The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-12-10

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that hereafter Mr.. GARRISON would APP
ply to him direct for any information
he wanted. The two men were now nc
longer on speaking terms.
Charles Carriston, in his present
frame of mind, cared little whether his
relatives wished to bless or forbid the
bannS- He was passionately in love
and at once set about making arrange
ments for speedy marriage. Although
Madeline was still ignorant of the ex.
allied position held by her lover-al,
though she came to him absolutely pen
niless, ne was resolved in the matter OF
money to treat her as generously as he
would have treated the most eligible
damsel in the country. There were
several legal questions to be set st rest
concerning certain propert. he wished
to settle upon her. These of course
caused delay. As soon as they were
adjusted to his own. or, rather, to his
lawyers satisfaction, he purposed going
to Scotland and carrying away his beau
tiful bride. In the meantime he cast
about for residence.
! Somewhat Bohemian in his nature.
Carriston had nc intention of settling
down Just yet to live the life of an ordi-
nary moneyed Englishman. His inten-
ton was TO take Madeline abroad for
some months. He had fixed upon
Cannes as desirable place at which to
winter. but, having grown somewhat
tired of hotel life, wished to rent FUR
nished house. He had received from
an agent TO whom he had been advised
to apply the refusal of house which,
from the glowing description given.
seemed the one above all others he
wanted. As an early decision was in
sisted upon. my impulsive young friend
thought nothing of crossing the Channel
and running down to the south of
France to see. with his own eyes. that
the much lauded place was worthy of
the fair being who was to be its tempo
rary mistress.
He wrote to Madeline and told her
he was going from home for few days.
He said he should be travelling the
| greater part of the time, so it would
be no use her writing to him until his
return. He did not reveal the object of
his journey. Were Madeline to know
| it was to choose a winter residence at
| Cannes, she would be filled with amaze
ment, and the innocent deception he
was still keeping up would not be car
| ried through to the romantic end which
he pictured to himself.
The day before he started for France,
Madeline wrote that her aunt was very
unweli, but said nothing as to her NAL
ady causing any alarm. Perhaps Car
riston thought less about the old Scotch
widow than her relationship and kind
ness to Miss Rowan merited. He start
ed on his travels without any forebod-
lngs of evil.
His journey to Cannes sn5 back was
hurried-he wasted no time on the road,
but was delayed for two days at the
place itself before he could make final
arrangements with the owner and the
present occupant of the house. Think
ing he was going to start every mo-
ment. he did not write to Madeline-at
the rate at which he meant to return, =
letter posted in England would reach
her as quickly as if posted at Cannes.
He reached his home. which for the
last few weeks had been Oxford, and
found two letters waiting for him. The
first, dated on the day he left England,
was from Madeline. 1t told him that
her aunt's illness had suddenly taken a
fatal turn-that she had died that day.
almost without warning. The second
letter was anonymous.
1t was written apparently by wom-
an, and advised Mr.. Carr to look sharp
ly after his ladv-love or he would find
himself left in the lurch. The writer
would not be surprised to hear some
fine day that she had eloped with
certain gentleman who should be name
less. This precious epistle, probably
an emanation of feminine spite, Carris-
ton treated as it deserved-he tore it up
and threw the pieces 10 the wind.
But the thought of Madeline being
alone at that lonely house troubled
him greatly. The dead woman had
no sons or daughters-all this anxiety
and responsibility connected with her
affairs would fall on the poor girl. The
next day he threw himself into the
Scotch Express, and started for her
PARKWAY home.
On arriving there he found it occu-
pied only by the rough farm servants.
They seemed in state of wonderment,
and volubly questioned Carriston as to
the whereabouts of Madeline. The
questions sent a chill of fear to his
heart. He answered their questions
by others, and soon learned all they
had to communicate.
Little enough it was. On the morn
ing after the old woman's funeral
Madeline had gone to Calendar to ask
the advice of an old friend of her aunt
as to what steps should now be taken.
She had neither been to this friend nor
had she returned home. She had. how
ever, sent a message that she must 90
10 London at once, and would write
from there. That was the last heard
of her-all that was known about her.
Upon hearing this news Carriston be-
came a prey to the acutest terror an
emotion which was quite ineXplicable
to the honest people, his informants
The girl had gone, but she had sent
word whittier she had gone. True, they
did not know the reason for her depart
ure, so sudden and without luggage of
any description-true, she had not writ
ten as promised. but no doubt they
would hear from her tomorrow. Car
riston knew better. Without revealing
the extent of his fears, he flew back to
Calendar. Inquiries at the railway
station informed him that she had gone.
or had purposed going, to London, but
whether she ever reached it, or whethe, |
any trace of her could be found there, |
was at least matter of doubt Nc |
good could be gained by remaining in
Scotland, so he travelled back at once tc
town. half distracted, sleepless and
racking his brains to know where to
look for her.