San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1878-10-26
4 "IfER1LD" Personal.
by A DETECTIVE.

"OziJ-NeUy wu hzafrst mrtSy 20
I?7 UriD hgiruy.
There it was, in italics, half way down
the personal" column of the Herald,
conspicuous only for its singular and
most aggravating combination of letters
and figures the sole clue to the where
abouts of the game ] had been after for
over Il week, scarcely resting, eating OF
sleeping in my anxiety to secure the re-
ward offered ii IL heavy burglary case
and something else.
That something else" All! my heart
sank within me rs l flung aside the
emigmatical puzzle before me, and lean
ing back in my chair gave myself up to
the gloomy reveries of the past. Edna
Dayton-how l loved her! How fair
and beautiful us summers idyl had
been the week in which | had met her,
had loved her, and had been told that
my affection vas returned! How well l
remember the bitter parting-a hopeless
one, it seemed to me-when | learned
my fate from her fathers lips, and pass
eli down the brown stone steps of the
Dayton mansion, wondering if the in
clination of moneycd men toward stone
residences was not caused by the exis-
tence of similar hard material in that
part of the human anatomy known as
the heart.
/ was poor man, he said, and the
profession of detective was precari-
Gus one. His daughter loved me-he
could not deny that-but she was his
only child, and her wealth and position
demanded a match with some social
equal He would not break her heart by
absolutely refusing to sanction our en-
gagement; but if within year / could
secure fortune of twenty five thousand
dollars and lucrative business, and
Edna was still of the same mind-well,
he would consider it.
Twenty-Five Thousand dollars! l grew
sick Mt the thought of the condition I'M
posed, upon which l was to purchase my
future happiness. Friendless, the re-
ccption of meagre salary, and utterly
unknown, where was | to raise this
amount, and what business capacity had
1, the son of parents who had given me
every luxury, and neglected practical
education. until crash came that left
us homeless and in perjury.
Day and night for over month |
brooded over my SORROWS, and then one
day | was aroused into renewed life by
the reception of II formal but courteous
note from Mr.. Dayton requesting my
immediate attendance ut the mansion.
aIy feet winged rs | FASTENED To the
house of my loved Edna. What did 1t
mean? Had he relcnted? Was Edna
sick. or did business await me at the
pleasure of my hard-heartcd censor? |
was ushercd into the library, where |
found the old gentleman in an intense
state of excitement pacing the floor, the
window broken in. papers and boxes
scattered about the apartment, and a
safe in the corner broken open.
| stared at him in amazement.
"Nou seem agitatcd. Mr. Dayton. |
venturcd to suggest.
~Agitated! agitated. sir. lam wild
Late last night. or early this morning
burglars entered this apartment 10y
means Of Wonder window and broke open
the safe. When l came down this morn
ing. / found Affairs as they are now. and
nearly ore hundred Thousand dollars III
money. l,onds and jcwclry gone,
| starcl n.uicly. The University oi
the robbery pcirific,l me
You have informed the police: |
askel When I could find my voice.