Bridgeton pioneer., 1917-09-27
The One Wise
Thing
By WARREN MILLER

heart. didn't like this idiosyncrasy
of hers. but think it put an edge ON
Jim's desire to win her Not that he
wished to take her away from me- but
that So. 9lse kept his passion very
much alive
Miss N"ttletGn's playing two friends
as she was Going was not to my liking,
ana ! did hot propose TO be placed at
ennlity with Jim on her account So |
withdrew from the rivalry and left the
field clear To him. She accepted him,
but | had Il suspicion that she did not
relish my giving her up without
struggle.
After their marriage did not see
either Of them for some years. Mean
while had been admitted to the bar
and was practicing law. One day who
should appear at my Office but Jennie
Wentworth. And what was my aston
ishinent when she told me that she
was intending to get divorce from
Jim and that she wished me TO secure
it for her.
/ considered it indicate, to say the
least. for her to employ me in such a
matter had been suitor for her
hand and was the friend Of he man
from whom she wished to lie divorced.
| endeayored to convince her that some
other lawyer would lie in letter posi-
ton than I to handle her case, but she
insisted on my taking it. gave her no
definite reply at the time. intending to
sound Jim. If there appeared TO lie a
chance for me to bring about a recon-
Citation | would act officially: if not
would decline.
l called up Jim on the phone and
made an appointment to meet him.
When | saw him and told him whN
wished a conference he said that he
desired that | should take his wife's
case against him He did not tell me
why or give me any information as to
the reason why he and his wife had
failed to agree He only said that he
would not need an attorney. since be
would put in no defense.
/ informed Mrs. Wentworth that |
would take her case, hoping to effect
a reconciliation between her and her
husband. She came to see me. but
said nothing about reconciliation.
She produced a letter written by
woman to her husband which she
claimed to have found in his pocket
showing that he was living a double
life. This was the ground on which
she would claim separation. asked
Jim if the letter was bona fde. and he
said that since ! was his wife's attor-
ney he would not give me the desired
information.
There was something at the bottom
of the case that was not apparent on
the surface So far as | could discov-
er, neither husband nor wife had any
antagonism to the other. Mrs. Went
worth seemed to be very sad over the
discovery of her husbands infdelity.
and as for Jim, he. too. appeared de-
spondent Moreover. could not un-
derstand why Jennie should have come
to me with her suit and why Jim ap-
peared to be satisfied with her having
done so and that should conduct the
case against him.
Jennie on her first visit had seemed
quite cheerful, but on each of the fol-
lowing calls she made at my office +
noticed decidedly forced cheerful
ness She began to lose color, and
there was an anxious look in her eyes.
| allowed the case to drag along,
hoping that some explanation would
turn up, but no light appeared. Finally
l received note from Jim stating that
he wished would put him out of his
misery and act at once as his wife's
counsel.
Upon receiving this | took out the
incriminating letter purporting to hav-
ing been found in his pocket and made
a thorough examination of it. 1t look
ed to ME as though the writer had
attempted to disguise his hand Inns
note calling on HE to act lay open be-
fore me. and. glancing at ii. there
seemed to me to he Il resemblance be
tween it and the discriminating letter
The chirography of the latter was more
delicate than that of the former but
there was no great difference other
wise. 1t flashed upon me that linn had
purposely incriminated himself.
But why? Did he wish to get rid of
his wife? Only he could tell, and the
next day l called him to my office and
accused him of writing the only evil
dence against him. He confessed and
made the following explanation:
He expected that would win Jennie
Nettleton and had never been able to
divest his mind of the suspicion that
she had preferred me to him and that
she had married him because she could
not get me. This suspicion preyed upon
his mind till he believed it thoroughly.
Then he wrote the discriminating letter
and left it where she would find it
1t was he who suggested that she en-
ploy me in applying for divorce. say.
ing that would make it easy fer both
but really II give me every in:urna
ION that TIE fault was his ami not
hers
| sgOleiod iug cd frie:.d Souad!y ana
after mucA urguiuc:t convinced him
el.aA ~.