How Mrs. Binnywig Checked the King [pp. 513-529]

How Mrs. Binnywig Checked the King.
There was evidently nothing more to
be learned from Mrs. Clement, and Bos cobel returned once more to the red
brick house, through the pretty garden
that once was his own.
Mrs. Lawson answered the door in
person, but was still strictly non-comm ittal.
"I can tell you nothing," she said.
"I know now who you are, and that you
have some right to make inquiries, otherwise I should decline to see you. I
have no interest in Mrs. Binnywig's affairs. I was looking for a site in this
neighborhood on which I could move
my house. Mrs. Binnywig heard of my
desire, possibly through my agents, and
offered me this lot. Beyond ascertaining that her title was clear, I had no
interest in Mrs. Binnywig's affairs, and
I have none now. I accepted her offer,
Mrs. Binnywig removed her residence,
and I placed mine here. That is all that
I can tell you."
"Do you know where Mrs. Binnywig
moved to?"
"I have heard that it is outside of the
city limits, -but merely as a rumor. I
have received no positive information
on the subject."
"I would give a great deal to anyone
who would give me a clew to her whereabouts."
"No doubt!" assented Mrs. Lawson.
"I am sorry that i cannot inform you."
Unfortunately it did not occur to Mr.
Binnywig to ask the widow where she
had last lived. She could hardly have
evaded that inquiry, and her response
might have thrown some light upon the
subject in which he was most interested.
He raised his hat as he left the spot
where he had spent so many happy years,
and decided to search no more. Of
course he could make a tour of the
house-moving firms, and search the records, but to what end? The former were
probably pledged to secrecy, and a woman as clever as his wife could easily
arrange matters so that the latter should
not betray her. He made up his mind
to bear his punishment meekly. He did
not believe that his wife had ceased to
love him, and he felt assured that she
would return to him when she was satisfied that his reform was genuine and
complete. Till then he decided to live
quietly and steadily, amend his life, and
give his wife, who would probably watch
his career, no further cause for anxiety
on his behalf.
The next day he obtained a position
on lie Cchicago Republican, and settled
down steadily to work.
V.
EIGHTEEN months sped by amid the
usual fret and worry of nations, but in
the lives of our friends the BoscobelBinnywigs, little of interest had occurred. Mr. Binnywig had received no
news from or of his family, except that
contained in three short notes from his
wife, mailed from the Chicago postoffice, and informing him coldly and
briefly that his family were well. Two
of these had been addressed to him in
care of The Republican, indicating very
clearly that his wife was accurately informed upon his movements; and when
he left that journal to accept a better
position on The Telegraph, the third
note came correctly addressed to the
editorial staff of that paper. This gave
him some hope. His wife evidently did
not intend to desert him permanently,
or she would never take such an interest
in his concerns. "She will come back
to me," he said gleefully when the third
note arrived, "and when she does I will
prove myself better worthy of her confidence."
So far Boscobel's life since leaving
the inebriate institution had been without reproach. He was a man of strong
will and great tenacity of purpose.
Having made up his mind to rid himself of the habit that had poisoned his
manhood, he set himself to the task
526
[Nov.