Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1915-08-05
SHE WASDLSN1ZSSED.

At twenty minutes past two, Rich
ard Balderston, sitting in his In
nor ONCE, heard the door OF the
clerks room open, and q voice In
quire: "Is Mr. Balderston in?" The
clerk mumbled something in reply,
and a moment later appeared with
card, which he handed to his chief.
ASK Mr.. Turbot to step In" said
the latter at once.
A ma of thirty, of fashionable as
pect, good-looking, grave and we'll
hammered, entered and removed his
dix hat with his gloved hand, and
Klenced at Balderston with q kind of
Courteous Indifference. He looked
Ike club man who had seen the
world and become bored by It. He
was we'll dressed, we'll shaved, we'll
appointed In every way; his gray
eyes were lazy but unfathomable.
They seemed made to see into others,
but to allow no one to see into
them. His voice. as he said, "I be-
fieve you asked to see me?" was
languid aid gentle.
You are from the detective
ofice?" returned Balderston. who
felt slightly embarrassed.
"As you see. What can do for
you?" He seated himself as he
spoke, and regarded the other with
an air of meditative tolerance,
though the broker must have been
Ave years his senior, and was well
known on the street as a wealthy
and prosperous man, of good family.
You see, the situation Is this.
am obliged by my business to be
away from home from nine o'clock
till four. 1 work hard, and am not
overfond Of society. My wife, on the
other hand, has nothing but society
10 attend to. She has French blood
in her-that may have something to
do with it. She is young, and pretty.
and vivacious, and all that. She has
her social engagements, and keeps
them, 80 far as appears"
You mean, she pretends to keep
them, and does not?"
We'll. I have reason to suspect
something of the kind"
What reason?"
ter dinner, she went out, ostensibly
to a reception at Mrs. Huntley Muir
rays. Her cousins, the Lesuers,
we're to bring her home. After she
was gone, l took 1t into my head to
drop into the Comique. 1t isn't she
sort Of place I'd care to take my wife
to. But as l was coming out with
the audience, saw her in the crowd
ahead, leaning on the arm of man
who was stranger to me, and who
looked like a gambler. Itried to get
up to them, but they were out first,
and got into carriage and drove
on I went home and waited. At
one o'clock Mrs. Balderston came In.
I asked her how she enjoyed the re-
ception. She described 1t to me, and
the people she met. She maintained
the deception perfectly. l concluded
to say nothing until l had something
unanswerable to go upon"
The detective stroked his mus
tache and mused for while.
You say you were behind her
coming out. How can you be certain
It was she2"
"oh, recognized her by her
shawl that I had bought for her the
week before. There's not another
like 1t in town. Besides, l should
know her anywhere by her shoulders
and carriage. And that isn't the
only time. l have been told by
friends of mine that they had seen
her at places where l knew she was
not to have been. 1 could wish, at
least, she would be more careful"
"You and she live alone; no one
else in the house?"
"Only the servants, and her maid,
who is as much companion as a
servant"
"Ah! Have you ever thought Of
sounding the maid-buying her
up?"
Balderston shook his head.
There's nothing to be got there.
Tho girl Is very innocent and knows
nothing. Mrs. Balderston never takes
her out with her. That would be no
use."
Now, we may as we'll speak plain.
What do you want? A divorce?"
The broker WINGED.
mot If l can avoid 1t. l care for
my wife. / don't believe she's bad.
i hope not! she would not be so
recklessly imprudent If she were. If
/ can bring her up sharp, make her
realize what she is about, appeal to
her strongly, / think | can win her
back. I'd make the attempt, any
how. But this must be stopped!"
And you want me to watch her,
take her in q compromising situa-
ton, and bring her to you? That is
the commission, as / understand it?
Very we'll. Then the sooner we begin
the better. What are her ostensible
plans for to-day?"
"she was going to make calls al
half past three. At five o'clock she
is to be at Mrs. Murray's, at after.
Nonn too Gha dipac on fami1la with