The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-01-27
rco7yright 1909, by Benj. B. HamptOn)

HEN Arthur Hepburn turned up at Ben NAI guela after two years in the interior ms
 w appearance was in most particulars equlV-
 alent to a return from the dead. Ger '@A Inf his natives had appeared year before ana mar rated with much detail the circumsCanceS - dea+b bv fever Accordingly his will had been pro- hated and his estate settled, and Eleanor HepOurn
 was already laying aside both the insignia and the attitude of mourning. .,u
 Everyone expected her to wait a rcasonaolS ~ , and then marry Jack Macarthur, and everyone wef oonoed tba prospect as most felictous. Macarthur had been best man at Hepburns wedding anu M n !. gone away sorrowful The marriage had not pio VI a happy one, and nobody knew this better cna @ Macarthur There had been friction from the III s'' an unconscious nagging her part and an arDlIra- riness on his with minimum of foroearance on po sides It was this lack of domestic happiness "hi'n had sent Hepburn to Africa and doubtless was "A"' kept hlrn there two full years
 In the meantime Macarthur came into intimate relations with Mrs. Hepburn As her la"yer He was called upon to advise and to execute for ner' if was he brought the news of Hepburn oe0Cn' and the settlement of the estate had been ID ms hands,
 Nothing was more natural. therefore, than that Mrs Hepburn's friends should speculate upon no" much longer she would keep Macarthur "altne' Macarthur himself had waited decent six months out of respect for his friends memory; but "nen a year had passed he and LIrs. Hepburn were seen ,ucb +oeetber If was generally surmised that they 1vou1I some day surprise their friends with the an nouncement of a quiet wedding. There was no substantial basis for this expectation other tnSn their open friendship and acknowledged intimacy
 This was the situation when Hepburn emerged from Benguela in Portugese West Africa lie n"' gone in trim and clean shaven; he came 1orIi bearded to the eyes and ciad in tatters' lie n"u gone in rather ford. fullbooded man; he returne' a living skeleton. yellow skinned and gaunt' n cheek bones polished like ivory. Yet feVer anu starvation and albut fatal struggle against long odds had been the making of him. and In place ol the rather shalow-minded notorfety-hunting youtn who had gone there came back one "nose leFei gray, eyes challenged a mans respect
 If was the want of mail awaiting him that nrst stirred sI1spicfon 1n his mind. Strangely enough che thought that she might suppose him dead dld not occur to him. Even in that black hour when s+be fever had laid him by the heels. and his men deserted in a body he, himself, had not despaired
 The lack of any word when he came 1n toncn "lth fhe word of steamers and more or less resuIaI nost was therefore shock, and all the more ols .b,,s since his attitude toward her had undergone a change In the fever-brightened watches or the African night he had come to see himself with 9 clearer vision and to despise the selnsnness' the want of consideration the bullying oVeroearlns atI ,5 which had characterized his relations with his wife.
 He was coming back to make amends and he had looked eagerly for the day when he should re ceive his first word from her. The fact that none awaited him threw blight upon his triumph Ot what use was have fought off fever conquered starvation, forced reluctant circumstances to bend before IF AOAeOHNN4' him?
 He thought the matter over with particularty i. the vovare up to London discarding theory after theory as inadequate lighting on the truth Nothing had happened to her or that ne Iet as sured Jack would let him know One letter might have been lost, but not the dozen he had hoped to find and he felt he had a right to expect
 The voyage set him so far as his body was concerned and he reached England still thin and yellow but with legs more beneath him. With his spirits it different matter These refussd to respond clean air and good food and grateful rest The blow they had received could be counteracted by sophistical imaginings-
 The first inkling of the truth came when he found his London letter of credit had been cancelled There was. of course. but one explanation of that She must think him dead And accepting thls n.y. Tothesis he decided to cable word of his ing choosing rather to return unheralded as one rising from the dead.
 fin the matter of clothes he sailed immediately for New York. had to borrow money for his pass age. and he the friend who lent it to utter secrecy. On the boat he passed as H. E. F. Burn and the passenger list included none whom he knew The second day out however. gentleman scraped acquaintance with him in the smoking room. intro ducing himself as Mir. sayre.
 They proved congeniaI and spent considerable time together during the remainder of the trip They were sitting the deck morning smoking and talking when Sayre made casual mention of his country place
 You say you have place at Chatham Farms?" Hepburn took him up with interest.
 "Yes" returned Sayre. Know the place? bought the Judson and built there spring..
 Perhaps then" said Hepburn, You know my you may know Mrs. Hepburn"
 Indeed yes." returned sayre. Delightful woman You know her do you? Sad about her husband wasn't it?'
 Very" said Hepburn. 'Do you happen to know any of the particulars2"
 "Oh he went exploring across Central Africa and died of fever. That's all any knows, believe. Guess didn't amount much at best Her friends think she is well rid of him."