The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1914-03-20
DEVOTED
WIFE
She Proved More Efficient
Than the Law
BY ESTHER


Charles Fosdick. newly married. a
ing finished his dinner, rose from the
table and said to his wife:
II must do some work ut the office
tonight. II I'm not at home by 10
o'clock don't wait for me. but go to
bed"
Cant | help you with your ac-
eounts?' asked the wife.
"No: there 10 nothing to be done that
two can work at. l think l can do 1t
oil and get home at a reasonable hour.
"I'l sit up for you. no matter how
late you are"
It was half an hour after dark when
Charlie Fosdick unlocked the office
door of Converse Il Co., private bank
ers, and, entering. turned on a light and
went to 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 tinan-
>ial partner. who had also under his
supervision the accounts of the con
Germ, was ajar. This was noticeable,
because FOsdick knew that when Coo
lidge left his room he invariably locked
t. FOsdick went to the door, pushed 1t
open and by the light that shOne in
from the counting room saw Il sigh
that filed him with horror. A man lay
On the floor. Fosdick ran in, turned Cd
4 light and saw the financial partne'
lying on his back. his glazed eyes star.
ing at the ceiling.
Fosdick's FIRST impulse was To- run
cut and shout for some one. But it
flashed Upon him that he had better
take counsel with himself as to what it
would be better to do. Turning of the
Night, he left the room. closing the door
behind him. and returned to his desk.
He had been there but a few minutes
when the night Waterman entered.
lizard at work. Mr.. Fosdick?"
I'm a little behind" was tho .epiy.
The young mans heart was beating
nke q triphammer. Should he take the
Waterman into Coolidge's room and
chow him what had occurred? BE had
40 time for consideration. The watch
man went out. saying before doing 50:
"Everything seems to be all right.
doesn't it,?
"Oh. yes" was the reply. Everything
= all right"
The man had NO sooner gone than
Tosdick saw that he had been ON the
A0rus Of q dilemma and had chosen
TO wrong horn. II he had shown the
Waterman the body be might have had
some chance to escape being hanged
for C0olidge's murder. As it was. the
Waterman would swear that he. Eos.
dick. had been in the Office between 8
and 10 O'Clock o. the evening of the
murder and no n had been there
Ihter.
There va 70 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
Gee and, running to his home. fell into
the arms of his wife. trembling like q
beef.
Charlie" she exclaimed. for heav-
ems sake. what is it?'
1t was some time before he could suf-
lciently collect his faculties to tell her
what had occurred, and when he did
he brought it out in disconnected.
gasped sentences.
"Oh, Charue-" she moaned. "Why
didn't you give an alarm as soon al
you saw the bodyr'
why didn't 1? Because l must have
. 1een struck with madness. It was all
0ted. ! shall die on the gallows."
Then the wife pulled herself together.
. Che sat down on a sofa beside her hus-
band With her arms about him and
said:
Probably the murder will not be dis
covered till morning. Mr.. Coolidge was
q bachelor. wasn't he?"
YES"
Then it is not likely he will be
missed from home during the night.
You will not be sent for. You have a
choice between two courses-either to
20 to Mr.. Converse's house and tell
him all that has occurred or disappear.
hoping that during your absence some
clew will be found as to the murderer
Fosdick could not get ver the scene
between the night Waterman and him
self and how 1t would be used against
" him when brought to trial. and bis
wife saw that he was SO frightened
that he would present a bad appear.
ance and be a very poor witness in his
swn behalf. Feeling that by flight be
would net make the matter much
worse than 1t was. she consented to
bic going. There VA plenty Of time
90 prepare a Disguise. and she bent he,
Inventive powers to dress him up t.
that end. He wore q full beard. and
che shaved it all OF. doing the work
herself because his hand trembled 81
that he could net do 1t without cutting
himself. Then she dressed him IL
eo0e OF her ed garments, rouged ant
p0wdere1 hin and sent him away
WIKI al the money there raj In tn
Asuae. cautioaing him to 60 to 4 for
slg1 couatry before changing his ap
DnrAl.