Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1919-02-06
Sealed Lips
BY GERALDINE LEE
tcopyright. lpls. western Newspaper union. }

the parlor Just vacated by half dozen
OF the first ladies" of Wenham.
| "They are supposed to be the local
leaders of fashion, culture and re-
form" responded her sister, Mrs. Ada
| Waters.
How can you tolerate them7 Why,
they picked to shreds the reputation
1 of every other woman in town."
II don't harmonic with them, Nina"
said her sister. but ms the wife of the
| village doctor, | have to tolerate them
for policy's sake. One good result
when | think of their reckless, cruel
! criticism of everybody, good or bad,
resolve never to speak i'll of anyone,
no matter how culpable And now,
Nina, what about your unexpected
| yisit?'
Nina and the Lscombe family lived
so miles distant Ada and her hus.
| band had Just removed TO Wenham.
The appearance of whimsical, impul-
sive Nina on the scene puzzled her Sis
| ter.
ooh, / was tired OF the old town
and everything in ltw declared Nina
recllessly. 1--WE come TO stay, for !
| intend to get some light work"
And what about Gerald Marsh?"
insinuated Ada gently,
81 broke off the engagement. We
had tiff and | got angry
Ada sighed She liked Gerald Marsh
| and she recognized ever in her impet-
uous sister a lack OF balance She
! made no comment Of advice or com
| plant, however, but proceeded to make
| it pleasant for Nina, as did her hus-
band
1--WE got place." announced Nina
| two days later Mrs. Worthington, who
has just opened a millinery store, Of
fers me light and pleasant work.
"She seems to be a very nice lady,"
| observed Ada, and she recalled to MIND
| this new arrival, whose pleasing, gem
tie ways had made a generally favor
| able impression. although several of
| the gosslps had wondered "where she
| came fromw
|
addressed in masculine handwriting
that was unfamiliar to Ada, who sur
| missed, sorrowfully, that her sister was
! In correspondence with some new low
err. 1t was a week after Nina had
started at work that Ada, In clearing
out some old books and newspapers,
made discovery that startled and
thrilled her. In paper over two years
old She came across column article
with "a picture at It's head. II was
thntfof Hrs. Worthington. II named
her is Mrs. Laura Wyckham, but there
could be no mistake as to her Identity
Ada was shocked, for the article spoke
of her as the wife of a notorious Grim
inal In the far West, who had been
killed after robbing a bank. The ar
ticle referred TO the faithful but I'M
fortunate wife who had linked her fate
unknowingly with Desperate but
Ada reflected what feast of scandal
] II would be If her goSsiping acquaint-
ances ever learned what she had now
discovered She tore the wretched
chronicle 10 atoms, and understood now
what the patient, mournful smile u
I Airs. Worthington slgnified.
One day Ada learned That Nina had
been seen at the railroad depot with
stranger, nashlly dressed, sclf-as-
sured young man, with whom she
seemed very friendly and familiar The
discovery worried her not little. Let
tiers from the city came regularly, in
dicating that Nina was in correspond
ence with some one whose identity she
had not disclosed 20 her sister.
One morning Ada was startled TO
discover that Nina's grip was all
packed, az though she meditated an
unannounced departure. She wondered
II Nina would be 80 rash and foolish
"a to mediate an elopment Then
she came across the torn fragments OF
letter. II was signed "Harold Barr"
and piecing It together MS best she
could, Ada's worst fears we're con
firmed-that Nina was to 20 20 the
CITY and become the wife OF n man she
had not known for over two months.
She watched Nina closely that evening.
Nina Was restless and under some
high nervous strain They we're alone
in the house, when there was ring nj
the door bell and Mrs. WOrthingtQn
was admitted. Abruptly she turned to
Nina.
"Hlss TIscombe." she said, II have
felt II duty to come and inform your
sister that you are medltating leaving
her home surreptitiously 70 meet and
marry IN the city man utterly I'M
WORTH Of your regard Harold Barr"
Instantly Nina tlared NJ. She began
an irnpotuous TRADE against "a mgd-
dler. shy. a trouble-maker She was
old enough to know her own mind
She would 60 to the city
"But not 70 meet Harold Barr
snola Mrs Worthineton quietly, for
feioQf 10 sent to this man inform
Ing him that J had notified the police
Of his true Identity as al escaped con
vict, wili remove him far and fast from
tryst that could bring you only fu-
ture misery. ! Glanced to recognize
the man the 6iy he came 10 Wenham.
Oh. believe nae. aud be warned y
Nina broke down, but was con
uRt gfr OH