The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-06-27
business for you to be botherine your head about
Go< nsxf. vo;o "a had

avenue is empty now, and the walk will help to
clear the cowwebs out of my BRAIN" So
saying the fine young fellow gave me parting
hug as was his want, and skipped nimbly down
stairs.
Next morning, loitered about my rooms be-
fore going out to breakfast, hoping that Arthur
would drop in on his way down town and give
me chance to say a few pleasant words by way
Of atonement for the spark of ill-temper | had
shown at parting, the night before. But he did
not come, and as l had an engagement to dine
out that night, it was unusually late when /
returned to my lodgings. The same thing oc-
Cured next day, but by that time l had begun
to wonder mildly that he did not call. Was he
miffedl We had been accustomed to disregard
artificial divisions of time. and when we were
sufficiently awake TO talk. it mattered not what
was the hour by the clock. So, rejecting that Ar
thur might have had two dinner engagements in
succession, and had neglected to mention them,
l addressed myself to sleep.
But was not little startled next morning,
when Tippoo Saib, as Arthur called the sable
attendant at the Oxonian, came TIC my door to
say that some Of the young gentlemen at the
Oxenian, joint masters of Tippoo Saib, had di-
rected him to come and ask Mr.. Chester if he
knew where Mr. Arthur was. He had not been
seen at his rooms for two or three days He had
an appointment to dine with ''the boys" on the
night before, but had not appeared, nor had ne
sent message thing unprecedented with Ar
thur, and, l may add, thing unprecedented
with any one by the name OF Chester He had
not been seen so far as | could hear since the
hour OF his leaving my chambers
A strange fear shook me. Was this another
mysterious disappearance I sought to Danish
the suggestion as foolish. Arthur, notwith-
standing his whim whams, was sturdy, healthy
lad full of the Chester common sense, and no
coward, to shirk lifes burdens or society's obi
cations. Oh, no, the thing was too absurd.
Nevertheless, went with what haste could to
Arthur's rooms in the Oxonian; if might
find some trace of him there.
They. were charming rooms filed with the
memorabilia that college man picks up, things
that are silly in the eyes of the uninterested and
ignorant visitor, but priceless to the owner OF the
key to the treasure house 1t was sunny apart
ment, and the rays Of morning streamed goldenly
in. clarifying bric-a brac pictures, boxing gloves,
foils prize flags, sculls and the refined disorder
of the 'study-table whore Moorish dagger was
laid across the open pages of the latest novel.
group of half-expectant, halfapprehensive Oxo-
mans stood around me as took survey or the
room.
Nothing here to afford hint as to the young
sters whereabouts" said, with a whimsical and
futile attempt to be jolly.
Nothing here" they all said in chorus.
And then one of the young fellows began finger
ing the dainty notes on the table, as II they
might give clue / placed my hand OH his and
said. my nephew's property. if You please We
will not disturb them"
After all, there was no need for us to worry.
Arthur had innumerable friends and acquaint-
ances in the city and in the country. He might
have taken it in his head to pay some one of
them visit. We should hear from him in the
course of the day. But it was queer that he did
not leave line for me, send me a telegram.
He was mighty scrupulous about such things
In spite of plucky attempts to put bold front
on the matter, ] was secretly worried And
when, after fruitless examination of the prem
ses, gave the apartment into Tippoo Saibs
charge and went heavily down the stairs, l heard
npa ~ fho
1.-THE old man seems to take 1t rather hard"
felt that was twenty years older than was
when went to bed the night before
1t is needless to dwell on this part of my story
As in the case of poor old Crosby, we kept the
facts out of the newspapers, hoping that some
thing might turn up to solve the riddle OF this
mysterious disappearance; but nothing did. And
when the newspapers did get hold Of it, | was
vexed and outraged by their conduct One ink
stained reporter, remember, called at my cham
bers, just as / was going to bed. after hard
days work with the detectives, asked me IL my
nephew had Sysr said any hing me about
certain married lady in Kansas City, who had
lately left her husband, and who had been en-
gagged to appear in comic opera company, but
had forfeited her engagement and had run
away.
l indignantly declared that Arthur Spenser had
no such degrading affiliations as were suggested,
and that it was great shame to invent such
things. The reporter merely ran the pencil up
~
the story came pretty straight to him and he
should be obliged to use it.
sGreat heavens!" l cried; "You don't tell me
that you are going to print such stuff"
why, shall have to. Other fellows will, if
we don't; and can't afford to be beaten 1t
would be as much as my place is worth"
"But keepit back for day, can You mott I'll go
and see the editor OF your paper. know him;
he's good fellow"
.sOurs is a morning paper, you know, and un-
.<~kA
go in tonight"
groaned as glanced at the clock, now mark
ing the hour of midnight; and the reporter was
evidently in hurry.
GAN the fellows have got it. But If You can
stop the others from using it, I dare say we
won't" he said. reentingly. II don't know.
You'll have to see the city editor about that"
dismissed the young man and went to bed.
But it was bad night for me- And it was
worse morning when read the cruel and inflated
story of the mysterious Kansas City grass
widow" and my noble young Arthur in all the
newspapers.
OF course this was romance It was forgot
ten by the busy and hurrying public. But it
gave me a deep wound 1t reused unfelt sus-
picions in my mind l knew that did the poor
boy great injustice. / did not even harbor
these injurious suggestions. Yet there they
were. The evil seed had been sown. might
trample them down, but they were taking root
When poor old Crosby disappeared, had
despise them. A more inefficient and self-con-
ceited class of I had never met After
weeks of search and with large sums of
money at command, they produced not
one clew of value. They had theor-
les and clews galore; but everything
ended nowhere. 1t was a melancholy and
ignoble failure. For time placed reliance on
q Chicago detective-an amateur, they said he
was, who had done great things in the way of
Glow hunting. and of whom strange to say, the
New York detectives were not in the least jeal-
ous They had no occasion to be- He talked
much and did nothing.
And yet this Mr. Manning, without my know
ing it, did succeed in winning my confidence l
told him of my great affection for my grand
nephew and of his friendship for poor old Crosby
These things were not germane to the case, but,
in the loneliness of my heart, told him them
He was very respectful and very sympathetic
He WAS Lot at all of my sort, If may use that
phrase, but / insensibly grew to like the man,
and when, after few weeks stay in New York,
he returned to Chichgo, was sincerely sorry to
l.. H. ~A41f ell