Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1882-07-01

tress had disappeared. The scream that
had so startled us at first was not repeat
ed. There was no avenue of escape; still
she WAS gone.
Mr.. I visited her apartments at the
hotel She was not there. The gas was
relit in the theater and our search re-
sumed. She was not to re found. Her
! friends were visited; the most transient
acquaintance called on with like result
Each hour, instead of revealing the
mystery, only deepened it. In the light
OF the morning we continued the search.
A single object was found which could
possibly give US a clue 20 the missing
girl. On the floor of the dressing room
was diamonu earring Ii looked as if
it had been torn from its place. 1t was
not such one as was worn by the ac-
tress. 1t established beyond doubt the
presence of another person in the room,
and that person female. This was all.
The mysterious interview and its termine-
ation was shrouded in veil Of darkness
our ingenuity could not penetrate. II the
earth had opened and swallowed Der, her
disappearance could not have been more
unacc0untable
What was to be done? She was a
native of France, brought here in child
hood. Her relatives had died; her
friends knew nothing, save that she was
an orphan. Genius had aided her rise,
industry had secured her fame. The ar
chitect of her own fortunes, she had
climbed alone the steep whose ascent is
devious and hard to surmount.
One day stood leaning negligently on
the counter of fashionable jeweler.
loved to gaze upon the brilliant gems
that strewed the case and filed it with
weird, flashing light. Ny attention ab~
sorbed in viewing them, / did not notice
the entrance of a laisy-3ier foreign ac-
cent in addressing the jeweler caused me
to turn around. She held an earring
in her hand, and was inquiring the cost of
one il made TO match it. The first glance
| had OF 1t made the blood leap like fire
in my veins. 1t was the counterpart of
the one found in the theater.
You may imagine did not lose sight
of that woman. knew l had struck on
the right clue.
traced her home. The panther never
stole on its victim more silently than 1 in
the footsteps of the dark brown stranger
scarcely knew how got back to the
Office. l seemed to have triumphed
over space and time. More like maniac
than detective, rushed up to Mr.. l.
and impaired my intelligence. He was
not less excited than I. We both felt an
interest in the girl as strong as if she had
been sister. But we knew that our steps
must be wary and our movements secret
as the grave. We had 70 common Grim
inal to deal with. II not the arcll-6end
himself, we knew she was almost as cum
ming. The mysterious abduction of the
actress disclosed IA quickness and sagaciry
at once ingenious and profound. The
subtle spirit we did not doubt we would
have to encounter again. 1t was not,
therefore, with feeling of assured sue
cess that we prepared to enter the resi>
dence to which had traced the foreign |
lady.
1t was not as officers of the law usually |
go that We went on that occasion. We |
employed rather the skill and cunning of
man brought up in the bus ness. For
once his ncfarlous art helped HIM to do
noble deed. A life of crime was whitened |
by single virtue. Before the skill of
this man the door sprang back upon its
hinges, and we stood within the portals
where the issues of this strange mystery
were to be decided. Silently we assembled
the stairs. A gas flame burning from the
ceiling flung mellow light along the
stately corridor. AT the further end of
the hall door opened into large apart>
ment. We moved toward this, and as we
approached it sounds of weeping struck
Oh our ears, and then we heard q cry of
supplication. Sorrowtul and sad the
sweet, strange voice aQated out on the
heart, that cry OF one in distress;
"Oh God! is there no help?"