The Elbert County tribune. [volume] (Elbert, Elbert County, Colo.) 18??-1920, 1918-02-22

more than thirty.
Just year before she had married
Wilbur Grey, after a tempestuous WOO
Ing which made her regret that she
must come to the man she adored with
the shadow of q memory between
them.
wilbur is five years younger than
l. He had been devoted to athletics,
and having worked his way up from
the poverty of the New Hampshire
never thought much about women.
When we met was thirty-one and he
twenty-six.
at was love at first sight with him.
/ ran away. was afraid. l had
suffered so much from love that
couldn't risk 1t again. 1 thought he
was so much younger that he would
forget me. But he followed me.
II ran away again. / thought he
would tire-but when he persisted
just gave in. let myself go. And
l love my husband as 1 never dreamed
could love. / love even the jealousy
that makes him go mad If he thinks
another man is looking at me.
"There has never been any other
woman for him, Miss Fairfax. never
can tell him that there was once
another man for me. That man is
dead. 1t was an early love affair
long before met Wilbur-when
was only twenty-five. He tired of me
and broke our engagement.
II was desperate. / wrote letters to
hold him. No jealous man could read
those letters and forget them or help
from wondering what there had been
between me and Charlie Duane.
Miss Fairfax, Simeon Gold has
those letters. And unless you can tell
me how to get them before he goes
to Wilbur with them when he returns
to the city in two days-I-I-well l
don't want TOGO on living. I'm too
frightenedi'
Simeon Gold And at the sound of
that name knew that Madeline
Grey's case was almost as desperate
as she thought.
Simeon Gold was editor as well as
part owner of "The Vampire"
weekly which was maliciously well
named. 1t dealt in scandal and fed
on the carrion of dead regulations.
How often have you seen Simeon
Gold?" 1 asked.
"Once-this morning. I had let
| ter from him telling me that unless
wished to see my letters to Charles
Duane In cold type, 1 had better come
In and talk over friendly arrange
ment to suppress them. l was fright
ened, of course, but 1 thought l had
better act at once. The letter insinu-
ated that now, while Mr.. Grey was
out of town, was the psychological
moment for action.
$50 hurried right down there. Oh!
Miss Fairfax, l know exactly how a
| fly must feel when it becomes aware
of the fact that it's hopelessly en-
meshed in the spiders web.
81 begged and begged for those let
tiers. ! assured him that they couldn't
interest anybody but me. He said
they interested him very much. And
finally he sneered at me in a tone
that made me realize he understood
some of Wilbur's jealousy My dear
Mrs. Grey, your husband will return
day after tomorrow. 1 am sure he
will pay my price rather than have
the letters appear in the Vampire
'Then I began pleading all over
again. 1 was so frightened that /
didn't realize he was the sort of brute
to enjoy the sense of power my plead
ing gave him. Finally told him that
1 couldn't buy the letters from him
and that I couldn't bear to have him
go to Wilbur.
II can't tell you the expression that
came over his face then. He laughed
and leaned forward and said in the
most insinuating tone I have ever
heard, There are SO many ways a
pretty young woman can get money.
II didn't let him go on. am old
enough to understand what man
like that means when he seizes my
wrist and leers such words at me.
"There didn't seem any particular
object in staying, and so, although
had accomplished nothing, hurried
away. / don't know what 1 intended
to do. I had not thought of you then
Just as I was leaving he called after
me. Within two days, dear lady,
come to my house with the money or
l-be prepared to pay another price
You may name 1t"
l stared at the desperate creature
before me with a queer tightening al
my heartstrings.
II will help You, Mrs. Grey. don't
see how just this minute, but l am
sure there is way. Your letters to
Charles Duane shall not be published
in The Vampire and your husband
shall not know of them-until you are
ready to tell him."
sat moment lost In thought
fairly overwhelmed by the magnitude
of tho saanair civ cinrla tnSk haI