Free press., 1907-02-09

place by her husbands side and had been
his companion in the misfortunes she had
not been allowed to share. She was glad
in her heart of hearts that her rival looked
ILL., more glad that she looked unhappy
She never stopped to ask herself whether
this girl might not be in utter ignorance
of the true story of Mr.. wilson's life
utterly innocent of the knowledge that she
was injuring any one but herself.
Rose watched her enter the doorway and
once. Then She went a little way down
the street and stood just where building,
coming out of the house which she was
watching. She kept her eyes fixed upon
the strain made her eyelids ache. She was
terrified lest she should not detect Miss Ell
more the first moment she emerged, ana
so let her mix with the crowd and get away
ere she had time to follow her.
Her attention was fixed on this one
particular point that she did not notice the
gentleman to whom she had bowed in the
morning come quietly to the public house
sight of her and then go in again quickly
The time passed slowly as Rose stood
had passed it seemed to her that Miss Ell
more had been with the agent an hour.
S Sne nao never .aken gen aer eyes aI} atm feere
ing that the girl might have come out into
Inc me steet asn ana got away In01sgfV9u; hers5f T
into fever of suspense lady emerged
from the doorway and walked rapidly away
1t Miss EImore.
An instant afterwards another lady. the
man at the door, out too Rose
darted forward almost with run in her
: now. but quickly checking herself she
crossed the road and walked rapidly tn
she was on a level with the girl, the road
Miss Elmore turned down into the Strand
and walked along until she came to South.
ampton Street, then she crossed the road
and made for Waterloo Bridge.
Rose followed this time keeping on the
same side of the road, but little way be-
was crowded and it was quite easy to keep
any one in view.
;.The girl is either going to walk home
to take the train to Waterloo" thought
Rose WhieheVsr j3 @ lit it is have y her 1ros;n safe
band"
Rose. Everybody instantly turned to see
what was the matter, Rose among them.
fallen just as an omnibus was coming rap
idly to him. 1t was a woman who had
seen the occurrence who uttered the cry.
The driver pulled up and the boy was
saved. Then everybody went on their way
again.
But in the second that Rose turned her
head she had seen something that aston
ished her. Close behind her was the wo-
man who had come out of the agents i'm
mediately after Miss Elmore. And the
opposite side of the road was the gentleman
she had bowed to in mistake. and who mad
gone into the public house opposite the
agents office.
Swift lightning suspicion of truth
flashed across Mrs Smedley's brain
She was being followed herself. She and
Miss Elmore too.
The woman was following Miss Elmore,
the following her. He had evil
IDENTIFY followed her from her house that
morning, taken the same bus as. herself,
and watched her while she watched the
agents office.
She saw it in a moment, and she knew
by a fash of inspiration what it meant
Some one else beside herself had a sus-
picion that Jack Smedley had returned to
London. And they had been watching her.
his wife believing that she would know OF
it, and communicate with him.
The part of his story which she had for
the time forgotten came back to her at
once. She was trying to find him to re-
But these people were trying to find him
to make him answer for his offenses against
the law.
The warrant which had been issued for
John Smedley's arrest still in force
She and the girl were being followed by
wife and his mistress were guiding them
to their prey.
Instantly Rose felt a revulsion of feeling.
All the wife in her rose up against the
idea of seeing the man she had once loved
stand in the felon's dock.
She would have punished him herself,
but she would protect him from others.
IN a moment she had made up her mind
what to do. Quickening her pace, she
caught up with Miss Elmore.
AS she came level with her, without
looking at her she said in an undertone,
"Don,t look at me- You being fol-
The girl gave little start and turned
her head toward the person who had ad-
dressed her.
Hush !" whispered Rose: take no no.
tice of me. But don't go home, I tell you,
f0IIo Cd