The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-09-19
The One Wise
Thing
BY WARREN MILLER

heart. I didn't like this idiosyncras.
Of hers. but think It put an edge oil
Jim's desire to win her. Not that h
wished TO take her away from me. bu
that suspense kept his passion YER,
much alive.
Miss Nettleton's playing two friends
as she was doing was not to my liking
and l did not propose to be placed a
enmity with Jim on her account. So
withdrew from the rivalry and left the
field clear to him. She accepted him
but had a suspicion that she did no,
relish my giving her up without q
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.
ishment when she told me that she
was intending to get divorce from
Jim and that she wished me to secure
II for her.
| considered 1t indicate. to say the
least. for her to employ me In such a
matter had been a sutton for her
hand and was the friend Of the man
from whom she wished to be divorced.
/ endeavored to convince her that some
other lawyer would be In better posi-
ton than 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 be a
chance for me to bring about a recon-
citation / would act officially; II not
would decline
l called up Jim on the phone and
made an appointment to meet him.
When saw him and told him why
wished conference he said that he
desired that I 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 he
would put in no defense.
informed Mrs. Wentworth that l
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 letter written by a
woman to her husband which she
claimed to have found in his pocket
showing that be was living a double
life. This was the ground on which
she would claim a separation. | asked
Jim II 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 infidelity.
and as for Jim. he. too. appeared de-
spondent. Moreover, | could not I'M
derstand why Jennie should have come
to me with her suit and why Jim APP
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 a 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 a
he wished | would put him out Of his ,
misery and act at once as his wife's
counsel. I
Upon receiving this took out the t
discriminating letter purporting to hav- C
ng been found In his pocket and made C
, thorough examination Of 1t. 1t look 5
ID to me as though the writer had ?
attempted to disguise his hand Jim's P
tote calling on me to act lay open be-
ore me. and, glancing at 1t, there y
eemed to me to be a resemblance be- :
ween It and the discriminating letter
rhe chirography Of the latter was more
lelicate than that of the former. but
here was no great difference other
wise. 1t flashed upon me that Jim bad
incriminated himself.
But whyf Did he wish to get rid of
is wife? Only he could tell. and the
ext day / called him to my Office and
ccused him of writing the only evil
ence against him. He confessed and
,ade the following explanations:
He expected that would win Jennie
iettleton and had never been abe to
west his mind of the suspicion that
be had preferred me to him and that
he had married him because she could
OF get me. This suspicion preyed upon
is mind till he believed it thoroughly.
hen he wrote the discriminating letter
nd left 1t where she would find IL.
was be who suggested that she en-
oy me in applying for divorce. say
e that would make it easy for both.
Ut really to give me every informa-
on that the fault was his and not
,rs-
| scolded my old friend soundly and
ter much argument convinced him
at his wife was bound up in him
one. Then I took him home to his
lie and convinced her that he was in
cent and had acted for what be sup |
sed was her happiness. Then left
EN- together. The next day re- ]
ived note from Jim and Jennie
insisting OF only one sentence: