-
gagement for herself and husband. She
does not enclose his photograph, but says
he will call upon me by appointment, if
the vacancy is not already filed"
oh exclaimed Rose, endeavoring to
appear calm, chow fortunate will you
kindly give me Miss EImores address? ?''
The agent hesitated. There was a look
in Mrs. Smedley's face that made him do
So He was man of the world. and he had
known instances before in which one lady
wanted another lady's private address for
the purpose of a friendly greeting.
Its hardly the thing he said "for
msat do without Miss Elmore's permission
BUT as the engagement is still open and I
thinks she will just suit the part judging
by her appearance and the press notices she
see me, and then III give her your address
if you will leave it. That will answer the
same purpose, 1 presume 90
"Oh, certainly replied Rose, biting her
letter here for her which you give
her or forward to her.
Certainly. Good morning.
The agent disappeared into his private
street fully determined what she would do.
She hadn't the slightest intention of
writing to Miss Elmore or of leaving her
address for her. That would have put the
the little plot which Rose was carefully
thinking out for her. rivals discontinue.