The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1883-08-18


and then his keen glance searched the
crowded chambet. "Where is Mrs.
Oliphant," he askeS. rt
Nobody knew. Nobody, apparently,
had missed her before. Dana, reused
from her trance of grief, remembered
her first impression that her mother was
up and dressed; she must have gone cut
into the garden, she thought. without
knowing of this. Bat research showed
that Mrs. Oliphant was not in the gar
den. Meantime, it was observed that
the bed had not been slept in. The
doctor arrived in the midst of the won
dering dismay, and after a glance at the
rigid shape, pronounced death to have
been the result of apoplexy, and further
stated that it had probably occurred
some eight or ten hours before.
Quest had gone quietly into the dress
| ing-room as soon as he had heard this
opinion, and, closing the door after him,
stood there, with keen and angry eyes
searching into every corner.
"Gone!" he muttered, in baffled
tones. "Run away, and escaped mel
Queer that | never thought to guard
against that COMPOUNDED hard luck to
have him die just now! Like fool, 1
have kept my secret too long"
1t oCdS hard, from his point of view.
He was looking for some trace of the
fugitive, some note of farewell addressed
to her husband or daughter, but nothing
of the kind appeared.
While he stood there the chamber
within was being cleared of its ocDu-
| pants, and Dana came into the dress
ing-room, resolutely pressing back the
sobs that would have risen. Her tear
, full eyes met those of the lawyer, and
she approached him hastily:
''Oh, Mr.. Quest! has not mamma
come back? This will be so terrible for
her."
"She hasn't come back" Mr. Quest
responded; land what's more, doubt
if she will. Look here, Miss Oliphant,
if am still to call you that-dont you
know anything of your mothers move
ments? Didn't she pay you parting
visit before she took French leave here
last night?
"Last night" repeated Dana, with
sudden consciousness dawning IN her
face. , The lawyer saw it, nLrs-Y'r.
"Ah, there Is something to te1l," he
said. 'Come into the library, please
He led the way and Dana followed
mechanically. There was not much to
tell. Her mother had come into her
| room for few moments before retir-
ing, but had certainly said nothing to
prepare the girl for her act of flight.
"Didn' t say anything about your own
mother, for instance?" asked MIR.
Quest. 4.fsn
''Nothing, except hardly know
how it came about now-but she asked
me if / cared for her as much rs if had
really been her own child. l said, more
that l could never have been so sensl-
BILE of her kindness, hers and papa's,
with CULVER, chad been their OWL.
Oh, remember now, she did say some
thing about sorrow coming to him, ant
asked me to remember how much
owed him when that time came.
thought she meant that even yet he wa,
not quite reconciled toto my marriage
but it may have been-this. Mr.. Quest
what is it you know?"
There were no tears in the eyes will
which she regarded him now. Deer
and solemn, they seemed to pierce
through his craft and cunning, and reaC
the disappointment which was ranking
in his sordid soul.
"What do you know?" she repeated
"Why are you so bitter against nam
ma? Why should she not come back?'
Curses not loud but deep quivered oil
Harmon Quests tongue, but he had tn
grace to give them no audible utter
ance.
"Whyp Because ladies of her ilk
who have murder to answer for, aren'
apt to come back when they've bee
scared into running away. It's rathe
rough to tell you that your mother wa
guilty of the murder which her HUSBAND
was hung for, but it's only the truth
and it's bound to come out"