The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1912-04-25

ton, England-and married me not two
hours ago."
But how did you come here?" cried
Jocelyn.
"He sent me here. He told me that.
his servant, Talbot, had received in
structions about me, that he had been
called away downtown upon an urgent
summons which, not attended to,
would mean the loss of his entire for
tune. He begged me to forgive him If
he left me for awhile, and told me
that he would follow me here at the
earliest moment possible. o, If you
are indeed Lord Jocelyn, tell me who
my husband isl"
Hes probably Jones, the gas man."
thought Jocelyn, but he did not give
.utterance to his thought. Indeed, he
extended his hand soothingly toward
his fair visitor.
perhaps he is not as wicked as he
seems" he said.
"Wicked?" the lady cried. my hus-
band wicked? How dare you call him
such a word? o, if he were here to
protect me from insult! But he does
not come. I am an abandoned wife,
and only two hours married! And I
thought Richard the soul of honor"
And sinking into a chair, she buried
her face in her hands and wept bit
terly.
Lord Jocelyn was overwhelmed with
sympathy and grief. He seated him
self upon the arm of the chair beside
her and sought to console her. ut will
be all right" he stammered. "He will
come-I know he will; and then we
shall have a complete solution of the
mystery. Perhaps there are two Lord
Jocelyns," he said with a happy
thought. Though it does seem a
stretch Of the imagination to suppose
that they both live at Doublewith Ma
nor, Stockton" he added, mentally.
Courage, my dear lady," he contin-
ued. Let us wait here until he comes
and hear what he has to say for him
self. He must have known that l live
here. If your husband were an i'm
poster, why should he have given you
my address,"
do you think SOP" murmured the
lady behind her handkerchief. do
you really think SO? o, you are SO
comforting" She raised her face and
smiled pitifully at him.
Lord Jocelyn, in whom her emotion
had produced a very similar effect,
perceived two beautiful Eyes smiling
at him through their mist of tears.
Then, moved by an unlucky impulse,
impelled irresistibly, W against his
judgment, he seized her hands in his
own and pressed them warmly. He
bent his head to hers, and but for her
sudden withdrawal would have kissed
her lips.
Next instant, realizing what he had
done, he started to his feet, and, his
face scarlet, and with eyes upon the
ground awaited the contemptuous
words that he anticipated. But none
came. The lady only looked at him
reproachfully; yet, if he had dared to
observe her, he might have seer the
faintest suspicion Of a smile upon her
countenance. But, while both still
kept silent, there came a ring at the
door, and Jocelyn stepped forward
and opened it.
Outside stood Talbot, a policeman
at bis side.
There she u.s." cried his servitor,
addressing the officer and indicating
the lady within. "Harrest her, con-
stable-I mean. hoficer. That's the
h%impostress I was telling habout."
What the deuce does this mean?"
cried Jocelyn angrily, stepping for.
ward so as to- interpose himself be-
tween his fair guest and the police
man.
BEG pardon, sir, but the sergeant
sent me round here at your servants
request to arrest a woman thief who
had entered your apartment under
false %pretenses," said the policeman.
us this the woman?"
ut is not" cried ~Jocelyn. "This
lady is a guest of mine, / would like
you to know. My man is a fool"
Eyes, SIR" muttered Talbot respect
fully.
"Then you don't want this lady ar
rested?" asked the policeman dubi-
ously. ..
II certainly do not want this lady
arrested-seeing that she is my wife, -
Jocelyn answered, with a vague idea
that he was in this way shielding her.
The policeman scratched his head
in perplexity.
I'm sorry, sir" he said, but the
charge has been entered on the blot
ter and you'll have to explain the mat
ter to the sergeant now. 1t doesn't
lie within my control any longer. I've
got to arrest somebody"
Then arrest me-" cried Jocelyn hot
ly. 1T vas a mistake, I tell you. That
ass of mine misunderstood me. I sent
him out to buy some fish. This lady
is my wife,"
take me, constable" i%nterposed
Talbot. Hi vas to blime. constable
Hi mean hoficer. Hi ,ad been drink
ing. You see, sir, my master, Lord
Jocelyn, 'ad just got married, and Hi,
knowing nothink about hit, jumped to
the wrong conclusion"
Shut up, you ass, you're making
matters worse" said Jocelyn, infuria-
ted. Nov e here, officer, this Is a
mix-up. II it will straighten 1t out in
| or~ u,;oo 7 x,f11 oooo~roru ~ %ho