Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1914-04-01
ADiabolical
Plot
By MARGARET c. DEWREAUx

A lady and a gentleman stood on the
| deck of an ocean liner about to depart
| for the Mediterranean.
upon my word" said the latter, III
| there isn't my old chum Dick Thurs
ton coming aboard loaded down with
hand baggage. l haven't seen him In
four years. He's going across. sure.
/ wish l were going"
Introduce him. He'll serve to light
en- the ennui during the voyage"
"I'll do it on one condition"
"What condition"
THAT you go for him. I'll let him
| think you're my wife instead Of my
cousin, and you must keep up the de-
ception. He's always prating about
honor in not making love to friends
wife and all that sort Of thing, while
claim that If woman can get man
In love with her she can turn him
over to Satan, body and soul. Do you
| agree?"
Miss Katherine Maryweather in her
heart snapped at the idea. but she oc-
cupied the few minutes to spare in de-
claring that she would do no such
abominable thing. Thurston was
brought up and introduced to her,
Frank Waters having given him the
impression that he had been married
since they had met and he wished him
to take charge of his wife for the voy-
age
Remember" said Dick, giving bis
cousin a parting kiss. much to the
envy of Thurston.
"ITl remember nothing" was the re-
ply.
Miss Maryweather was an uncon-
scionable firt, and this request Of her
cousin especially appealed to her. She
had brought many a man to her feet,
as Waters well knew. but she had not
experienced the zest attending making
a man a traitor to an intimate friend.
As to deliberately stating to Thurston
that she was Waters wife. she re-
PEELED such a sin with horror: she
would merely suffer him to suppose
she was
The voyage consumed twelve days,
during which the weather was delight
full. the sea smooth, and all were on
deck every day and moonlight nights
from start to finish. Before the vessel
reached the Azores Thurston's con-
science was troubling him dreadfully.
At Gibraltar be made weak effort to
leave the ship and do the rest Of the
journey by land. The night before
reaching Naples he seriously contem-
plated jumping overheard. He had
not offended, indeed. against his old
friend, but he had been criminal in
word and thought up to his chin. Miss
Maryweather had bewitched him.
Once ashore, he righted himself and
fled-fed to Rome, where he had in
tended to remain month. But, fear
ing that the supposed Mrs. Waters
would be coming up that way, he Lit
out for Florence. Indeed. he never
stopped till he reached Lucerne.
Frank Waters had made arrange
ments to join his cousin at a summer
resort on Lake Thun. and they met
there In July.
"Well?" said Frank inquiringly.
well what?"
did you break down Thurston's
self respect"
Certainly not Mr.. Thurston Is a
very honorable man."
"Since you don't seem disposed to
tell me what happened I'll ask Dick"
He'll tell you nothing"
Wont he? Do you mean that he
viii lie about IT."
"He needn't lie. He can simply re-
fuse to talk"
II won't ask him. I'll charge him
with all sorts of dishonorable things,
and he won't deny them"
'Such as"-
'Tn say. Dick. you've been making
love to my wifeY"
"What elseT
"1n a moment of weakness you
proposed to her to leave me and take
up with you"
"If You accuse him Of such a thing
I'll never speak to you again"
II won't do 1t IL you assure me he
didn't"
You had no business to introduce
him to me. letting him suppose / was
your wife"
"Why didn't you disabuse himT
why didn't I? Why, because
he looked at her with an amused
smile, then continued:
"Dick Thurston is mighty good
friend Of mine When | saw him 60
ing aboard the ship In which you sail
ed knew you would expect an intro
duction; that you would firt him all
the way over and send him Off with
the rest Of them on reaching Italy.
What did did for his protection"
"How for his protection?"
I'm the first place, II he believed
you to be my wife it might help him
to resist you. In the second, If you
succeeded you would be so tangled up
In your deceptions that Won couId no