| Show THE BROKEN KEY the tourig and pretty brido bride folt felt worried and out of sorts on ly a i short eight weeks ago sho she bad li id married lier her dear gus gua and bad followed him to his home bome in W ancl in already he be had bad begun to neglect her to go out of au an evening and to I 1 leave c ave tier her alone in tile tho big house he be had wed to convince con vinco her that he be could not dot altogether neglect his former friends and compall companions ions and that she ought not to object to his meeting them on oil two evenings every week arid and to pass au an agreeable hour or two in their company over a friendly game of whist but sho simply did not dot comprehend how bow he be could enjoy himself without her how lie he could enen een think of going anywhere without taking her along oil oh the dreadful evenings I 1 have to spond depond she complained with tears in her eyes 1 I lam am obliged to sit liuro lure all alone because I 1 have as yet lud had no chance to form any acquaintances liere here naturally I 1 got get homesick often I 1 feel like leaving evereth ever everything and taking the train home to ruy my parel parents ts would it not be better darling if you went to bed instead arid and tried to sleep that is just where tile the trouble is she replied still in ili tears 1 I am afraid our servant sleeps way up in tile tho attic she would not dot oven even hear bear were anything to happen to me why you foolish child what is there to be afraid of what is going to ba happen puen are not the papers every day full of 0 burglaries and robberies she persisted think of the many strangers that flock to a well known health resort like this nothing is impossible under such circumstances cum stances I 1 tile tho husband looked thoughtfully nt at his sweet brido bride N no L 0 dear I 1 do not want yon to frighten frig litou yourself into ill illness nes I 1 promise you herewith of my own freo free will the poor fellow could not help heaving a sigh as he be said this to ledurn promptly at I 1 11 1 whenever or I 1 go to meet my illy friends it is impossible for me to withdraw m myself itself from their society altogether for they would ridicule and make fun of me and call me ben henpecked pecked burglars rarely put in their appear appearance anc before tile the hour of 11 the streets being full of life and traffic goodby Good liy darling and please do not dot feel lonesome annie sighed and submitted resignedly to her fate faie sho she read awhile sho she then took up her ber embroidery a present for her mother she played a game of solitaire and finally sho paced restlessly up and down the lie room at homo home there had been a largo large family circle hence it was very trying to toiler her to be left so ranch much to herself in her new dow at 10 even the familiar noises in the kitchen ceased for the servant had gone up stairs to her attic and the poor woman felt the old feeling of distress and fright creep over her the sitting room was located at the lear of tile ahonso house and there was a hallway between iland it and tile the front room acho could not dot hear the usual noises A deathlike silence deigned in the loom tired arid and yet excited she ehe threw herself on the lounge she sadly deflected why by beer houses and card pat ties had bad been called into existence by and by lier ber thoughts became more and wore more confuted confused and she fell into a sound slumber atmas it was 11 1103 05 when gus gua arrived breathlessly and post hasto at his hoube boube door arid and tried to lit fit ins his key into tile tha look lock poor fellow I 1 I 1 had evil spirits conspired to get him into trouble click the ley key broke in two and ali the bit stuck fast in tho the keyhole ball handle ile ind and barrel alone remaining in his hands hand he knocked he be called lie he knocked again and louder for unfortunately there ther ewas was no house boll bell all in vain 1 I hardly think my wife has retired as early as this ber he reflected effected butof course sho she is in tho sitting room and most likely she cannot hear bear me once more lie hu knocked this time very loud he Be called until his voice was hoarse no reply to fill his bis cup of misery to the brim it commenced to rain aud and lio lie was wai without ili an umbrella perhaps annie has goue gone to bed after all lie bo thought shivering and dripping wet shall I 1 go to a hotel nol no I 1 what would the people think I 1 the only place that I 1 know of that may baill bo open is ia the railway depot for there is a train arriving at midnight so he went doan the street in the pouring rain and at last found himself hi molt in the waiting room of the station A glass of beer sir asked au an eu en tor waiter gus shook himself lie he felt chilly Pi punch luch he be said and make it hotl botill ho he drank ono one glass and then another and still another to while away tho the time ile ho was the only person there in duo due time tile the last train had arrived and he be could stay no longer they wore about to close up in sheer desperation ho be looked at his big watch it was I 1 when lio lie emerged into the street and it had ceased tu to ram rain the full moon seemed to grin arid and wink at him maliciously through the tha clouds a as though she eho meant to eay it see old wait man it erves you right I 1 why mut you go out to play cards aud and leavo leave your wife at home in loneliness in spite of tile tho ie pealed potation potations po ions lie ho baill felt chilly theis is ia no help tor for it but a good lun he be said to himself bin starting on a lively trot through the city first down one breet then up on nn othor through the suburbs until he I 1 reached the open country aud and hack back again without stop or rest for fear of catchI catching Dg cold tile tho town clock struck the hour of 4 it is still too early to ret got into tile tho house he be said the Thu front door is nev er unlocked before 6 I 1 will they be able to unlock the door anyway A piece of my key sticks in the lock jock tile the women are imprisoned aud and cannot get out but now dow I 1 can stand this no longer on I 1 must have something hot to drink and sit down somewhere there is a train at 4 and forthwith lie ho OLIC e moie wended bended his way to the railroad depot A snug corner and a cup of hot coffeo coffee somewhat restored him but ho be was very tired and pretty boon ho was ns sound bound asleep in his corner as his hia wife had boon been tile the night before on oil her lounge aud and how did his wife fate she awoke in the middle of the night with a start almost frightened out of her wits by a horrid dream in which her husband had bad appeared beffie her WOUD wounded dod bleeding and torn by b v huge bloodhounds pretty soon boon however sho she comprehended the situation her face bathed iu in teals she paced restlessly up aud and down the room wringing her hands oil the wretch I 1 to htay out ont nil night I 1 just to think of it I 1 such a man mail has t the ho off effrontery ro D to talk to uio me of love not content to act like a vill villain me lie even had to make fun of mo me last night by pret pretending eDdin 9 he be would bo be homo home at 11 who would or oner have thought him so 60 base they close the beer house after midnight hence lie ho cannot pretend to be playing cards there all night heaven only knows where lie ho is spending the night in choso whoso company ho is enjoying 1111 whilo while I 1 but hell fir find d that I 1 am not his dupe I 1 shall leave him at once 7 in the morning which I 1 ant am going to take and go home to my parents at 5 sho she called the serving 9 maid whom sho sent to the garret for a valise and commenced to pack the maid said mid nothing but sho was bur so r that her master had bad not dot risen arid and did uni help his wife however she made tile the coffee aud and then went ment after 1 n cab the flout door was wide open and a locksmith busy with the big bifi luck lock when annie appeared in the hall ball tile the laud land lady lan ian to meet her exclaiming iu ill it flurry of excitement did you ton hear bear about it madam A thief was horo bore last night and made an attempt to outer the house some one ODO must havo frightened frIght eDed him off ho be left a broken key stuck fast in the lock ind and was unable to unlock vi the door I 1 had to call horn the window until I 1 aroused a neighbor who ran for a locksmith now I 1 am going to have a patent lock put on and spoil their little game but you yon look very pale my dear madam I 1 arn am sorly ony i to have frightened you yon m with ith my burglar story ate aio you going to take a ride so early iu in tile morning I 1 annie nodded and passed ou on she was wai glad that tile tha woman had bot seen her valise which her maid had already put into tho the cab what a narrow escape I 1 had last night I 1 ilow how near dear I 1 camo came being robbed perhaps worse I 1 she wits was now dow thoroughly angry so much more reason for leaving tile the fellow no do matter what the consequences I 1 for tho the pree present cutI I 1 shall remain with my parents 11 thus musing sho she arrived at the depot before purchasing her ticket bile in intended to leivo leave her or valise in the waiting room annie entered aud and made fur cal an empty table when bud suddenly denly she dropped tile valise and almost screamed aloud that her husband her gus sitting bitting there hero in a coiner and snoring loud enough to make everybody in the loom smile at his nasal powers he looked tired and worn ind and his gal garments gain ionta ments appeared damp now how did lie ho got here arid and why nily was wai ho be iu ill such a dilapidated condition sho she stood for a moment undecided and unable to take her bar eyes off his drawn workout features suddenly tho the sk opened his eyes whatever tho outcome she must avoid a scene in a public room anything but that I 1 the waiters had bad more than once looked wonderingly at tile tho man who had drunk three cups of coffee and then fallen sound bound a asleep leop hours ago annie tried to appear quite unconcerned and tuck took a seat beside her husband somehow her anger ila had suddenly va vanished oh darling what brought me I 1 moan rather what brought you yon licie he be asked astonished at the unexpected appearance appe aranco of liis his wife nife dressed fur a jociney jou jul iney tilley never mind dear dont bother gibout that now the cumo come let us ride home where I 1 will explain all oua gus acquiesced irk in silence his feet felt heavy aud and hardly able to entry cairy his weight ho he was sick all he be could do was to drag himself to a cab arid and then explanations mere ero in order annie had bad DO reason to d doubt her husbands narration ot of his bis adventures during doring the dight lii glit and what the lie landlady had told her ber about the broken key tended to corro corroborate burato aud and exonerate him bathe but lio could not quite wake out from her explanations vojt ahat had bad taken her to the ibe railway station ile ho was benener ho bo veer NeNer too ill to ask many arrived nt at home she elie simply told tile tho servant that alint they had changed their mind aud add would not go away amay because her ber heiba h D 1 wh who 0 had preceded pro ceded her or to the tha depot had been suddenly taken sick kick and sent bur after a physician ous gus was very sick lor for two weeks lie ho could not leavo leave his bed A complicated and aggravated attack of influenza was the result of III aih experience during dating that ill fated night annie never left his bedside and now it was wan hor great care cara and tireless do voted curbing that opened his hia eyes as to thu the depth and unselfishness of her great love for him at last gus got well and though lie he would now DOW alad then thell go 90 to have it a bobial gamu of whist his hia wife nuver never again doubted doubled him even if lie ho maid out liter later than II 11 irom frow the german |
