Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1907-02-06


these surmises were correct, and Rose
couldn't leave the matter where it was.
mr.. Marlborough" she said, Il am de-
eas wson see mys
II he is my husband / can't rest now
until know the truth, however terrible
that truth may be"
Tom Marlborough went back to London ;
he had his business to attend to, but Rose
went to the hotel and stayed in the little
town. She determined to find out from
the company and from the landlady of Mr..
Wilson's lodgings what kind of man this
She went next day to the lodgings. The
landlady could tell her very. little. Might
she see the rooms? Certainly.
They were poorly furnished. dull. un-
notwithstanding rooms-small parlors
is known in the profession as theatrical
dggings," and they changed their occu-
pants almost week by week. Some of the
tenants were careful, but some were not,
and the general appearance of the apart
ments bespoke rough usage and neglect.
Rose looked about the rooms in vain for
any sign or token by which she might know
that the last occupant had been her hus-
band. She didn't know what she had ex-
pected to find. but she had vague idea
that she might light upon a clew in some
Finding nothing. Rose smedIey began to
ask questions of the landlady. What sort
of a looking man was Mr.. Wilson? How
old did he appear to be. etc., etc. The
landlady couldn't say much about her last
ledger. She had so many coming and going
that they were pretty near all alike to
she did notice Mrs. Wilson; she was a
very pretty, rather delicate looking lady
she noticed her particularly because when
she came to pay the bill and to say they
were going away, she seemed nervous and
frightened and her manner attracted alton
ton.
Rose felt sharp pang of jealousy as she
listened to the landlady's description of the
young womaar personal attractions. For
the first time it occurred to her that even
II she traced her husband he was utterly
HIS wife. had usurped her place. and all
that was left to her now was to prove the
fact of her husbands treachery, sue for 2
divorce and be a free woman again.
Gradually she began to see that was what
she ought to do. Why should she spend
the rest of her life bearing the name of q
who had committed criminal act. and left
her without word, only to come back
again after many years with another wo-
man as his companion
Yes, she had another motive In finding
John Wilson, the actor, now. Love was
dead. and revenge had taken its place.
But how was she to find the man? She
had no clew, not single thread to guide
her. The man had left no address at the
lodgings no one there had the slightest
idea as to where he was going when he
left.
Rose went back to the theater and saw
the manager. She explained that the Mr..
Wilson who had mysteriously disap-
peared was. she believed. friend of her
family's and she was very anxious to dis
cover his whereabouts. The manager was
polite, but he knew nothing of Wilson he
had engaged him for the tour which COM
menced about a month previously. Wilson
had answered an advertisement and had
applied for himself and wife.
'Have you the letter." said Rose. She
thought to herself that she would recognize
the handwriting. and that would set her
doubts at rest.
was destroyed; but he would look among
his papers and see. He was absent for
about ten minutes, and then he returned.
81 can't find the letter. he said, but
I've found photograph he sent with it,"
His photograph" cried Rose. LET me
see IT. shall know it at once"
mo. not his photograph-the photograph
He placed in Roses hands the photograph
of a young woman. and Rose looked at 1t
with mingled feelings Of curiosity and re-
The landlady was right The girl was
certainly pretty. There was a look of deli
cacy and refinement in her features. and
MAY may / keep this?" gasped Rose.
as with deep sigh she lifted her eyes from
her rivals face
must ask you to excuse me. We are play
ing a new piece tonight and I'm wanted
on the stage"
Rose thanked the manager and left the
theater with the photograph OF mrs. VIII
son in her pocket. She had made UP her
mind what to do. IL shall know this wom-
an again." she said to herself, wherever
I see her, and when l do see her / shall
not be long before I find out where this
man is who passes as her husband"
Five minutes after Mrs. Smedley had left
the theater gentleman arrived and sent In
his card There were two words I'm the
corner which procured him instant admis-
sion. Those two words were Scotland
Yard"
The gentleman explained his business in
a few words. He wanted some information
about a Mr.. Wilson, an actor in the COM
pany.
why. there's just been lady here on
the same errand," said the astonished man
ager. What's Wilson been doing?'
"A LADY," exclaimed the Scotland Yard
gentleman. What was she like?"
The manager told him.
49," thought the detective. Mrs. Smed-
ley's heard of 1t, too. Well, between US
fancy we shall find him: but she mustn't
know I'm going to help her, or 1t might
upset the applicant"
Tom Marlborough had done very foolish
thing He had gone back to the city and
mentioned that he believed he had seen Jack
Smedley acting at theater.
He did it innocently. He had quite for
gotten that the reward of 1000 for Smed-
iey's apprehension. which was issued at the