The Mayors Wife

The Mayor's Wife

The Project Gutenberg Etext of The Mayor's Wife, by Anna Katherine
Green #7 in our series by Anna Katherine Green
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Title: The Mayor's Wife
Author: Anna Katherine Green
Release Date: December, 2003 [Etext #4767] [Yes, we are more than
one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on March 15,
2002]
Edition: 10

Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG ETEXT THE
MAYOR'S WIFE ***

THE MAYOR'S WIFE
by Anna Katherine Green

CONTENTS

CHAPTER
I A SPY'S DUTY II QUESTIONS III IN THE GABLE WINDOW IV
LIGHTS-SOUNDS V THE STRANGE NEIGHBORS NEXT DOOR
VI AT THE STAIR-HEAD VII A MOVING SHADOW VIII THE
PARAGRAPH IX SCRAPS X A GLIMMER OF THE TRUTH XI
BESS XII SEARCHINGS XIII A DISCOVERY XIV I SEEK HELP
XV HARDLY A COINCIDENCE XVI IN THE LIBRARY XVII THE
TWO WEIRD SISTERS XVIII THE MORNING NEWS XIX THE
CRY FROM THE STAIRS XX EXPLANATION XXI THE CIPHER
XXII MERCY XXIII THE WIFE'S TALE XXIV THE SINS OF THE
FATHERS XXV THE FINGER ON THE WALL XXVI "BITTER AS
THE GRAVE" XXVII A CHILD'S PLAYTHINGS XXVIII
RESTITUTION

CHAPTER I
A SPY'S DUTY
I am not without self-control, yet when Miss Davies entered the room
with that air of importance she invariably assumes when she has an
unusually fine position to offer, I could not hide all traces of my

anxiety.
I needed a position, needed it badly, while the others--
But her eyes are on our faces, she is scanning us all with that close and
calculating gaze which lets nothing escape. She has passed me by--my
heart goes down, down--when suddenly her look returns and she
singles me out.
"Miss Saunders." Then, "I have a word to say to you"
There is a rustle about me; five disappointed girls sink back into their
seats as I quickly rise and follow Miss Davies out.
In the hall she faced me with these words:
"You are discreet, and you evidently desire a position. You will find a
gentleman in my sitting-room. If you come to terms with him, well and
good. If not, I shall expect you to forget all about him and his errand
the moment you leave his presence. You understand me?"
"I think so," I replied, meeting her steady look with one equally
composed. Part of my strength--and I think I have some strength --lies
in the fact that I am quietest when most deeply roused. "I am not to talk
whatever the outcome."
"Not even to me," she emphasized.
Stirred still further and therefore outwardly even more calm than before,
I stopped her as she was moving on and ventured a single query.
"This position--involving secrecy--is it one you would advise me to
take, even if I did not stand in need of it so badly?"
"Yes. The difficulties will not be great to a discreet person. It is a
first-class opportunity for a young woman as experienced as yourself."
"Thank you," was my abrupt but grateful rejoinder; and, obeying her
silent gesture, I opened the door of the sitting-room and passed in. A

gentleman standing at one of the windows turned quickly at the sound
of my step and came forward. Instantly whatever doubt I may have felt
concerning the nature of the work about to be proposed to me yielded
to the certainty that, however much it might involve of the strange and
difficult, the man whose mission it was to seek my aid was one to
inspire confidence and respect.
He was also a handsome man, or no, I will not go so far as that; he was
only one in whom the lines of form and visage were fine enough not to
interfere with the impression made by his strong nature and intense
vitality. A man to sway women and also quite capable of moving men
(this was evident at a glance); but a man