The Press., 1919-06-05
His Official
 Widow  Rv T. T.IEDYARn aN6TTES
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By T. LEDYARD SMITH


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 George Skinner had tried his hand at various undertakings. His lack of stick-at-it-ive-ness bore, as result. that nervous, unsatisfied eye.
 George had tried little of every thing. He had grown courageous once or twice and had attempted work, but soon reformed and went back to his former ways. He even tried matri- mony.
 He was willing to try anything ex- cept year in and year out industry. To do him justice, it might be said that he stuck closer to the general run of affairs surrounding horse-racing than anything else. but his investments at the track were not always made with his own cash.
 After some wear and tear of gray matter, he came to the conclusion that man of thirty who has a wife should be insured; not for any small figure but for something substantial; as high as he could stand for premiums.
 Then he spoke to his wife.
 Why, yes, of course, wife should be protected. Not that she wished him to be so soon thereafter rObed in white and starting in the feather-wing business. Oh, no. not at all.
 Instead, how much better if he could only die-just officially die-and then need not work for. Lovely!
 And now his mind was too busy with plans and ways; his brain was working on full time and up to its full capacity; working out scheme and dreaming of the enjoyment of that scheme consummated. Then flight.
 They could go lowell, far away, anywhere. Georges application to the study of geography had been indiffer- ent. They could go somewhere and be drowned in a new life as easily as he intended to be-officially-drown in Long Island sound.
 He little thought of extradition treaties, which are so broad that United States citizen can be brought back for no greater Offense than steal ing glance at his neighbours wife, or shooting a man with kodak. George was occupied with three ideas: to raise premiums; his widow CD to collect the insurance; flight.
 Through the generous odds offered by a bOokmaker ten dollars on lucky horse supplied him with roll with which he took out policy for ten thousand. And to celebrate the start of his get-rich-quick scheme he blew his wife to swell a Ia carte dinner.
 And right here, if he had used glasses with strong lenses instead of strong contents. he could have viewed his finish in the foreground.
 In less than six months he had in creased his insurance another ten thousand, the premium being acquired partly as before, but on a horse pay ing lower odds, and the balance on an outside matter, the detail of which he was not disposed to discuss, not even with his wife. Call it specula- tion, for he did speculate as to his safety in the matter.
 The summer was closing and the water would soon be too coid for con- fortable drowning such as he intend ed doing-to all intents and purposes. It was time to act, but his insurance was not as high as he intended.
 The necessity for bringing 8 third party into the game was unfortunate, but it was necessary and had to be done; not, however, until this third party had supplied cash to increase the insurance to forty thousand, from which, if they were successful, said third party was to have ten thousand.
 They arrived at this conclusion after no little discussion, and after the third partner had been introduced to the second partner, who could, of as the widow and real bene- ficiary, draw the full amount, but in whom they looked for honesty when the divvy came.
 For cOnceiving the scheme and car rying it out George was to have two thousand. For wear ing mourning and looking sorry his wife was to have one share-ten thou sand. For putting up the premium on twenty thousand and helping in other ways the third partner was to get one share. So it was settled.
 The third partner in this game had been more fortunate in some ways than George, and more shrewd and saving. He had put his spare dollars , and spent his idle moments in a launch.
 So in his selection George had picked out the right man. This launch was necessary stage property in the play.
 Georges first move was to go east on night boat, and again on another. He selected one that took course through the middle of the sound.
 After two trips east on this boat he calculated to the minute the run ming time from a certain lighthouse at the entrance of the sound to spot east in the widest part, some ten miles from land on either hand, and bear ing by his pocket compass due south from another lighthouse on the north shore.
 This was the exact spot where he was o-officially-drown; ten miles from the nearest land. This was the place where his two partners were to be with the launch. waiting to see him 1rown.
 With the aid of an inflated under vest of rubber George would be able to float with ease, although he was good swimmer, until his partners could arrive from out of the darkness to see -officially-drown. By the aid of a whistle fastened to his waist he could call them, and with the two candle power light from pocket cleo tric lamp show at intervals his where , abouts, provided a boat from the steamer did not come on the scene be- fore the launch and thus upset all his  This would truly be sad, and would | necessitate planning a new way to | lie. But even now his drowning |