Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1907-02-07
No. s..

anybody then" Tom was not to be put off
easily as that, so he said he would wait
As he was turning from the door a
young lady came up from the stage. dressed
ooh, Mrs. wilson," said the doorkeeper.
there is the, gentleman as wants to see
your husband"
Tom turned and looked at the young lady
She was very pretty and about four and
twenty.
81 beg your pardon" said Tom hesitating
and wondering how he should get out what
was on his mind without making mess
of it. Il only wanted to ask Mr.. Wilson a
question"
Perhaps I can answer It," replied tho
young lady, looking at Tom with search
ing glance. -, ,.
for him. l shan't detain him minute"
"Il go and see IL he can leave the man
ager for moment" said the young lady.
and she went down the stairs to the stage
again.
Tom waited and waited. The actors and
actresses passed out, and presently the fire.
man came upstairs.
seen Mr.. Wilson," said the stage door
keeper This genteman's waiting for
him"
"There amt anybody in the house now
"How long has Mr. Wilson been gone
them"
81 don't know the company by name but
there amt nobody left in the house, can
tell you that" was the reply.
"Ah," said the stage doorkeeper, then
it's no use you waiting; Mr.; Wilson and his
wife must have gone through the front"
Then Tom at once jumped to the conclu-
sion that the young lady had told Wilson
that he (Tom) was still waiting, and they
had both slipped out the front way to avoid
meeting him And this convinced him that
his surmise was correct, and that the actor
with Jack Smedley's voice was Jack Smed-
ley himself!
Tom Marlborough blurted out his story, for
he was full of it. 1t was not until he saw
the effect of his narrative upon poor Rose
that 1t occurred to him that he mad done
an unwise thing.
81 don't believe 1t. Mr.. Marlborough" she
exclaimed, her eyes filling with tears Il
don't believe it. My husband was cruel to
leave me as he did. He has been cruel
to leave me in doubt and suspense all these
years, but surely he would not venture back
again and run the risk of detection-and
and
She could not bring herself to say what
was in her mind, which was that wicked
as Jack Smedley had been to her. he
would not be wicked as to come back
to England calling another woman his
wife.
But her curiosity was excited. The idea
that her husband was alive and near Lon.
don revived all the old feelings of doubt
and anxiety which she had after lapse
of years conquered.
"Tom," she said presently, 81 must see
this matter out. l shall go down to this
Certainly" said Tom, feeling that he
nrSt ana make sure. 1Ou see, may
have been mistaken after ALL"
mo, I'll go myself; 1 can't rest now
till I know the truth"
Mrs Moncreif started for the continent
alone Rose explaining that important
business of a private nature would detain
her in town for a few days.
The next evening, accompanied by Tom
Marlborough, Mrs Smedley went to the the
alter. 1t was a different play-the bill
had been changed, and there was no Mr.,
Wilson in the cast.
Tom went round to the stage door and
interviewed the stage doorkeeper again.
Did he know II Mr. Wilson was in the
town still, and could he give him his ad-
dress? Tom was referred to the acting
manager, who said that Wilson had not
been to rehearsal that morning, and on
sending to his lodgings it found that
he and his wife had taken their luggage
and left the town 1t was n very extraor-
binary thing to do, a weeks salary was
due to them, and the manager couldn't UNI
derstand 1t.
Tom Marlborough understood it and Ros'
understood it. Jack Smedley had ventureC
back again, believing that his crime wa'
forgotten and that in the strolling acto
no one would recognize him. Directly HI
had been told that q Mr.. Marlborough
wished to see him he knew that he wa
discovered and he had fed, taking will
him the woman who called herself hi
wife,