The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1917-09-27
joining the hospital. and we gathered


not find her. My anxiety was ex-
treme, for knew that she had loved
Sidney with all her heart. but before
| had taken any steps to trace her
through the usual public machinery
received q rather curt message that
she had gone to her old home in Maine.
About three weeks later. however. l
met her Oh the street.
1t was near the place where she had
lived. and I accompanied her there.
"Sylvia." said l when we stood In
her little sitting room, you say you
have just. got back to town. I don't
believe you've ever been away"
Il haven't" she admitted.
took her by the arm.
You are happy" said l, "feverishly
happy. What does this mean? Not
very long ago stood by the grave Of
a man l thought you loved
"You didn'tr' she whispered. HE
isn't deadr'
recoiled as from blow and stared
at her.
II have felt this in my bones," said
slowly. 81 have dreamed it at night,
We buried Shenstone!
"Swear to me-" she cried. ''that you
will not tellv'
"Give me the story" said !. You
have my word"
"Mr. Shenstone was taken Ill.," said
she, "just at the beginning Of great
fight. l don't fully understand
Il know all about that. He was man.
aging mighty big pool"
ut was thought that II the news Of
his serious illness got about" she con-
tinued, 1.-THE enterprise would fail"
1.-THE speculative public would have
swamped it in one day"
YES; that's It, Now. Sidney had been
to see Mr.. Shenstone for you to ask him
for photograph of himself, which Mr..
Shenstone refused. SO they knew how
much he looked like Mr.. Shenstone.
Really the resemblance was very close,
and as both men had been Ill the decep-
ton was made easier. They offered
Sidney $40 week merely to 60 to Mr..
Shenston's Office every day and sit In
the private room, but. Of course, they
didn't let anybody in who knew Mr..
-Shenstone well. And Sidney has been
living In Mr.. ShenstOne's house. They
were both there together until Mr..
Shenstone became so i'll that 1t was
seen he must die. Then he was secretly
smuggled into the hospital as Sidney
Colbert. They begged me to 60 to the
funeral. but could not. Ishould have
died at the sight Of him."
"You wouldn't have seen him." said
l. '"The coffin was sealed"
'.They don't want Sidney any more, :
she resumed after shuddering pause.
ut will be announced that Mr.. Shen-
stone is going abroad. And his wife Is
going secretly to Dakota, where she
will get divorce for abandonment.
And he is dead! Won't 1t be dreadful r
"And Sidney?''
HE and shall be married very
quietly. and we shall go to Italy. They
are to give him $1,000
"What!'
"A thousand dollars"
"My dear young friend" said l, I'll
this story comes out it will drive those
men up the tallest tree in the United
States They'll have to run for thei,
lives. A thousand dollars, indeed! Jus,
let me drop hint in certain quarters
merely hint, and you'll see what viii
happen. You don't understand the
fraud and trickery of which Sidney has
been the mainstay. To you his act
even .savored of virtue. 1t seemed un
just that Mr.. Shenstone's enemie.
should triumph over him merely be
cause he was Ill, and Sidney seemed t.
be doing no harm in taking his place