suspicion by everyone who knew anything about her poor Gagtooth alone
excepted.

In due time the wedding took place. It was solemnized at the
boarding-house; and the bride and bridegroom disdaining to defer to the
common usage, spent their honeymoon in their own house. Gagtooth had
rented and furnished a little frame dwelling on the outskirts of the
town, on the bank of the river; and thither the couple retired as soon
as the hymeneal knot was tied. Next morning the bridegroom made his
appearance at his forge and went to work as usual, as though nothing
had occurred to disturb the serenity of his life.

Time passed by. Rumours now and then reached my ears to the effect that
Mrs. Fink was not behaving herself very well, and that she was leading
her husband rather a hard life of it. She had been seen driving out
into the country with a young lawyer from Springfield, who occasionally
came over to Peoria to attend the sittings of the District Court. She
moreover had the reputation of habitually indulging in the contents of
the cup that cheers and likewise inebriates. However, in the regular
course of things, I was called upon to assist at the first appearance
upon life's stage of a little boy, upon whom his parents bestowed the
name of Charlie.

The night of Charlie's birth was the first time I had ever been in the
house, and if I remember aright it was the first time I had ever set
eyes on Mrs. Fink since her marriage. I was not long in making up my
mind about her; and I had ample opportunity for forming an opinion as
to her character, for she was unable to leave her bed for more than a
month, during which time I was in attendance upon her almost daily.
I also attended little Charlie through measels, scarlet-rash,