The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1907-02-15
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hours were from IL 10 =, eAcept VI odIuI-
days, when they were IL to 2. She calcu-
lated that the agent would write to Miss
Gilmore that afternoon and make an ap-
pointment for the next day or the day after.
hours of II and 4, Miss Gilmore would enter
that Office and leave again and return to
the place where she was living. She might
come alone, she might come with Mr..
Wilson"
Under any circumstances Rose would be
there. The street was wide and busy
one. She would easily be able to keep the
agents front door in observation without
being noticed herself with her veil down
and her parasol up Mr. Wilson" could
hardly recognize her, and Miss Emore
didn't know her.
The only dificulty was about following
her, but it would be time enough to get
over that when the time came. The girl
was probably hard up and wouldn't take
hanson; she would either walk or go by
bus, and in either case Rose could be her
travelling companion without exciting sus-
picion.
II Jack came the case would be differ
ent She should go up straight to him,
confront him. and ask for the pleasure of
a few moments conversation with him. All
that evening and far into the night Rose
thought over the scene that she might have
to take part in on the morrow She re-
hearsed 1t to herself and spoke her
speeches aloud as she lay tossing from side
to side waiting for the dawn. She was
too feverish and excited to sleep. She was
not going to be violent or make scene.
She had a few words of whitening sarcasm
ready for Miss Gilmore, who would prob
ably stare to see strange lady accost Mr..
Wilson rather unceremoniously and insist
upon a private interview, but with Jack she
was going to be calm, cold and dignifed.
But she was going to let him understand
that he would have to answer for his
wicked, heartless conduct, and that Meme
sis had overtaken him at last
And, crushing her 'recreant husband with
words of dignifed scorn, Rose fell asleep
at last and woke so late that by the time
she had had her breakfast and reached the
side street off the Strand in which the
agents office was situated. it was on the
stroke of eleven.
AS she got out Of the bus she noticed
n gentleman who got down from outside
the same conveyance look at her rather
curiously, and she wondered where she had
seen him before. She thought it must be
some one she had been introduced to, and
so she bowed slightly, but the gentleman
took no notice Of her saiutation, but looked
deliberately the other way.
Rose knew then that she must have made
a mistake and she coored slightly at the
idea of having bowed to strange man
who had stared at her. This little circum-
stance set her thinking OF the man as she
walked up the street, and she gave quite
little start when q quarter OF an hour
she saw this same man come along on the
opposite side and enter public-house.
She watched for him to come out. but he
didn't do so, and SO she decided ne must
be the landlord, and then she fixed her at
tention on the agents doorway, and forgot
all about the stranger to whom she had
bowed in mistake.
For two hours Rose watched the agency
without any result. Plenty of ladies and
gentlemen went up and came down the Dig
stone staircase-actors and actresses most
of them. she could tell by their style-but
photograph of Miss Elmore, and certainly
no one in the slightest degree like Jack
Smedley.
Once she had false alarm. A lady and
gentleman came along from the top OF the
street the man was Just Jacks height and
build, but when he came nearer she saw
that he was a man with gray hair, ana
Jacks was as black as night He was an
actor she thought, because of his shaven
face, but when they got to the agents door
he left the lady, who went in alone, while
he went over the road to the public-house.
He was in there about quarter OF an
hour. and when he came out Rose thought
he looked at her rather hard But she was
a pretty little woman still, and had slim,
graceful figure, and when ladies' with slim,
graceful figures go about closely yelled there
is nothing in gentlemen looking at them,
as though they would like to see what sort
Of face that tantalizing veil is hiding.
II must have been really two o'clock, ana
Rose was thinking that she should have
to find out some place where she could sit
down, for she was getting terribly tired,
when tall, thin girl, plainly, almost shah
billy dressed, came up the street, looking
up at the number as she walked along.
This action It was which first attracted
Roses attention, and then in moment,
instinctively, and before she was near
enough for Rose to recognise her features,
the deserted wife knew that she and her
rival were about to meet.
1t was Miss Gilmore. There was no doubt
of that Rose soon forgot her caution in
her excitement, and stood still and let the
girl PASS her so closely that their dresses
touched Miss Gilmore evidently suspected
nothing She said. 81 beg your pardon,
as she accidentally touched Rose. but only
gave her a passing glance.
The hot blood rushed to Mrs. Smedley's
face. and a hard, cruel look came into her
eyes IL was fortunate that her veil was
down and that IL was thick. Otherwise she
would undoubtedly have attracted atten-
ton. -,