The Cairo bulletin., 1910-10-05
A Ring at
The Doorbel
BY LOUISE IDA ROSS
Copyright. 1910, ty American Press
Association.

uuEt-dlu tlie lpoiiI Was uElbN aIit
redolent with the pleasant odor of
burning wood. The children had been
romplng, Mr.. Trevor carrying Benuie
pigaback and Willie on all tours. bur
their mother had now taken them all,
including the girls. mp TO bed. tucked
them In, kissed them good night and
had returned with her sewing. which
she was doing by the big lamp on the
table. while Mr.. Trevor read maga-
zine.
There was ring at the bell.
Now, for many years there was some
thing In the ring Of his doorbel that
cast sober look over Samuel Trevor's
face. But to explain the reason for
this it Is necessary to go back to the
time when he was very young man.
When he was but eighteen his ia.
Their, who was q lumber merchant.
sent his son to lumber camp that he
might learn the business which would
one day be his. from the beginning
There Is danger to all persons Of that
age of inexperence and recklcSsness
that they may make a mesalliance, aud
on that account it is bad plan to take
them away from young girls Of their
own social circle and place them
among their Interiors And where
would young man Of refinement find
people more his interiors than In q
lumber camp? Among the girls there
was Madge Hopkins, the daughter OF
a lumberiQSn. several years older than
tons with her, then threatened him
with vengeance If he refused TO marry
her. He did so. but Immediately left
the camp.
An effort was made to annul the
marriage. but it was unsuccessful.
Then the woman offered 10 refrain
from troubling her husband If his IA
Their would support her. Remittnnces
were sent regularly for a season, when
suddenly newspaper was received
containing notice OF her death No
doubt was felt of the truth Of the no
tiee when several years had passed
and. no renlittances having been sent,
no demand was made for them.
Twelve years after the conclusion
of this episode Samuel Trevor married
Agatha Beach. He told her all about
it before being engaged to her, not ex-
pressing doubt that his first wife
was dead You may be sure Of that.
said Agatha, ''or she would be draw
ing the lifeblood out Of You" Never
theless Trevor having had nothing
but the death notice 10 prove TO him
Madge Hopkins demise. never felt NIB
soiutely sure. And that was the rea-
son why certain dread was con
nected with the ringing of his door
bell.
maid in a neat uniform of black
and white went to the door ,tnd
the wife and husband heard a won.
ans coarse voice ask for Mr. Trevor
Then. without waiting to be announced
the caller brushed past the maid and
into the sitting room
Hello, sam she said.
Trevor put his hands to his face and
trembled. 1t was Madge Hopkins
and, judging from her appearance. she
had been growing coarser with evrry
year.
| Mrs. Trevor ran TO her husband and
! put her arms about him as II e
| shield him from the blow.
"Y needn't be afraid o me- said
the woman. IF you'll give me some
thin to live on"
why did receive that notice Of
your death? O. faltered Trevor.
81 amt got nothln' TO do with that
| amt got nothin' 70 live on. Srnt
them remittances that was dropped
and III let y alone"
Mamma" cried the oldest daughter
a girl of ten. from above. whats th,
matter|
Leave your address and go" sale
Trevor. eager to get the woman on
Of the house before the children SHOULD
learn who she was
The address was given. and the wo
man went away. Then after a silenc
Mr.. Trevor said:
Don't worry on my account. dearie
My position Is not pleasant, but wha
is It compared with the interest o
you and the children? Be comforted
We wiIllieap the secret. Send the re
mittances regularly and no one vii
be the wiser"
But Mrs. Trevor had no intention o
letting the matter rest where II was
A shrewd woman. she believed tina
there had been some weak spot i
Madge Hopkins record which was ne
countable for the spurious death NJ
tice and the failure to claim the RI
mittanccs.
1t was but week after this. whe
Trevor came home one evening froi
business. that his wife received hill
with a radiant countenance that bOde
! good news. Taking him TO ROOF
where the children would not hes
and closing The door, she said:
ats all right. | put detective O
her track. and he has been here tn
afternoon To report The woman hs
never been Madge Hopkins since yo
have known her. She was secret
married before you met her to Il lur
Der shower whatever that Island,
drifting away, she, took you In. Ri
after rnu left he returned and clair