The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-08-02
A BOLD
ATTEMPT
By ETHEL HOLMES

lTeNoT ioCheu Ills ueSh anu NeHl hoLhc. |
Having let himself in with his latch
key, he went upstairs stealthily, for it
had occurred to him to enter his wife's
room quietly, and if her back were to-
ward him he would put his arms about
her and surprise her with kiss.
From this it will be supposed-and
correctly-that Mr.. and Mrs. Trevor
had not been long married.
Cautiously pushing the door open.
he saw standing before a dresser.
hunting in one of the drawers, wOm-
an. In another moment she caught
sight If h:i rcHcc;ion i: the mirror.
Turning, she faced him.
Madam he said, what are you do
ing here
Il came for your wife's jewels. But
since | have not found them and have
been interrupted in my search l will
put in operation Il scheme which | de-
vised and for which prepared before
coming here in case | should fail In
obtaining the jewels. Your wife Is not
! in the house. | left her some ten min
utes ago at the door of IL friend of hers
with whom she was exchanging few
last words before parting. Knowing
the disposition of my sex to prolong
those few parting words, | believed
would have plenty of time to come
here and at least make beginning
Opening retiCule, she took out bit
of paper and handed it to Trevor. 1t
was a note for $1,000.
Sign it," said the woman.
II will do no such thing"
Yes, YOU will when you have heard
my reasons why it would be best for
you to do so. Your wife will be here
in few minutes" She had got be-
tween Trevor and the door locked 1t
and put the key in her reticule. "She
will find you locked in here with me
will plead guilty and ask her forgive
ness Your domestic happiness will b.
ended"
Unfortunately for this part OF the
womans plan, at this moment the
front door was heard to close. Mrs
Trevor had finished the "few parting
words" with her friend and reached
. her home Ascending the stairs, sh'
attempted to open the door of he
room and found it locked.
Open the door," said Trevor sternly
The woman produced the key an'
! did as she was directed. Trevor threy
r open the door The woman cowere
/ in a corner. affecting shame and cor
! triton. Mrs. Trevor stood lookin
from one to the other, first with amaze
ment, then with pain.
"Oh, Mark" she walled, "how coul
:. you?"
u This woman Trevor began bt
y the criminal stopped him.
e Forgive me, Mrs. Trevor" she SAT-
It II have injured you in stepping i'll b.
a tween you and your husband. Maj
loved me before he ever saw you. II
really belongs to me rather than
% you. He will deny what | say, L
"a will give his own explanation OF n
e being here He will lie to you, as
e has lied to me. Believe him II "
10 will, but l assure you he is not to
ii believed"
:, Mrs. Trevor cast an appealing glan
~ at her husband. 1t pleaded with hi
'e to set himself right, though convict
"a by overwhelming evidence.
Eileen he began again, and aga
is the woman drowned his words.
20 Don't listen to him." she said.
will tell you the true story in IL
~ hn fOll
me an unsuspecting country girl. /
90 words were very sweet. He told
III that i'm me he had met his fate,
lis all the girls he had ever met | was
w. only one to whom his heart
40 At this point the woman began et
ing around toward the door. Mrs. T
ui yor shrank away before her. leavi
m- the way clear. Trevor stood ov
ed whelmed. paralyzed with the self G.
lly fessed thief's unblushing assuran
he Then the wife found voice to say to
on woman:
Leave"
81 obey you. leave you with
man who has blighted my life. Wo
that you had been left In ignoral
ing Of his true character! Never again
uld r.
She was about to back out or
door when Trevor sprang forws
h's closed It, turned the key and put II
iuy his pocket
our "You will never again play sucl
and bold game with me. for / shall pu
the out of your power to do so. Give
that reticule."
The woman turned pale She gr'
ed the reticule the tighter.
our EILEEN" said Trevor. take the
;an- from her. don't wish to use 4
her with a woman
the What do you wish with it, as
, to the wife.
"It contains the proof that this
'he man is lcvying blackmail.'
eco Eileen advanced toward the won
act who. opening the bug, took out
are ivory handled pistol and leveled |
nor her adversary Eileen drew back,
her husband, ignoring the weapon,
yancad to the thief and took the