The Washington bee., 1911-07-29
A Ring at
The Doorbell
By LOUISE IDA ROSS

fre-they had not yet lighted the fur
nace-and the room was aglow and
redOlent with the pleasant odOr of
burning wood. The children had been
romping, Mr.. Trevor carrying Bennie
pigaback and Willie on all fours, but
their mother had now taken them all,
including the girls, up 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 a maya
zine.
There was a ring at the bell
Now, for many years there was some
thing in the ring of his doorbell 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 a very young man.
When he was but eighteen his ia
ther, who was a lumber merchant,
sent his son to a 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 ineXptrience and recklessness
that they may make a meSalliance, and
on that account it is a bad plan to take
them away from young girls of their
own social circle and place them
among their interiors. And where
would a young man of refinement find
people more his interiors than in a
lumber camp? Among the girls there
was Madge Hopkins, the daughter of
a lumberman, several years older than
Trevor, who lured him into indiscre-
tiOnS 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 to refrain
from troubling her husband if his IA
ther would support her. Remittances
were sent regularly for a season, when
suddenly a newspaper was received
containing a notice of her death. No
doubt was felt of the truth OF the no.
tice when several years had passed
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 a doubt that his first wife
was dead. You may be sure of that"
said Agatha, cor she would be draw
ing the lifebIOOd out of you" Never
theless Trevor, having had nothing
but the death notice to prove to him
Madge Hopkins demise, never felt alb
sOlutely sure. And that was the rea-
son why a certain dread was con-
nected with the ringing of his door
ben.
A maid in a neat uniform of black
and white went TO the door, and
the wife and husband heard a wOm-
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, Samp' she said
Trevor put his hands to his face and
trembied 1t was Madge Hopkins,
and, judging from her appearance, she
had been growing coarser with every
year.
Mrs. Trevor ran to her husband and
put her arms about him as if to
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 l receive that notice OF
your death?' faltered Trevor.
4 amt got nothin' to do with that.
1 amt got nothin' to live on. Send
them remittances that was dropped
and III let y alone"
Mammal" cried the oldest daughter,
a girl of ten, from above. whats the
matterY
Leave your address and CO." said
Trevor, eager to get the woman out
of the house before the children should
learn who she was.
The address was given, and the WO-
man went away. Then after a silence
Mr.. Trevor said:
Don't worry on my account, dearie.
My position is not pleasant, but what
| is it compared with the interest of
/ you and the children? Be cOmforted.
We will keep the secret. Send the re-
mittances regularly and no one will
| be the wiser
| But Mrs, Trevor had no intention of
| letting the matter rest where it was.
/ a shrewd woman, she believed that
| there had been some weak spot in
Madge Hopkins record which was ac-
| countable for the spurious death no.
| tice and the failure to claim the re-
mittanceS.
! 1t was but a week after this, when
Trevor came home one evening from
! business, that his wife received him
with a radiant countenance that boded
! good news. Taking him to a room
where the children would not hear
and closing the door, she said:
ITS all right. put a detective on
] her track, and he has been here this
/ afternoon to report. The woman has
never been Madge Hopkins since you
have known her She was secretly
married before you met her to a lum-
Der shover-whatever that is-and, he
I drifting away, she took you in. But