The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-11-02
The One Wise
Thing
By WARREN MILLER

went utO DuSlleSS. Wulle StuuleU
law. Jennie Nettleton was a fayorite
with us both and encouraged each to
believe that he was nearest to her
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 suspense kept bis passion very
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 at
enmity with Jim on her account So
withdrew from the rivalry and left the
Geld clear to him. She accepted him.
but l had suspicion that she did not
relish my giving her up without
struggle.
After their marriage I 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 ONCE but Jennie
Wentworth. And what was my aston
ishment when she told oe that she
was intending to get a divorce from
Jim and that she wished me to secure
1t for her
l considered it indelicate. to say the
least. for her to employ me in such
matter | had been suitor 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-
tion 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
chance for me to bring about recon-
ciliation ! would act Nficially; If not I
would decline.
called up Jim On the phone and
made an appointment to meet him.
When saw him and told him why
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 he
would put in no defense.
Informed Mrs. Wentworth that
would take her case, hoping to effect
. reconciliation between her and her
husband. She came to see me. but
said nothing about a reconciliation.
She produced letter written by a
woman to her husband which she
claimed to have found In his pocket
showing that he was living q double
life. This was the ground on which
she would claim separation. asked
Jim II the letter was bona fide, and be
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 I 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, l 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 I
noticed decidedly forced cheerful
AN
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
/ 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 l took out the
discriminating letter purporting to hav-
Ing been found in his pocket and made
thorough examination of 1t. 1t look.
ed to me as though the writer had
attempted to disguise his hand. Jim's
note calling on me to act lay open be-
fore me. and, glancing at it, there
seemed to me to be resemblance be-
tween 1t aud the incriminating 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 Jim 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 explanations:
He expected that would win Jennie
Nettleton and had never been able to |
divest his mind of the suspicion thar |
she had preferred me to him and that |
she had married him because she could |
not get me. This suspicion preyed upon !
mis- mind till he believed it thoroughly.
Then he wrote the incriminating letter |
and left 1t where she would find It
1t was he who suggested that she en-
ploy me in applying for divorce. saw.
ing that would make it easy for both.
but really to give me every informa-
ton that the fault was his and not