The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1914-03-12
BY GREEN
MONSTER
By DONALD CtIAMBERLIN

returned from one of these trips gla(
to get back and. opening the door will
his latchkey. went upstairs. In tn
upper hall he found himself face tt
face with man he had never seen
He was we'll dressed, and Janeway, In
stead Of taking him for burglar ant
supposing there might be some mis-
take about his being there, awaited al
explanation.
Il admit" said the man. that thi!
looks bad for your wife, but any mar
who will leave his wife at home fol
weeks. sometimes months at a time
deserves
What do you mean, sir? Why are
you in my house?'
Consider that by making a scandal
you will injure not only yourself. but
will ruin your wife's reputation"
Janeway was too paralyzed to speak
He simply glared at the man, who con.
tinued:
Take your revenge on me, not on
her. will meet you at any time or
place you wish and enable you to in
fiict vengeance upon me to your hearts
content. l will give you an oppor-
tunity to do by me as, l confess.
would do by you under reversed sim
liar circumstances. But the real cause
Of our quarrel need not be known.
We can invent some pretext."
"Where is my wife?" Numbered
Janeway.
For heavens sake keep away from
her. at least for awhile! In your pres
ent state of mind you are liable to com-
NIT murder"
Janeway hesitated A fiery furnace
was within him. He knew the man
spoke the truth. 1t was all he could
do to avoid clinching With him.
If he had had weapon he would
have killed him. But one idea took
possession of him-to get away. some
where, anywhere, that he might free
himself from temptation that would
put him behind bars and might bring
him to the scafold. He turned. de.
scended several steps, stopped short
and said:
your name! And where can you be
found?"
Edmond Trowbridge. Calumet club
Janeway stopped for no more. De-
scending the stairs that few moments
before he had mounted with such pleas
urable expectation. he rushed through
the hall to the front door and went
out. What he did during the next hour
he has never been able to distinctly re.
call. The time was occupied walking
the streets, but what streets are blank
to him. His brain was in turmoil.
Should he find a friend and send him
to the man who had ruined him with
a challenge? Not yet. He was unwill-
ing to give his confidence to any one.
Should he so to his wife and hear
what she had to say? Doubtless her
visitor had told her what had occurred
and she was prepared for the worst.
He was lost in wonder how the wo-
man with whom he had lived happily
for a dozen years could have so de-
ceived him. Could this person who had
done this thing really be his wife?
Was he not asleep and suffering from
a horrible nightmare? Was there not
some mistake? Gradually his feelings
so far subsidized as to permit him to ex-
ercise common sense. What did CON-
mon sense dictate as the first thing to
do? Why, to go to his wife and hear
her story.
1t was 9 o'clock when he again open
ed his front door and stepped into the
house.
us that you. dear:" came his wife's
voice from upstairs. why are you so
late? You telegraphed you would be
home to dinner"
Janeway did not deign any reply to
.hese remarks. He was trying to make
I'D his mind to the disagreeable work
before him. He staggered into the liv-
ng room and. throwing himself into
an easy chair, covered his face with his
hands. Hearing step in the hall he
withdrew them and saw his wife
standing in the doorway gazing at him
with a frightened look.
"Frank." she said. What under
heaven is the matter?'
There was ring at the telephone.
She paid no attention to it, but. ad.
vancing, kneeled beside him and took
his hand.
Answer the phone" he said, in or
Ter to gain time.
Going to the instrument she took
down the receiver Then she said to
her husband:
Its the chief of police. He says
man has been brought in with arti-
cIes on him with our name on them
Janeway jumped from his chair as
though raised by an electric shock.
Rushing to the phone he snatched the
receiver from his wife and called for
a description Of the man arrested.
When he had heard he took her in his
arms and Rugged her till she cried out.
What does it all mean?' she asked.
81 came home at o'clock and found
rho thief here"