The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1908-07-14
CHAPTER ".
Continued.

being carried on Campion was fondly
for the mere pleasure of recalling the
happy hour that had just fed; of as
sociating each step with some charm
ing word or look of his lady's like
the lover in "Garden Fancies." How
lovely she had looked, how sweet and
consoling she had been, how he loved
her. And the afternoon was gone,
and the tender spring twilight was
far advanced before he had cooled
sufficiently to remember that ae
ought to be returning to Romanoff
Road He let himself in, not without
passing shiver az the sight of some
packing cases by the door-his re-
jected pictures were inside them
and found himself unintentionally
assisting at an apparently animated
dispute in the painting room between
Bales and his wife, which was audi
BILE from the entrance.
"1f you don't tell him, Marie, y
shall, that's all.
you will, will you, carry tales
against your own wife? Do, then"
i've got my dooty to do, and,
SEEM as amt mixed up in it no.
way / feel no 'esitation in doin' of it"
Let me leave it on masters table,
tice anythink."
won't ne, Mrs. Bales?" said
Campion, showing himself at the door
of the painting room. "Why?"
Mrs. Bales put her hand to her
side. "Oh, sir" she faltered, 81
didn't go for to do it,"
There's a woman all over" re-
marked her devoted husband, "goes
and drops letter down behind a cab
met, where it might ha been lost al
together if hadn't come across it in
cleaning up"
II didn't drop it down, neither, so
that's how much you know" retorted
Mrs. Bales. Il went out of my way
to be careful, as it so happens, for it
came while you was out, and put it
so it would ketch your eye, sir, and
to keep the draught from blowing 1T
away, I put it down with the corner
of that Hingian bust there, and that's
the truth if was to diet"
Say what you like, Marie" per-
sisted the inexorable Bales, "yol
can't get over the fact that 1 found
the letter down behind the cabinet.
You can trust women with 40 docu-
ments, Mr.. Campion, sir; their brains
amt constructed for it,"
--rrs. Bales brought it out. from I'M
derneath her apron. 81 do hope it
amt of any Importance, sir"
Campion took the letter, which was
directed to him in a hand that
strangely resembled his own; the
postmark showed that it had been
delivered about month ago.
1t contained the first letter he
had written to Sybil after his change
of fortune, and for some time he
could not understand how this could
be, till it occurred to him that, in his
haste and excitement, he must have
inadvertently written his own name
and address on the envelope in mis-
take for SYPHILIS.
So there was the failure of one let
ter accounted for; was the non-deliv-
cry of the other capable of an equal
ly simple explanation? He resolved
to question Bales more closely.
You remember the letter | gave
you to post some days ago." he said;
did you notice the direction?"
you gave me many letters to
post said Bales gruffiy; was this
any partickler one?"
1T was one gave you when you
were taking this thing here down
stairs to be washed"
oh said Bales. the day / fell
down the kitching steps and cut my
head open. remember"
swell, you told me afterward you
had posted it, you know"
In course posted tiff l said
So"
mo Bales" put in his wife, mot
the day you broke your head against
the age-not that day you didn't. "
what are you cackling about, Ma
rire-how do you know what did?"
Because you never stirred out of
the house all that day; you mostly
laid on a chair and groaned, and
swore, you did, till thought some
thing would come for YOU" And
Mrs. Bales concluded by declaring
her conviction that he had the letter
somewhere about him still.
"Oh, you think SOL" snarled the in
suited man. I'm not one of your
sort, though; there's something on
reliable about me - you'd like to
make out was no better than your
self, dare say. Well, you won't dc
it,"
you might examine your pockets
though, Bales, suggested Campion.
"Oh, I'll do that cheerful. ain't
afraid - there, you see, nothing ii
that. is there, sir? Nor in that, Ma
rire? Nor in-well, l needn't go on
should Think"
"No," said Campion, "for, unless
I'm mistaken, there's the letter.
what did tell your cried Mrs
Bales
II can account for it, SIR salc
the chapfallen Bales, Except that {
trifie of that kind will slip through {
split head, do what you will-there's
no call for you to Singer, Marie
If you'd had my excuse / shouldn't
have blamed you
Campion dismissed the couple tC
continue their chickering's below, with
out expressing, or indeed feeling, any
great annoyance. Now that he and