Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-07-03
EBORO, VT, FRIDAY, JULY 3, 1885.

thought az. And there would be little doub
but that they would accept il. How damag
ing, too, the story would be TO me, whom
tried TO obtain another appointment
had promised to take my wife and chill
dren for an excursion down the river a. sooI
az the bank closed, and the youngsters eager
ly reminded me Of my promise. | replieC
no savagely and sternly that the children
made of in tears. My wife, coming to no,
what was the matter, Jared little better.
must have had a sunstroke OF something
she told me, and brought bandages and eat
de Cologne. | flung away in a rage, ant
went out OF the house. / must be dOinI
something, l felt and l hailed a cab an(
drove to ThrapstOw's lodgings.
Mr.. Thrapstow wasn't coming home tha
night, his landlady told me she thought h,
was away for a little jaunt, but she didn1
know. He occupied the ground floor Of Z
small house in Ecclesford street, Pimlico, -
two rooms opening into each other. | tolC
the woman that would sit down and write q
letter. She knew me we'll enough ~ had
frequently visited ThrapstOw and she left
me to myself. Then I began to overhaul ev
eTything, TO try 10 find out some clew TO hi,
whereabouts. A few letters we're on the
| chimney piece they we're only circulars
| ANbhi hhhbhulths III Nht hltpihNt was Cbu
siderable quantity Of charred tinder. He
had evidently been burning papers recently,
and quantity Of them. | turned the tindeI
carefully over, spreading it out upon a news
| paper. | found nothing legible except one
| little scrap of paper, which the FIRE had not
altogether reduced to powder, on which /
saw the name Isabel shining with metallic
lustre. Then | went TO the bedroom, and
searched that Here, too, were evident prep
aration for flight, coats and other garments
thrown hastily into cupboards, boxes turned
out an odd glove or two lying upon the
| dressing table. 1 carefully searched all the
| pockets for letters or other documents but |
found nothing. The keys we're left in all the
receptacles; an instance of Charlie's thought
fulness for others, in the midst OF his ras
| calty.
Lying upon the wash stand was a card,
| which was blank upon one side, but on the
other had the name OF photographer print
cd upon it. The card WAS wet, AS il II had
been soaked in water aud near the upper
end OF II Was round irregular cut, which
| did not quite penetrate the card. 1t had evi.
IDENTITY once had photograph fastened on it,
Accordingly, the card had been wetted, to IA.
cilitate the removal Of the photograph,
whilst the face of the portrait had evidently
been cut out, in order TO place it in a locket
or something siUilAr.
1t struck me at once that the photograph
about which a man on the eve Of flight would
take 20 much trouble must be OF person
very dear to him, probably his sweetheart
Although | had been intimate with Thrap.
stow, he had always been very reserved a. TO
his own friends and associates and bad no
clew to guide me TO any OF them, except the
photographer card.
Rtentering my cab, drove OF TO the pho
lOuraV,harfs - Ifa
tinguishing mark upon the card, and the
chances seemed faint that he would be able
to tell me anything about it. Indeed at
FIRST, when the man found that | wasn't
customer, he seemed little inclined TO trouble
himself about the matter. The promise Of
fee, however, made him more reasonable /;
aud be offered to let me SEQ his books that
might search for the name | wanted to find.
But, then, didn't know the name l wanted
TO find II WAS unlikely that the photograph
had been done for ThrApstow il it had,
there would probably appear in the books
only the useless record of his address, al
ready known to me. Then the man shook
his head II didn't know the name, it WAS
no use looking; the card was nothing, he
said he sent hundreds out every month
What information could he possibly give me :
Then tried to describe the personal appear.
auce OF Thrapstow. But again he shook his
head. IL no hadn't taken his likeness he
wouldn't be likely TO remember him hardly
even then, no many people passed through
his hands.
All this time he had been carelessly hold
ing the card in his fingers, glancing nj il now
and then, and suddenly an idea seemed to
strike him "Stop bit, he said, and went
into his dark chamber, and presently emerged,
smelling strongly Of chemicals. Look
here, he said triumphantly. | looked, and
saw very faint ghostly impression of
photograph. "Irs printed itself through" "
said the man-''they will sometimes, aud
I've brought it to light Yes, / know the
original of that" Again he diyed into a clos
ct, and brought out n negative with a nun
Der and label to it. Then he turned TO his
book and wrote down an address for me-
Mrs. Maidmont, LaTkspur Road Noting
Hill
Away | went to Larkspur Road Mrs.
MaidmOnts house wRs a small, comfortable
residence, with bright windows, verandas,
gorgeous window boxes, and striped sun
blinds Mrs. Maidmont was at home, said a
very neat, pretty looking maid and l sent
in my card with q message "On most i'm
portAnt business" The maid came back 10
say that her mistress did not recognize the
name, but would l walk in2 was shown
into pretty drawing room on the first floor.
An elderly lady rose TO greet me with old
fashioned courtesy, at the same time with a
good deal Of uneasy curiosity visible in her
face. This was not the original OF the pho
tograph, who was a young and charming
girl.
MADAME" ! said rapidly, 81 believe that
my friend, Charles ThrapstOw, is well known
TO you. Now, il is OF the utmost Importance
that should ascertain where he is at this
moment"
''Stay I" said the old lady. "You are Ia
boring under complete mistake. | know
nothing whatever OF the gentleman whose
name you mentiOn,-a name | never heard
before"
Was she deceiving me? did not think
perhaps Miss Maidmont may know, "
said eagerly.
Miss Maidmont is not likely to have
formed any acquaintance without her moth
er's knowledge said Mrs. MaidmOnt with
dignity. There seemed 10 be no alternative
but for me to retreat with apologies.
II am very busy you see, " went on the old
lady, with a wave of the hand and, indeed,
the room, now l looked about nue., saw TO
be strewed with preparations for some fes-
tive event, ball, perhaps, or from a wreath
of orange blossoms that | saw peeping out
Of milliner's box, more likely a wedding.
/ was about TO take my departure reluctant
ly, when young girl, Roharming young girl,
bounded into the room. She WAS the origin
al Of the photograph.
20 mammal she cried, here's a letter
from poor Charlie to say he can't possibly
come here to night Isn't it provoking
And want to consult him about 30 many
things."
"Well my dear Isabel" said the old lady
plaodly, you'll have enough OF his compa-
ny after tomorrow" From which Judged
that my surmise as 10 the wedding was cor
rect, and that Charlie was the bridegroom
elect.
"By the way" she went on, "here's a
gentleman, Isabel who insists that we know
Mr. Oharles-I forget the name now"
''rhrapstoW," l inteTjeoted
"a MIR, Charles Thrapstow You know
of no such person, Bella ?"
81 know OF no Mr.. Charles but Charles
Tempest, said Isabel
1T is singular, too, that the initials of our
friends should be the same. May | ask il
you have given your portrait, taken by Blu
bore, of KensingtOn-"
upon my word" said Mrs Maidmont,
rising and sounding the bell, "this il rather
too much from total stranger We don't
know your friend, aud We don't know you.
Susan, show this gentleman out"
"But gentleman" l cried, with blue