The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-07-22
SEEKING ROGER HALE.
lone OF THREE.

lone OF r
In the month of June. 1884, the law Office
of Milliken. Frost & Co.. situated on a
noisy thOrOughfare OF the city OF New York,
presented it's usual aspect. Three heads
bent over three desks, while three pens
scratched diligently at the respective tasks
Hiram Milliken emerged from the private
rooms of the firm, paused in the middle
space OF the office, %twirling the gold seals
which depended over his white waistcoat
and looked at the owners Of the heads rum
inatingly.
the pens paused, and three pairs OF eyes
regarded the great man in respectful inter
rogation, for Mr.. Milliken, a lawyer of fine
reputation, large connection and ample
fortune, was a very great parsonage, indeed,
i'm the estimation Of his clerks. Some COM
m%unicatiOn OF Importance was about to be
ceived an hour before, was visible through
the open door engaged in earnest converse
ton with Mr.. Frost and Mr.. Whitney.
"As sure as you are alive something is up
with old Fudge" whispered Harry Hayfall
to his comrade Of the desk.
Old Fudge was the nickname bestowed by
the facetious youth on his senior, who I'M
conscious of the importance, continued to
scan the group before him.
Would either OF you like to search for Il
missing mani" inquired Mr.. Milliken.
"Yes, sir" replied Joh L~eggatt, prompt
ly.
Expenses paid?" echoed Richard. Mar
shall, a prudent and dry young man, whose
sandy hair hung straight and limp about
his face, and whose thin lips closed like the
valves of certain sea shells.
Expenses paid. and 1000 for your
trouble, if you find him." continued Mr..
Milliken.
81 will find him. said John Leggat, wip-
ing his pen and restoring it to the rack.
"Who is he? Why is he wanted?"
The lawyer regarded him with marked
satisfaction. Courage and energy Of pur-
pose were preceptible in the youth with the
keen, gray eye, handsome features and
curling, black hair. John possessed the
true legal passion for tracing results to
causes. Here was an opening. One OF
three. Prudent Richard Marshal %bethought
him of the heiress he was wooing at a sur
burban resort, and hesitated between the
bird in the hand and one on the wing.
Harry Hayfall was reluctant to give up ii
fortnight of camping out in the Adiron-
lack mountains. John Leggat must 60.
Her eceived his instructions in the private
room. The missing man was an artist;
Roger Hale by name. His brother had re- |
Gently died in his native tow in Central
New York, leaving a considerable property
to be divided between two sisters and the
absent Roger. No settlement could be
made OF sales until the artist gave his con
sent. He had been last seen at Nice, but
as a correspondent Mr.. Hale left much to !
be desired.
II will find him." reiterated John Leg |
gat. II shall sail on the next steamer if they
put me in the Goa bunk. ] wonder what
Katy will think OF it," he added, as he
sought the abode OF his fance. on the
very wings of hope.
The search for Roger Hale meant such a
start in life as the marriage OF these young
people, otherwise indefinitely deferred.
Katy White lived with her mother Oh the
fifth floor OF an apartment building,
where the increasing heat and the improb-
ability of a country holiday had aroused
the Imagination of the children. Tommy
had mad a train of cars OF chairs, in one
corner, while Molly, seated majestically
on a table, announced she was OF board
the steamboat bound for Newport, and
Bob imagined himself to be on the Long
Branch shore, with the aid of a wooden
shovel and a toy pail full OF shells.
IL mean to live in the country when | am
married." announced Katy, who was as
sensible as she was pretty, dimpled and
rosy.
Il hate the country" retorted her sister
in-law, a pale blonde, with a fashion maya
zine open on her knee.
John Leggat entered, was welcomed
shrilly ~ the children, and impaired the
news that he was to seek Roger Hale.
Katy wept and trembled, then became
sufficiently calm to listen to his projects:
make your wedding dress, darling" he
whispered joyfully.
Next day he sailed for Europe.
IA WILL -THE-wIsP.
When John Leggat reached Nice, travel
ing from Paris without stopping. he learned
that Roger Hale had been in that brilliant
city, bat had gone on towards Italy, sket-
ching along the shore. The Information
cleaned was somewhat vague when ana
Iyzed. Everybody knew Roger Hale, but
no one was very precise as to dates re,
speeding his movements. The term used
was that he was generally around some
here and a very good fellow.
John departed along the shore, in turn,
undeterred by fierce heat and the sinister
rumor that cholera had appeared at Tou-
lon and Marseilles. He searched every
town, hamlet and inlet of a picturesque
coast, until checked by the frontier and the
land quarantine which had been estab-
lished on that sultry July day. Oh, joy!
must not Roger Hale have been caught at
this point, like a fish in a net?
Is there nothing new under the sun? Ven
timiglia, the familiar gateway to Italy,
associated in the travellers mind with the
five-iranc bride OF unmolested trunk, and
the shaking out OF ball dresses in search OF
imaginary cigars for the conscientious
tourist who withholds the coin, presented
to John Leggat Il most unusual aspect.
Harrassed officials directed crowds of
frightened third-class passengers, carrying
bundles over their shoulders, while heaps
of merchandise remained scattered about.
1.-The LAM quarantine is established
said an Englishman at his elbow. cts I
only a matter OF five days; but it would
have been a good job to have got through
yesterday"
The fertile plain of Piau di Latte, bloom
ing with olive and vineyard, resort of the
richer inhabitants OF Ventimiglia in the
autumn, had been converted into IL laza-
retto, with such nice distinctions in the
social grade as the lodging OF John Leggat
in a villa, to be served by caterers from /
San Reno, while those frightened fugiti> es
of the third class, the operatives from lou
lon and Marseilles, were sheltered beneath
tents and fed by the bounty OF their govern
ment. The hills guarding the spot, crowned
by convent and chapel and merging to the
snow-capped Maritime Alps in the distance,
looked down on the strange scene OF eOur-
age, bravado; misery in the Imprisonment
of this human tide OF captives. Roger Hail.
was not here. His pursuer was
caught in the net of dela~ - e
The .Thr J.'rlELD has gone toE the fish
to look after bis f"-:uy.
,,roL-,- belonging to the COM
mercial class known as Il traveller, possessed
a forid complexion and white eyelashes.
His raiment OF plaid cloth, pinkish yellow
in hue, gave him an odd resemblance to "A
caterpillar. A Frenchman, with white gal
ters, gray moustache and a round glass III
serted in one eye, Knocked at the quarantine,
the italian soldiery, the confusion OF the
railway station, more by a yelled cynicism
than mere indiscretion Of speech. He di-
verified a group OF cadets by humming the
latest Partisan song on the refrain OF the
Microbe. The German savant inspected
water sources and made notes. \ Spaniard
and a Portuguese, silent, dry and yellow OF
visage, smoked cigarettes. Officers clanked
their sabres jauntily, while the soldiers re-
manned taciturn, prepared for a campaign
without glory, yet us heroic as battle.
The summer night fell softly. John Leg
get could not sleep. The, ~vigilant watched.
He opened the door. \ Sister OF Charity
glided along the corridor. followed by two
o,,,+on+. hoo RING fresh linen. She DauSeU