The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-02-22

dl1 n to any amount ne chose. These
minor affairs having been arranged,
Mr.. Hackstnff took up New York
that. be had bought that
day for the purpose VI learning the
sailing dates Of outgoing steamers
and learned that steamer would sail
via the Mediterranean and the Suez
canal for China the next afternoon.
An examination Of railroad time ta- |
Bile indicated that the only train by |
which Mrs Hackstaff could catch that !
steamer passed through and stopped at !
Anterior ut ! O'Clock In the morning
1t was decided that she should take
this train. her luggage was sent to
the station. and Mr.. Hackstan pur-
chased ticket to New York and
checked the trunk early In the even
ing. When the train passed Mr.. and
Nm. Hacksta6 said goodby to each
other ON the station platform. and Mrs.
Hacksta6. entered the train without
any citizen Of Anterior having Wit
messed her departure. She was driven
up to the dock from which the steam
= sailed Just % the gaAgpiank was
being withdrawn and without having
engaged passage.
Many Of these details could have
been held back for effect at the end Of
the story or left out entirely. They
have been given in order and explicit.
y that they may the better show how.
when fuel 10 dry and In . 6ne condi-
ton to ignite. q connagrat1on may be
started that will sweep everything b.
fore It
When Mr.. Hacksta6 buried bis
wife's dress small boy was In Tree
above the spot where be put 1t In the
ground. about to grasp birds nest.
The little fellows curiosity was
aroused to know what the man be-
meath him was going to DE-. 80 he kept
then. having captured the birds nest.
he went home and told mis- mother
what he had seen. As mound who
has Just caught the scent of game will
start and sni1 the air. ~ did the lady
throw up her hands ut seeming trag-
edy.
"Great heavens" she exclaimed. II
hope he hasn't murdered bis wife!"
But, having met Mrs. Hackstaff the
day before at the bargain counter Of
the Beehive store. she concluded not
to b In q hurry in announcing her
suspicious. She determined to keep
her own counsel and await develop
menta. which meant connding the sto-
~ b several intimate friends. canton
ing each to say nothing about It, for
! u Nm. Hacksta6 vas still alive shs
weuA appear In the Asah.
But ArA HackstaR did not appear
because she bod sailed f1e China. Mn.
Ward Thinking that che might have
gone o. one q her trips cautioned
those shs bad told Of IL buried gar.
ment - keep quiet tiu . proper time
had elapsed tor her rst1rn. Mean.
while che took . number Of other per-
sons INTO her eoa6dsaee and By the
dime Ma HsckstaR should have ~
turned froD an ordinary t1ip all Ather-
ton was agog. Whsn q nouth more
had paased Mn. Ward was sure Mn.
HackstaR haA been murdered: many
Of those she bad told Of her boys dis
covesy felt that IL was highly prob
able. while few poohpOohed the whole
matter.
Many believed that the authorities
should be given the evidence Of the
buried dress. but they all considered
that It was the duty Of some one else
than themselves to bring forth the In.
formation. There was no certainty
that MIA Hscksta6 had been murder.
cd and no one cared to be the indes
Of mares nest" Meanwhile Hack.
stan began to show worriment. When
asked about what was troubling him
he said that his wife was absent and
be had not heard from her since hel
departure Then he was asked wheft
she had gone. and at this he balked
Turning. be walked away without re
plying to the question.
One day he went to the bank with 9
check for $500 payable to himself L
had been written In his own handwrit
Ing and bore his wifs's signature. Tn,
paying teller had heard the whisper
! ings about Mrs. Hackstatrs suspicious
. disappearance and. asking Hackstaf
. to walt q moment took the check b
the cashier. who carried IL to the pres
ident. After q conference Il was De
dded to pay 1t, but this had no soone
|, been done than a message was cent b
an expert. who came. examined tn
, check and pronounced II q forgery.
A match had been touched 10 tbs
: various items Of kindiing. and . bril-
blaze started. A suspiciop Of forgery