Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1914-06-09
TheEvcning Story
Her
Investigation
BY MARTHA v. MONROE


ing girl. She resolved before their en-
gagement was published to the world
indeed. before it was suspected-to
inquire about him.
| She had the frankness to tell him
what she was going to do. He said
that he would be willing to have her
take that and any other precaution she
thought proper and was quite willing
to wait for his answer until she had
satisfied herself in the matter.
One thing Alderman insisted on
which his iancee baked at He wish
ed to hear the reports she got Of him
and who made them. Miss Markley
didn't think this would be honorable
in her. Alderman replied that there
could surely be no harm in her telling
him who had spoken we'll of him, and
1t was his right to know who had
spoken III OF him. She yielded the
point and agreed to tell him all.
The next three months were rather a
trying time between the lovers. When
Miss Markley heard her lover we'll
spoken of she was very gracious to
him. When some one spoke i'll Of him
she could not conceal the effect 1t had
on her When two OF the three months
had elapsed she wrote him a note.
brea king the engagement between
them He called on her and she re-
fused to receive him.
He wrote her note stating that he
supposed some one had spoken Ill Of
him and reminded her of the agree
ment that he should hear the good and
the bad. She replied that she had de-
cided against him on the testimony OF
one whose word was unimpeacha BILE.
and nothing he could say would serve
to eradicate the impression that had
been made upon her.
1t now seemed to Mr. Alderman that
it was time to depart from the defen-
sive and take up the offensive. He
had well understood from the begin
ming that il his tiancee could get per-
sons to talk about him as they really
felt there were plenty who would
speak Ill of him. The shortest way to
; neutralize what these persons said was
to have few words spoken by sup
posed friends Of Miss Markley when
the time came to use them. He there
fore made inquiries about her on the
same lines she inquired about him.
Since he could not get word with her
he fred preliminary shot.
He wrote her of his Investigations
which he said he did not In the least
value, but he had kept a written list
of them that he would be pleased to
compare with what she had gathered
about him. This put a different face
on the matter Miss Markley was NOT
only curious to know what people hac
: said about her but she did not wist
the man she had discarded to be pref
: udiced against her. She consented to
y a meeting.
g Alderman called with a little memo
J. rsndum book in his pocket. Mis-:
Markley received him coldly and ask
: ed him to produce his notes.
: First" he said. lis what WAS tolt
r me by Miss A. when asked her VIVA
/ kind of person you were"
"She hates me-"
h Nevertheless she spoke highly o
: you Miss Markley,' she said. is ,
lovely girl"
1.-THE serpent"
X snow" said Alderman. 81 have Civ
en- you one criticism of yourself.
. would like to hear one criticism. tn,
one that decided You to drop me. Per
I haps may be content with his nam,
il alone"
n paul Gunter."
"That is quite sufficient. hold MI
Gunter's note for 5000. He gave 1t t,
me In lieu of being criminally prose
cuted by me for a proceeding which
!. to say the least, was irregular"
Alderman. who spoke these word
with a change of manner. arose to GO
"Have you the noteY' asked Mis-
Markley.
II have, but 1t is under lock and key
You are the only person except MI
Gunter and | who knows that pos
sess it."
Y where are you going?"
There is no necessity of going an.
further in this matter. Thus far Their
has been no betrayal of confidence, a
least by me. have proved that you
plan Of getting opinions about the maj
you would marry Is failure"
"What is girl to do?" moaned He
en-. when she consents to link he
life with man she takes n step in th
dark
Alderman had gone to the door an
placed his hand upon the knob. Fl
at turned and walked back to her.
y ut is that step in the dark tina
ID leads me to forgive you for what 20
Sc have done. Marriage. you know. ha
10 been truly called lottery. lotter
a. for the man as well as the woman
1t But we must take II or fail to fulf
our natural destiny Every woman bt
We fore marriage should, so far as poss
of BILE. learn what she can about th