Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1910-09-15
DAILY SHORT STORIES

husband:
"What Is the matter, dear? You seem
to have something on your mind"
II have remarked the same con
corning yourself he replied
Il assure you have nothing to
trouble me-" ,..,>a
"Nof L.. az
This was, to say the least. preyari-
cation ON Jones part. for, in addition
10 his suspicious concerning his wife's
former marriage. something had turn.
ed mp ta indicate that there was d pos.
sibility or his own former partner be,
ing alive,
One day Mr.. Jones told his wife that
he was obliged 10 so on business
trip. He kissed her goodby with more
than usual feeling, SO much SO. indeed,
that she chung to him. saying: There
Is surely some trouble on your MUD
Won't YOU tell me what IL is?"
He made no reply for few moments
except TO fold her tightly I'm his arms:
then he, said:
When | return l Will tell YOU ALL"
The smorning OF his return Mrs
Jones received n letter the envelope OF
which bore the stamp OF Porter. Gibbs
x Charleton, attorneys. Tearing II
open. she read II hurriedly, then sank
I'm an easy chair I'm dead faint. A
maid who was with her at the time
restored her and supported her To her
bedroom. The mistress ns soon as she
was alone took the letter she had re-
ceived and locked II I'm rosewood
cabinet In which she kept her CORE.
spondence. Half an hour later she
called carriage and left the house.
When Jones returned, passing
through the hall he caught sight OF his
face In mirror. Struck with his pal.
Tor and his haggard appearance, he
went into his library, where he made
| an attempt to nerve himself TO meet
his wife. The maid who had taken
care OF her entered soon after.
where Is Mrs. JonesT he asked.
''She told me to say to you that she
had been called away till the day after
tomorrow"
Jones didn't know whether 10 feel
relieved or to consider himself plunged
INTO new complication.
you needn't unpack that" he said
TO the maid. who took up his suit case
I'm going away again tonight"
! What, ishalbI say tosM,s., Jones
when she retprns?" 30 snoGJ0 .y
"whatsBall you s6yf Why, thatI'n
return In n few days"
The uncertainty Mr. Jones had felt
as to his first wife's not being dead
was converted into n strong probabll-
ity Nearly twenty years before he
had wooed Alice HinciSley, but since
he had but few hundred dollars with
which to support wife her parents
had objected to the match. The young
couple resolved to he married md 70
to South America. gphe ceremony wns
performed clandestinely, and the bride
returned from the church TO her home.
1t had been agreed that they were TO
go on board n ship separately and in
disguise, for they were SUSPECTED bv
the girls parents. ana TO meet after
the vessel had got well out TO sen
Jones performed his part OF the ar.
rnngement, but his wife was DELAYED
and did not rcnch the dock until after
the departure OF the ship. she bid
herself and took the next vessel. which
sailed few days later
These two failed TO meet. Jonca not
finding his bride aboard presumed that
her courage had failed nj tho last
moment. She. too proud To return TO
her father, supported herself by teach
ing In Rio de Janeiro. Jones wrote 10
her nj her fathers home, but received
no reply. lie drlfied TO London and
thence to Australia Nearly twenty
years later he saw n notice ~ tho
death OF Alice Hinckley nj tho city
where he had married his wife. Re
turning to America. he learned TINT his
wife's father and mother had died and
left their property to their daughter,
who had disappeared many years be-
fore and had never since been heard
from In case she did not claim the
property within "A given limit OF time
II would 90 TO charity. Joaes then
put in claim FOR Il MS Alice Hlncklcy's
husband.
Now, what was troubling Jones was
that woman purporting 60 be Alice
uinchley had recently appeared aud
laimed tho estate. II she were the
real Ali,e Tincklcy the second mar
iagc WIS Illegal. 70
Jones through the lawyers had made
IA appointment % meet he ,,Oman
who claimed to be his wife. then he
ad GCnc home to await the date ~
he meeting two days hence. Return
ng for the interview, he repaired to
,hc rendezvous and was ushc:cd into
private Office
What was his astonishment 10 sec
there. pale and ngltatcd, the second
Mrs Jonesl
The two stared at each other FOR a
few minutes as though they could not
believe their eyes, then rushed into
each others arms