The daily Alaskan., 1907-06-20
A SURPRISE.
lOviGinal

l lOvlg.nall
 We had been married but few months when I was obliged to leave my Marian on 8 business trip to the orient. I expected to be gone three months at the outside, but was absent eight. had frequent letters from my wife and knew that she was In ex- ceucut health. so l had nothing to | worry about.
 reached New York at in the morning by steamer and at 10 drove up to the door of my house. I had carried the mtDu',ry with mo on my key ring and let myself In. Seeing no one below. l rau upstairs to my wiCe's room, thinking only Ot tue transports of our meeting after my long absence. 1 was surprised to tind tho door locked. ] kuockcd rag;lrd the knub-indeed, made every demonstration of one burn ! ing to get in and take my beloved one In my arms. Presently | heard the words on the u,hrr side of the door: "Go away"
 The voice was not my wire's, but it was 8 wJmaus. ] had no mind to be ! thus treated oo any return after so long an absence "ul kept on knocking and ratrlmg yhc Eagn. Presently l heard a sound inside that rrsrmDIed nothing 1 1 had ever heard unless It wDs the | first effort of a young rooster to crow. 1 l WAS puzzled. What "ouId IJ mean: l I gave a kick at the door with my foot In another moment l heard the same voice say.
 Do stop that noise and go away" "Nyhat does lt all mrau" 1 shouted
 But there was no response. and after giving another HIek l concluded to uc- cept the situation uud went down. stairs touched u button in the It. brary for Peggy, the maid J had left at tue house when I went abroad, but Instead of Peggy a new girl answered the summons.
 "WLere's Mrs. Buddf' l asked
 Don't know"
 Don't know? You're the maid, ! aren't youE
 Don't know"
 Do you understand Englsh:" Don't kuOw.'
 Never mind. Thatu do. Go back. ! | don't want y0U" ] ll took these four sentences lo get l uer out of tue room. and l was trying 1 tU think up some other method of soly- Ing the riddle when l heard Che front | door open. ] went into the hall, but no. iu time to see who had come jn. heard or thought l heard a footstep gc- mg upstairs. but city houses are al. ways dark. and mine Is darker than
 most of thrm SD l couldn't see who Ly vas. heard a light knock on 30 door uy witc's. perhapsl The door WAS ] p.aupi long enough for some one Co 1 pu~- in; then 1t shut. l This was maddeu.ug A woman Lad uy wife 30 prisoner. and all the mock l ing of which l was capable would not | -Hn mr admjuauce. yet here was a | person the step sounded like muu's. whose ugntcst rap was an "open sesa- me" No uue iu the house but 30 maid
 who could say nothing but "dou't know" at least I supposed there was lo one else .hut to make sure l went ! upstairs au3 looked into every room. l While passing my wlfr's room | heard .n.. spring chicken growing again ] wu9r back Jo the library and paced the
 door. resolving to wayl1y any uue who 1 might nave gone into the room from which I was debarred-thut Is. if any 1 pac had gone into the room-whpu he. l she or iy came out-yhat js, if hc she or
 it ever d.d romc out l didu't have Co wait long before l
 heard the door open and a mans step coming down the stairs confronted him tu the hau
 "Wpll sir, 1 said. what are you doing here:"
 "Whot are you doing here:" he re- tortrI. bristlug
 "l al tue owner of llIS house.
 "Tne deuce you are" with evident l surprise
 Yes. l am, and I'm kept out of my wirc's bedroom There's nobody to tell me what is going ou aud"- You must excuse ne, sir; I'm in hurry" And he went out and shut the door
 Well, Tu be hanged" I said to my self. This is agouizing."
 1 went back Into the library. IL
 wasn't more than ten minutes mole before l heard a ring at the telephone upstairs. 4 woman's voice answered the ring. This was one-half the dia- l l0Eue, the half l heard: "Yes I'm Miss Arbuckle." "YUu don't mean it."
 "Ha. hI, Ina, CIeyerIy managed"
 "All right Goodby."
 Another ten minutes passed when l heard the door open again and a voice called to me to come up. A uniformed