The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-02-11

sand venomous doubts II suspicious.
What was 1t that my wife was conceal
ing from me? / felt that | should have
no a until / knew. and yet I
shrank from asking her again after
once she had told me what was false.
All the rest of the night | tossed andY
tumbled. framing theory after theory.
each more unlikely than the last.
II should have gone to the city that
day, but l was too disturbed in my
mind to be able to pay attention to
business matters. My wife seemed to
be as upset as myself, and l could see
from the little questioning chances
which she kept shooting at me that she
understood that | disbelieved her state
ment, and hat she was at her wits
end what to do. We hardly exchanged
a word during breakfast, and immedi-
ately afterward l went out for a walk,
that l might think the matter out in the
fresh morning air.
Il went as far as the Crystal Palace,
spent an hour in the grounds, and was
back in Norbury by / o'clock. 1t hap
pened that my way took me past the
cottage, and I stopped for an instant
TO look at the windows, and to see if
] could catch a glimpse of the strange
ldCG WHICH la lODNNR ~ dA IN Ol TIL
day before. As | stood there, imagine
my surprise, Mr.. Holmes. when the
door suddenly opened and my wife
walked out.
Il was struck dumb with astonish-
ment at the sight of her; but my emo
tons were nothing to those whichl
showed themselves upon her face when
our eyes met. She seemed for an in
| 81 a ~ 20 x,icI. IN @trfpI- I,oalr tpef1a fIo
house again, and then, seeing how
useless all concealment must be, she
came forward, with n very white face,
and frightened eyes which belied the
smile upon her lips.
"tAh, jack she said, 4 have just
been in to see If I can be of any as
s~istance to u new %neighbors. Why
do you look at me like that, Jack? You
are not angry with mo?'
so said ], this is where you went
during the night
"'What do you mean?' she cried.
you came here. l am sure Of it.
Who are these people, hat you should
visit them at such an hourY
~ have not been here before
"'How can you tell me what you
know is false?' L cried. Your very
voice changes as you speak. When
have / ever had Il secret from you? l
shall enter that cottage, and l shall
probe the matter to the bottom
"'No, no, Jack, for Gods sake!' she
gasped, in uncomfortable emotion. Then,
as / approached the door, she seized
my sleeve and pulled me back with
convulsive strength.
81 implore you not to do this, jack
she cried. i swear that | will tell you
everything some day, but nothing but
misery can come of it ii you enter that
cottage Then, as l tried to shake her
off, she chung to me in a frenzy of
%entreaty.
""Trust me, jack she cried. Trust
me only this once. You will never have
cause to regret il. You know that |
would not have a secret from you if 1t
were not for your own sake. Our whole
lives are at stake in this. If you come
home with me, all will be well. II you
force your way into that cottage, all is
over between u.s.
There was such earnestness, such
despair. in her n that her words
arrested me, and l stood irresolute be-
fore the door.
Il will trust you on one condition
and on one condition only said l al
last. 1t Is that this mystery comes
to IN end from now. o are at liberty
to preserve your secret, but you must
promise me that there shall be no more
nightly visits, no more doings that are
kept from my knowledge. | am willing
TO forget those which are passed if you
will promise that there shall be nc
more in the future
"I was sure that you would trust
me- she cried, with a great sigh of re-
lief. 1T shall be just as you wish.
Come away-oh, come away up to the
house,
Still pulling at my sleeve, she led
me away from the cottage. AS we
went I glanced back, and there was
that yellow, livid face watching us out
of the upper window. What link could
there be between that creature and my
wife? Or how could the coarse, rough
woman whom | had seen the day be-
fore be connected with her? 1t was
a strange puzzle, and yet l knew that
my mind could never know ease again
until / had solved it.
For two days after this / stayed al
home, and my wife appeared to abide