Connecticut western news., 1910-05-19

ne heard, hoping he might near some thing pertaining to the case. He was disappointed in all his attempts to learn If the man he had employed to do his work was doing 1t.
 Finally he made up his mind that If man resembling MT. Howard Beld- ing were paying marked attention to Miss Gwynne 1t would be known and he (Shotweln would certainly hear of it, There was but one inference-the man had either gone of without even an attempt to make Miss Gwynnes acquaintance or he had betrayed his employer with view to making capi- tal with the young lady, Either of these propositions was sufficient to throw Shotwell into a fever. He fret ted and worried and pried till at last he could stand the strain no longer and concluded to get away from it by making a trip abroad.
 He came to this conclusion not only because he wished to get the matter off his mind. but because. having somewhat cooled, he felt that he had risked the respect of all good men and women Who knew him. If the matter should be known he would rather be where he could not be called upon to face it. Perhaps by the time be returned, if any trouble came of it. it would have blown over. These con alterations. however, did not seem to him of great importance. for he had little doubt that the fellow he had hired to personate Bedding had simply pocketed the perquisites and left the job to take care of itself.
 Three months after Shotwel had laid his plan for revenge. upon Miss Gwynne he went to Europe. There after a time the matter he had come away to get rid of ceased to occupy the greater part of his attention, and eventually he thanked heaven that the man he had employed to revenge him had gone off without doing so. He was feeling much relieved when in Venice he met an acquaintance from America, who said to him, among other things:
 "I hear your old flame, Virginia Gwynne. Is to marry the rich young philanthropist Howard Bedding"
 Shotwell was astonlshed, terror stricken, thut co long after he had repented of his meanness the damage had yet been done. He questioned his informer as to when the wedding was expected to come off, but received no satisfaction.
 One desire now took possession of Shotwell-to reach America before Vir- ginia Gwynne should full irrevoca- bly into the trap he himself had laid for her. Making for Genoa, he found q steamer about to sail for New York, For two weeks he paced the deck, looking out on the same watery waste trying to stifle his impatience. They were the longest two weeks he had ever known. But at last the voyage was ended, and he hastened ashore. his first object being to learn if Miss Gwynne had married.
 The wedding had not yet taken place.
 Shotwell wrote his former love a note telling her that he had something of great importance to her welfare to communicate to her and asking for an interview. He received a brief reply appointing the next afternoon at c o'clock at her house. The clock was striking the hour when he mounted the steps leading up to her home and rang the bell. He was all of a tremor when he entered the drawing room, where he had had many happy tete-a- tetes with Miss Gwynne and where he had parted with her in anger. Presently she came in and stood with her hand resting on the back of n chair He rose and stammered:
 "Thank heaven I am not too late"
 "For whatT
 "To save you from marrying man whom you suppose to be 0 gentleman. but who is really"-
 "Heavensr
 'T am here to make confession. On the day left you felt much aggriev- ed. did that which. admit. was un- worthy of me. Seeing a man in rags who was the perfect image of Howard Belding, l persuaded him to personate that person to win your heart. But l never intended that the matter should go so far And, not hearing from my man. in my cooler moments I con- graduated myself that he had disap- peared without taking any action"
 Miss Gwynne stood for moment as if trying to recover from the blow; then with one word, "WaitF' she left the room. In moment Shotwell heard the ring of n telephone bell. He remained where he was for some min- utes, when the front door opened and Miss Gwynne entered with her fiance.
 We've met again" said the man who had come in to Shotwell. What have you to say against mep
 Shotwell was astonished at the mans assurance.
 "You know what you are and of the bargain made with you," said Shot we'll
 'I know of the bargain most assur- edly. As to myself, l am Howard Bedding. When you met me that day I was endeavoring incog. to find out