Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-08-23
CHAPTER xxx.


BeatriCc's letter, ,ifter having been re-
ruscd and commented upon by the Talberts
was sent on TO Frank Carruthers A not
from Herbert was inclosed with it, "You
will see'-he wrOtc-''that this letter is as
unsatisfactory as its predecessors. Il gives
us absolutely no information as to where she
is or why she left us. Now that we are
assured Of her being well and. we suppose.
safe, our feeling about her prolonged and
unexp mel absence is more than regret--it
i, in fact serious annoyance. We find it
quite n strain to answer inquiries about her
without contra1iCting one another"
Naturally the envelope which bore Her
bert's handwriting was the first opened BY
Carruther., aud of course he read Beatrice's
letter before he read Herbert's He searched
the former IN vain for MS own name, little
thinking how the writer had sat for a long
time before she could bring herself to seal
her letter without sending him ciumb of
comfort He then read Herbert's commen-
tary and smiled family as he drew a ludicrous
picture OF Horace and Herbert making
counter statements TO their friends, He
mused while, holding Beatrice's letter in
his hand. Her fingers had touched that
sheet of paper; so he actually pressed it to
his lips, and in doing so caught faint lin
ger1ng Odor Of what he remembered was her
favorte perfume. II was clear that Mr..
CarruthcrS' disease was as rampant as ever,
BY and by he turned to see what else Fate
had brought him Nowadays Fate shoots
many of her arrows from the general post
office Caruthers found among other let.
tiers one addressed in woman's hand writ
ing IL had been sent to Oxford and at
Oxford reiirected TO London. He orened IL
carelessly and found it contained half
sheet of note paper, on which was written:
"Remember your promise. Wait, oh, be
patient AMI waitI'
Carruthers threw it aside with a bitter
smilc He well knew who was the writer
Wait. What was there to wait fort How.
ever, the sight of those words brought back
the memory OF that strange nocturnal visit;
oil the Womans earnest, even inpassioped
appeal TO him, to wait five, ten, twenty
years for the one he lovedn Why should
she write now and repeat the appealf She
who knew everything; she who had accom-
panied Beatrice and who was probably with
her now.
He could not get the memory of that
strange creature with her dreary belief, vet
unswervng faith as to his own future, from
his mind. At the time the woman's earnest
ness had impressed him more than he cared
to confess. Superstition is a quality 20 the
possession of which no man of our time il
willing to own, not even to himself. Yet
nine men out Of ten are superstitious.
Carruthers told himse that such hone as
he had gathered from Mrs. Miller's words
was simply gathered because he believed her
10 be in Beatrice's confidence. Here he was
wrong. 1t was the wOman's broad but alb
solute assertion, uttered with the pass. onate
inspiration OF prophecies Of old, that happi-
ness in this world awaited him aud Beatrice.
which had bsen Of aid 10 him in his trouble
III iaith can move stubborn mountains, why
not heart which is willing enough to move
in a particular direct on.
And now this woman repeated her meg
slge, and a. Carruthers read the letter told
him his case was no more hopeless than IL
was months ago.
tie Tx the note which he had crumpled
up e.i tpssei away; he spread it out and
read II again, He found. moreover, that il
was written ON paper similar To that used by
Beatrice, and upon turning il over he saw
on the back few words in pencil Thev
we're written 50 family that he had to carry
the note to strong light in order TO de-
cipher them.
The words were "Matlonna di Tempi ~
and To the best OF his belief, as expert, sav
when giving evidence, the ha,dwritinl y-as
Ecatrice's.
Wnat did the words mean. and how far
would they aid him in finding Beatrlcel !
He soon settled in his mind that Madonna
di Temp" must he the name of picture,
But what picturei Where was il TO be
fOundi
or course, it did not follow that supposing
he could ascer tain all about this picture.
which might or might not be Q world.
famed one. that be would aad Beatrice nsss