Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1914-07-03
DEVOTED
WIFE
She Proved More Efficient
Than the Law
By ESTHER

N4uNAEN EWul1|Af MGMAN AA1AANf
eng finished his dinner, rose from the
table and said to his wife:
Il must do some work at the ONCE
tonight. II Tm not at home by 10
O'Clock don't walt for me, but 60 to
bed"
Cant 1 help you with your nc
countsT' asked the wife.
mo; there is nothing TO be done that
two can work at. I think ] a do II
all and get home at a reasonable hour"
-r1l sit up for you. no matter how
late you are"
Il was half an hour after dark when
Charlie Fosdick unlocked the Office
door Of Converse & Co., private bank
ers, and, entering, turned on a light and
went 10 work. He had been engaged
some time when. looking up from his
desk. he noticed that the door Of the
private room Of Mr.. Coolidge, the 6nan-
cial partner, who had also under his
supervision the accounts Of the con-
Germ, was ajar. This was noticeable,
because Fosdick knew that when Coo
Ilidge left his room he invariably locked
It. Fosdick went to the door, pushed It
open and by the light that Bhone in
from the counting % saw a sight
that filed him with horror. A man lay
on the door. Fosdick ran in, turned on
a light and saw the financial partner
lying on his back. his glazed eyes star
ang at the ceiling.
Fosdiek's Arst impulse was to run
out and shout for SOM one But 1t
dashed upon him that he had better
take counse with himself as to what II
would be better to do. Turning on the
light he left the room, closing the door
behind him, and returned to his desk.
Gle had been there but a few minutes
when the night Waterman entered.
Hard at work, Mr.. FosdickT'
I'm a little behind" was the reply.
The young mans heart was beating
like a triphammer. Should he take the
watchman into Coolidge's room and
show him what had occurred1 he had
no time for consideration. The watch
man went out, saying before doing 30;
Everything seems to be all right,
doesn't itT'
"oh. yes" was the reply, everything
- all right"
The man had no sooner gone than
Fosdick saw that he had been on the
horns Of a dilemma and had chosen
the wrong horn. II he had shown the
rwatchman the body he might have had
some chance to escape being hanged
for Coolidge's murder. As 1t was, tho
Waterman would swear that he, Fos-
dick, had been In the ONCE between o
and 10 o'clock on the evening Of the
murder and no u had been there
later.
There was no hope but In flight
Catching up his hat and without hav-
ing sufficient eQuanimity to turn OF
the light over his desk, he left the Of
nee and, running to his home, fell into
the arms Of his WIFE trembling like a
Deaf.
Charlie" she exclaimed, "for heav-
ems sake. what Is itF'
II was some time before he could suf-
0ciently collect his faculties to tell her
what had occurred, and when he did
he brought 1t out IN disconnected,
'gaBped sentences.
"oh. CharIieF" she moaned. why
didn't you give an alarm as soon as
you saw the bOdyT'
Why didn't II Because I must have
been struck with madness. 1t wal all
Ifatsd. I shall die on the gallOwa."
Then the wife pulled herself together.
She sat down on a sofa beside her hus-
band with her arms about him and
said:
Probably the murder WIN not be dis
covered till morning. Mr.. Coolidge was
a bachelor, wasn't her
"Yes."
Then II n not likely be VIM be
missed from home during the night
HOu will not be sent for. You have a
choice between two courBes-either TO
SO to Mr.. COnVerse's house and tell
aim all that has occurred OF disappear,
hoping that during you absence some
'clew Will be found as to the murderer"
Fosdick could not get over the scene
between the night Waterman and him
Belf and bow It would be used against
him when brought 10 trial, and his
wife saw that he was 30 frightened
that be would present a bad appear
'aneo and be a very poor witness in his
behalf. Feeling that by flight he
would not make the matter much
worse than II was, she consented 10
his going. There wal plenty Of time
TO prepare a disguise, and she bent her
inventive powers to dress him up to
that end. He wore a full beard, and
she shaved 1t all on, doing the work
herself because his hand trembled so
that be could not do It without cutting
himself. Then abe dnaaaed him IN
some Of her old garments, roused and
powdered him and sent him away.
with all the money there was In the
house. ~cauhoning him to 90 90 a for
eign country before changing his ap-
parel.
Fosdick did not get away from home
all near midnight. but when he did ne
was effectively disguised. His wife
lid not let him go before arranging a
-