The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1909-05-07
his Wife,
tcoopy1ixht. by j. 3. Lippincott CO..
BY TRYNrJE. DUBOIS

}. Lippincott Co.. - = -,
HE has been threatening me for q
year, and have been almost crazy"
She paused and lifted her beautiful
tear-stained face up I'd his.
! "Ah, my husHand, alp you magnan,-
nous enough 10 forgive me, to stay
here and, meet, him. and then: force
him to surrender the lettersf'
Harlon gasped. The memory of
Chamberlaihe rose up before him Hike
that of some evil genius.
"Oh Ada,' he said, cant 1 write
him note?"
Mrs. Harlon started to her feet and
crossed the room to the mpntel.
HE will be here in ten minutes"
she cried, hastily. See! Here is a
pistol. He will be unarmed and to-
tally unsuspicious. You must take
him by surprise, and then overcome,
him. I know you can do It,, She
lifted the pistol and showed it to him
with smile.
my hero!" she murmured, and left
the room.
The door had not closed behind heE
when Harlon precipitated himself up
on the pistol, seized it gingerly, car.
ried it to the window, and threw the
loads out on the damp grass below.
There might have been an awful
accident" he said, with pale lips. Then
he put the pistol back on the mantel,
turned out the light, and sat down to
spend the worst minutes he had ever
known. He remembered Chamber
LANES attempt to get cut of driving
Hughes to the train. Forgotten his
project, eh!-the villain!
The husband tried to grit his teeth,
but they persisted in chattering in
stead; then he heard stealthy tread
In the hall, and the cold beads of per-
SEPARATION started out all over him. He
pressed the button with his shaking
hand and the room was suddenly IL
lumined.
In the midst Of the glare Chamber.
laine stood bewildered. He had on a
macintosh and carried an umbrella.
The expression on his face so nearly
approached fright that Harlon felt sud-
denly courageous and advanced boldly.
Il know ALL" he said ,impressively-
"all" ~
Chamberlain was close to the door.
He said: "There's some mistake" and
turned to go.
Then all the pent-up fury which the
inoffensivo husband of a flirtatious
wife may accumulate during eight or
ten years of married life suddenly
boiled up in the veins of Harlon and
led him to spring upon his guest. But
the latter was slippery to catch on &C.
count of the macintosh, and as he
jumped backward he handled his um-
brella so neatly and dexterously that
his host paused in his onslaught and
backed towards the mantel. The next
minute the revolver-barrels cleaned
on the scene.
Chamberlaine's whole attitude al
tered at once.
you're mad!" he said, coolly. and
with incredible speed and dexterity he
rushed upon the other man, knocked
the weapon ont of his hand, threw him
to the ground, and pinned him there,
HELPLESS.
'Now kindly explain?'' he said, as
he looked quietly down on his pant:
ing ghost. "Ave you out of your mind?
or what is Ftp
"Yon vlllain!" gurgled Harlon, "yout
come into my house by invitation and.
then try to barter my wife's honor
against her girlhood's folly"
Go on" said Chamberlain, II want
to khow exactly what l am supposed
to be committing tonight"
Il want those letters. She has told
me tue whole story"
Whose letters?'
"F5er lettexs.'
"Sae never wrote me a letter in her
life"
"What!"
II say she never wrote me a letter
in her life'
What did you threaten her with,
them"
&c! never threatened her. What
should threaten your wife for?"
What did you come here for, then?'
Hughes told me to wait here for
him. was to have driven him to
the {:ain."
Az he spoke Chamberlain loosed
his grip and rose to his feet. Harlan
rose 100.
where is Hughes now?" he asked.
Il suppose he's gone. He had to
make the fast express. He wouldn't
have waited for me when I didn't
come-he isn't that kind, you know"
ThA two men looked at each other.
and The look grew into a stare, and
the stare bred a sort of understand
ing.
"HNghes seat you here" said Har-
Ion, very slowly, land my wife sent
me-"
Il cccupy the room with Hughes:"
said Chamberlain.
ANA T."
Har'on stopped.
Across the Stiffness of the wet night
sounded the whistle of the fast ex.
press. :;
Not All Romance. :
Princess Beatrice of England Is
kH2s fl>