The Argosy, Vol. XXIV No. 2 — page 106: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

298 A TRADE DOLLAR TRAGEDY. I had been at the factory office two or three hours, when there was a jang- ling ring at my telephone, and Julia’s voice, at a pitch I seldom heard, bade me very peremptorily to come home. I am fond of my children, and my first thought was of Johnny’s daring attempts at gymnastics, or the baby—little Dolly—of whom I am fonder than anybody on earth. I asked at once what the matter was, but the connection had been rung off. Julia must have been excited. I put Betty B. through her best paces, and she fairly spun me over the three miles to the house. As I came up the drive I saw the cause of Julia’s anxiety standing at the door. It was the replica of Betty B. A more per- fect match I never saw in my life. An impulse of thankfulness took with it the first annoyance at having been put through twenty minutes of keen anxiety so unnecessarily. | I looked over the two animals, and made up my mind that Julia should have her carriage horses, if the man would take anything like a reasonable price for Betty B.’s twin, and then went leisurely into the house. . I found Julia in the parlor alone, fairly quivering with excitement of some sort. : ‘They ave a match,’ I began—‘‘ but what is the matter, rey dear?”’ “Will you be good enough to tell me,’’ she said, ‘‘ with what young woman you have been driving about the country the past two weeks ?’’ “Young woman?’’ I said stupidly. Driving about the country with a young woman? Julia, are you crazy? I never drove about the couutry with a young woman in my life.’’ “Thank you! I may not have been as young as Mary Marston when I was fool enough to marry you, but I a ‘* Julia,’ I said, ‘‘in heaven’s name, what are you talking about? You know I haven’t been driving with anybody. I’ve been at the factory these two weeks, as you know perfectly well.’’ And then a dreadful suspicion struck me. It had been very hot weather ; could it be possible that there was anything wrong with my wife’s reason ? ““ Aren’t you well, Julia?’’. I asked. 3 ~ Well! I am perfectly well, thank you,’ with tremendous sarcasm. ‘But I should like to have you explain how the man who owns that horse out there came to know it would match Betty B. You may tell me untruths day after day, and I may be stupid enough to believe you, but there is such a thing as circumstantial evidence. ‘This man says that he has seen you pass his place, seven miles in the country, with a young lady, who he says he. thought was your—wfe.’’ -~d0e's.a Har !’’ said I: ‘“He sees you so often that he comes to know every point of the horse, and brings an exact match for her in here!’’ ‘There was triumph and bitter- ness in Julia’s tones. She was too angry for the triumph not to be on top. ‘He says the lady wore a black hat with red flowers and a white gown. I have seen Mary Marston go down the street every morning, immediately after you left, and now I know where she has gone. I am going home to my mother !’’ And there was a prelude to hysterics given out on the air. Eboo 3 S com