The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1881-08-03
CHAPTER XIX.
THE MISSING MAN Is FOUND.

! James Dalton went directly to the Oak
! Street Police Station after leaving Clarice
/ Suydam. He was some time in consulta-
ton with the sergeant. When he left the
! station, he was accompanied by the ward
detective, and the two together visited the
Morgue.
After a short time passed within the cold
precincts of the unclaimed dead, the artist
separated from the detective and crossed tho
ferry to Brooklyn. He took an uptown car,
and, by nine o'clock, he reached the neigh
borhood of the former residence of Miss
Van Duyne. He stopped in a corner gro
Gerry and inquired the way to the house Of
the pastor of the little wooden church
After some difficulty experienced in COM
pretending the roundabout instructions
given, he made his way to the place.
The wife of the pastor, young, plain
faced woman, ushered him into the presence
of the reverend gentleman, who sat in his
study reading.
81 regret having to disturb you, sir, said
James Dalton, apologetically, ''but should
like few moments conversation"
The minister closed the doors which COM
municated with the next room.
Il shall be pleased to hear you, sir, d" he
replied.
''What I wish to ask is your permission
to pass the night in the church of which you
are pastor. The sexton may accompany and
whatever arrangement you like, but grant
me permission at once to enter the church
ediice"
May 1 ask what is your object2" said the
minister, with look of establishment.
81 suspect there is something wrong with
the occupants of the house which sets back
from the street just opposite the church"
care you detective, sir2"
James Dalton opened the left lapel of his
Ooat and axbibitnd dataatiVa'S hadoa
This is my voucher"
''You may have the keys at once" said
the minister. 'tYOu somewhat surprised
me by your statement, and yet Iought not
to be surprised, for have often wondered
at the peculiarities of the people who live in
that place.
"How many persons have you noticed,
. sir, and what have you noticed particularly
out of the way in their conduct"
''Well, IshOuld say there are at least four
or five men and two-yes, two women, are
all 1 have seen, believe. AS to conduct,
why they all act mysterious, and no one
in the neighborhood seems to know anything
about them. Theyappea tohave no friends !
in this locality, Personally, ] know only
this of one of them: one evening last sum-
mer, toward dusk, my little boy was out in
the front of the house playing and, as is my
wont, whistled to warn him that he must
come in. To my surprise, my whistle was
answered at q distance. Looking toward !
the house of which you speak, saw o wo-
man standing on the porch. I watched
moment after my boy came up and saw her
enter the house 1 thought such behavior /
rather odd for a lady, and was I am sorry
to say, forced to draw an inference not very
complimentary to the woman"
Gould you distinguish the features of
the woman?" asked James Dalton, nervously.
''No, sir, could not. But detain you.
You will not be obliged to see the sexton.
have key of the church"
The minister retired from the room and in |
a moment returned ready for the street.
So soon as James Dalton was inside the
church., he took the key which the minister
rendered and looked about for lamp.
'.Do you wish lighR" said the minister.
mot at present. have some matches in
my pocket and only require to know if there
is O lamp convenient. There is light enough
furnished now by the moon. You perceive I
it strikes upon that stained window near the
door. Be kind enough to help me raise this
window"
With the assistance of the minister, James
Dalton opened a side window which faced
the SUSPECTED house sufficiently to allow
clear view.
He then bnde the minister good night and,
locking himself in, took his station at the
half-opened window.
A light ShOn6 1mntly through the upper
windows of the house opposite, but tbs
lower part was in darkness. The time
dragged slowly to the watcher Not a sound
disturbed the stiffness Of the holy precincts
except, at long intervals, the tread OF some
chance pedestrian upon the hard ground
without. James Dalton's eyelids were be-
ginning to grow heavy when he noticed the
lights in the upper part of the house go out.
No one had entered or come out, and the ex-
of the light was evidently sign
that the inmates had retired for the night.
Still the artist watched till the breaking
away of the darkness warned him that he
had best leave. So his first nights watch
gained him nothing.
Had the disappearance of Celeste Van
Duyne put the burglars on their guard, or
was there back entrance to the house, and
had the men gone out that way during the
night
James Dalton left the church and walked
about the upper part of the city, half frozen
with the cold, until he heard a clock strike
seven, and then returned to the minister's
house.
The minister met him at the door.
II shall be over again tonight" said
James Dalton.
Every well, sir, replied the minister;
i'the key is at your disposal.
Although worn by his unwonted task, Afr.
Dalton called on Mrs. Raymond, the wife Of
The missing man, before he returned to New
York. He found her at home, and imme-
datelY she came into the drawing room.