The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-09-21
Barking Up the
Wrong Tree
By MARTHA v. MONROE


which was suddenly broken in a very
angular way. One day while shopping,
n order to examine goods. laid my
)ag on the counter. l was hunting for
difficult to find and visited
Deveral stores. Finding what wanted.
opened the bag to take out my purse
md at once discovered that l had
changed bags with some one else. My
was not there, but instead
found SIG in bills. Among other ar
ticles was an unsealed letter addressed
to Evelyn Tewkesberry. general deliv-
cry Of the postoffice.
Thinking that the letter would help
me to find the person with whom had
made the exchange. l took the letter
from the envelope and read it 1t was
short and to the point:
Will be at the corner Of Eighth and Lo-
Gust streets at 1880 tonight. made up for
seedy individual with green spectacles.
wear thick veil and carry violets in left
hand. STEWART.
Great heavens. Could l have stun
bled ON a letter my own Stewart had
written to some other woman appoint
ing clandestine meeting? trembled.
Whether it was through force of imag-
nation | know not, but ! recognized
my Stewards handwriting To further
confirm my suspicion. there was a post
script, "Anna is watching me-" My
name Is Anna.
Here were three elements pointing to
my lovers identity with this Stewart
whose name was signed to the letter.
though one Of the three, the handwrit-
ing, was doubtful. had not been long
familiar with Stewart Barnes writing
and could not be sure that what l saw
he had written: nevertheless l had no
doubt of 1t. At any rate l determined
to profit by my find. But how should
proceed? shrank from interrupting
the meeting as beneath me. Instead
put the letter in new envelope, read
dressed 1t, and. inserting a slip Of paper
stating that had exchanged bags with
its owner, giving my address, l drop
ped the letter in mailbox. l also put
in note to Stewart breaking our en-
gagement.
The next day messenger brought
me my bag containing the articles in
1t when 1t was exchanged and a request
for the one in my possession. return.
ed It, and, so far as the owner was con-
cerned, was at quits. There remained
to settle with Stewart. l presumed he
would come to see me posthaste to
learn what was the trouble, for l had
given him no inkling as to my discov.
cry Of his perfidy.
The day after the one on which had
posted my letter to Stewart passed. and
he neither appeared nor wrote. had
assumed that II his conscience was
clear he would come to me at once; II
had really caught him in a delin
quency he would recognize the fac
that had discovered his deception ant
would either try to beg of or would
accept his dismissal without a word
Then. too. he might really prefer tn,
Tewkesberry woman, In which case
should probably not hear anythin,
from him.
Three days passed without a word
Nothing Is SO tantalizing as ignoranc,
Of some important matter one is yer,
much interested In knowing. Ever,
day that passed left me in more agi
tated condition than the preceding
Why had l not stated to my lover m.
reason for breaking my engagement?
= i had not foreseeu this result One o
two courses was open to me, either t
call on Stewart for an explanation o
my discovery or to write to Evelyl
Tewkesberry to learn from her If he
correspondent was my Stewart. Think
ing the latter course would be tn
easier for me, followed 1t.
For several days l waited impatient
ly for a reply and then broke dow
completely. l was ready to forglv
my lover, innocent or guilty. But m,
pride held me back from doing wha
should have done In the first place
that is, stating the case to Stewar
and asking him If he was the write
of the letter l had stumbled on.
Since I could not bring myself to d
this, determined to try again to reac
the Tewkesberry woman. | wrote he
a note and hired boy to waite
the general delivery for the claiman
He reported that the letter had bee
taken from the postoftice by an oil
woman. who had given her name q
Evelyn Tewkesberry. He had follow
ed her from the postoffice and ha
noted the house where she lived.
This was a surprise to me. BIT
upon ferreting out the matter I wer
to the house and asked for Mrs. {
Miss Tewkesberry. An old wOma
came into the room where | was an
asked me what | wanted. Was ST
Evelyn Tewkesberry? She was. d
she know a man of the name Of Stey
art Barnes? She did not. ! then tol
her that was the person who ha
taken up her bag by mistake and as
ed her to explain the letter 1t had CO.
tanned. She berated ME for readir
the letter and declined to explain
l left her no wiser than l came, e
cept that I was conscious Of haviI
made fool Of myself in sending awe
a lover without hearing. 1t won
have been even wiser for me to a
pear at the meeting appointed In L
letter.
Resolved to "eat humble pie" Sc
for Stewart, and he came to see n
/ think he had intended to crush n
but when he saw my altered apes
ance he took me In his arms, and