Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1917-11-01
The Ordeal
sess y

9, Al|NAAl7sJ. GARTH

3, AlXssAaJ. GARTH \
tcoDyirht lai7. Wssser6 ssysp.1.s yeioa.5
She had not known him lonsE Sut OH.
he was an In the world TEL ayt Had
he not made that first month"; pf mar
ried life happy, peaceful, d0mpletef
The parents Of Nina Cliff fiat was,,
Mrs. Warren Sinclair now, Mns1ound
no fault with her choice Tor young
Sinclair. Warren Sinclair hid come
to Springfield from the East where,
according to his credentials, he had
been a reliable travelling representa-
Of a leading manufacturing house.
It's love at first sight, so why not
say so9" declared Sinclair In his brisk,
definite way with the fall I shall
have to make a four months business
trip through the South. andit won't be
dull OF lonesome If my wife is with
me-
Those were blissful four months
for the devoted pair. Then Warren sug-
gested that they spend week at
quiet summer resort forty miles from
the city, locking up the coy furnished
little fiat they had rented. asss sf
Locust Grove boosted but one hotel,
old-fashioned, but immensely home
like and comfortable. The happy cou-
pie nestled downsinto solid enjoyment
lofathe boating, motoring and appetite
ing meals, until Warren was called
away for the day to neighboring
town on business.
Nina knew scarcely how TO sput in
the time. She strolled about the
grounds, read, dozed in hammock
and then came into the office of the
Hotel, which was more; like a home sit
ting room than lobby. g
The motherly housekeeper was bus
thing about, busting the furniture as
Nina tried to read the local .newspa-
per, just arrived. She failedsto get
interested and wandered about;> study
Ing the Anticipated prints on the wall.
Finally she. came across the itimeAworn
hotel register. frayed and tnka spat-
tered and opened. : -
"Oh!" The cry. sharp, sudden, soul
rending escaped her whitened lips, In
voluntariiy.l Then, clinging to the desk
she swayed to and fro, her eyes fixed
in startled horror upon the entry,
about a year old
Warren Sinclair and wife !"
Oh, this was no delusion! There
could never by any coincidence be two
different Warren .Sinclairs, and their
wives come to the same hotel. Her
vision Blurred and she felt herself sink
Ing to the floor, when the kindly house
keeper rushed to her side and sup
ported her.
&, Are you III, dear?' she questioned
solicitously. sSa
mo, only faint, only overcome"
murmured Nina family. ''HeII me to
my room please" ss.E
s She was 9 being Of quick wits and
speedy resolution. She indited u brief
note to her husband, telling him that
she had learned all, and wars leaving
never to see him again.
Lam going to the city" She told
the landlady simply walkedsto the de-
pot and reached the now desolnted lit
tie fiat in the city two hours later.
q '.Ismust think think! I" she repeated
Overland over. She atslength made up
her mind. Yes, she would go to her
family, broken, hopeless creature,
and wear her life away in mourning
1 over her fatal mistake and her lost
love. She resumed her hat and, cloak,
took up the satchel and had just reach
ed the door when a quick knock re-
sounded on its outer panels. J.
Hello. Warrgp! I've Travelled over
1Nthousand miles to see you and
Pardon me, madam, thought it was
Mr.. Sinclair"
The tones We're roundly heartsome,
the man who spoke rotund, jolly faced,
with eyes shining with animation and
excitement. TX.
"You wished to see Mr.. Sinclair? n
Nina nerved herself to say formally.
5 He is not here"
'They told me att the corner drug
store he lived here. This is toe bad
and Il SO hoped tai see him, and the
precious darling wife he wrote me
about, and
n II am Mrs. Sinclair" pronounced
Nina in measured, steely tones
''You will forgive my bad break
then, won't YOUR pleaded the young
fellow, impetuously as some penitent
school boy. IT must say, though, that
<