The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-08-29
Copyright 1905 by the Eobbs- Merrill Co.

other
How did you know any woman
came in here last night at that hour?
Did you come up to call?" asked Dom
mick.
Mono" the other spoke with
quick Impotence evidently from the
surface of his mind, mo, it was-at
first, anyway-purely accidental.
saw the woman-and-and-a
| saw her enter here. Mr.. Ryan," he
said suddenly, looking at his vis-a-vis
| with piercing directness and speaking
with an intensity of urgency that was
almost a command, "can you give me
half an hour of your time and your
! full attention? want to speak to you
of a matter, that to me, at least, is
| of great-the greatest-importance
You can help me; at least you can,
hope, throw some light on what Is a
dark subject. Have your permission
to talk freely to you, freely and at
length?"
Dominick. who was beginning to
feel as if he were in a play, and was
exceedingly surprised and intrigued,
! nOQQeQ, remarKlng:
"Why, certainly, go on. If 1 can be
| OF any help to you or explain any
| thing for you, nothing would give me
| greater pleasure. Let me hear what
1t is
The actor dropped his glance to the
floor for what seemed an anxiously-
considering moment, then he raised
his head and, looking directly at his
host, said:
"You may remember that, while at
Antelope, l once spoke to you Of hav-
ing been married-of having, in fact,
been unfortunate enough to lose my
wife,"
Dominick remembered, but it SEEM
ed imperfectly, for he said in a doubt
full tone, which had more than a sug-
gestion Of questioning:
"She-er-she died?"
mo" said the other, "she did not
die l lost her in a way that think
was more painful than death. She left
me, voluntarily, of her own free will"
ooh, of course" said the young man
hastily. Il remember perfectly, one
day by the sitting-room fire. remem-
Der it all as clearly as possible now"
THAT was the time-the only time
I mentioned the subject to you. On
another occasion spoke to that lovely
and agreeable young lady, Miss Can
non, on the matter, and told her more
fully of my domestic SORROWS But
to you | made but that one allusion
May l now, more at length, tell you
of the misfortunes-I may say trag-
edy-of my married life?"
Dominick, mystified, nodded his
head. He could not imagine why Bu-
ford should come to him at this par
ticular moment and in this particular
ly theatrical manner with the history
Of his domestic troubles. But he was
undeniably interested, and feeling him
self more than ever like a character
in play, said:
Go on, tell me anything you like.
And If in any way I can be Of use
to you, I'll be only too happy to do it. -
Looking at the carpet, heat Of in
ward excitement showing through the
professional pomposity of his manner,
Buford began slowly and solemnly:
I'll go back to seven years ago,
when / was in Chicago Previous to
that, Mr.. Ryan, will tell you in conf
dence had been a preacher, a Meth
odist, Of good reputation, though, !
am fam to confess, of small standing
In the church. l left that esteemed
body as l felt there were certain ten
cts of the faith / could not hold to.
am nothing If not honest, and l was
too honest to preach doctrines with
all or which | could not agree. / left
the church as pastor though l have
never deserted 1t as a disciple, and
have striven to live up to its stand.
ards"
He paused, and Dominick, feeling
that he spoke sincerely, said:
That was the only thing to do"
so 1t seemed to me. l left the
town where l was living and moved
to Chicago where. through the inf1u.
ences Of friend, l obtained a posi-.
ton in a school Of acting and elocu,
ton. | instructed the pupils in voice
production. You may have noticed
that have an unusually deep and res.
onant voice. Through that, obtained
this work and received the stipend of
thirty-five dollars a week 1t was fair.
ly good pay, the hours were not too
long, there was no demand made of
a sacrifice Of conscience, and l confess
that | felt much freer and more con.
tented than had in the church.
1t was at this stage of my career
that l met the lady who became my
wife. We lived at the same boarding
house-Mrs. Heeney's, a most ele-
CANT, wellkept place, and Mrs. Heeney
lovely woman of one of the best
southern families II was at her table
that | met the girl who was destined
TO have such fatal influence on my
life. She was a stenographer and
! typewriter in one of the largest firms
in the city, earning her twenty dollars
a week, as she was an expert and not
to be beaten in the state. She was
| very pretty. the brunette type of
beauty, blackeyed. and as smart as a
steel trap. She was as dainty as a
! pink, always well-dressed and up-to.
date, and never nything sloppy or
| slouchy about her. Ask her TO go to
the theater and there wouldn't be a
woman in the house who could beat
her for looks and style. Besides that,
she was a fine conversationalist, could
! talk as easily as book on any sub
! 1ect. II | brought her a novel, she'd
| read II and have the whole plot AT