The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-10-03
Mrs. Foearty had lifted the heavy kettle


at all dsheveled or tired. She saw Mrs.
Fogarty depart, and stepped out on the
piazzi for breath Of the sweet cool air
before going upstairs 20 rest q little and
then dress. Mrs. Wharton and Isabel
were just coming down the hill, and,
supremely conscious Of her cotton gown
a; 4 o'clock. though it had been kept quito
unspotted from cho kettle. Kittie hid be-
hind the vines, just pushing her sweet
face out a little beyond them TO nod
! brightly % Isabel and her mother as they
passed the gate. l. was the last time
/ that she was seen that afternoon.
As she went back into the house. she
caught glimpse Of very secdy looking
tramp approaching the lick steps. and
remembered with q paug that after Mrs.
/ Fogartys departure she had forgotten
Richards strict Injunction never, never,
never 20 leave the back door unlocked.
p II would not do 90 let the tramp see her
lurrying 10 pat the chain og and al-
though She walked toward Lin as fast as
f would be consistent with the dignity OF
assured safety. Ae was there IL the door
way before her
"Woula you Ike something TO eatt'
she asked hoping that hor voice did not
tremblc. and uc4.aiiy receiving 10 give
him the whole Of @ cold chicken IL the
refr gcrator.
Il wud that"
Sho turned. wishing il wcrc possible
without lacl, Of dignity 10 treat lin IS If
he wcro king aid back Cut If lis pres
eacc. keeping an ego on him. But, OF
course. this was not possible, neither
would il do TO hurry af.cr she had turned,
as if she were in tie least frightened.
She remembered those devires Of bravo
and ingenious women that she lad heard
Of. who shouted confidently, John. john
bring no the cold chicken. pleased IL or
dor To create q belief that q man lurkcd
on tho prcmisc5; but she found she
couldn't. She wcs sure LCr voice Lad
trelnDlcd when shc spoke 10 lin. and Lo
must not hear it again if possible til she
had the presence Of tho cold chicken to
fortify her So she turned quietly and
walked slowly. slowly-0 Low c1aSgcr-
ated seemed - her the slowncss-toward
tho Refrigerator.
An hour l.te-, Helen Trevor5 pretty
phaeton stopped at the l.ttlo cato Of the
Wentworth cottage. and from it de-
sccnded, very daintily dressed, Holcn
herself, and, still moro Gaintily dressed,
Helels friend Helene friend was the
beautiful and arist0cra;ic Miss Sheldon,
of Washington. who was now punc,il-
iously returning within the prescribed
ten DAYS tho call that Ms Fairchild had
made upon her Immediately after her ar
rival in tho prctticst Of her simple bridal
fnery. They walked slowly up the path,
Helen glancing faniliarly mp at the sec-
Ond story window for possible glimpse
of Kittic. Their ring brought no re-
sponso. q sccoSl. ard oven third. ring
still brought no response. Then. putting
her hand on Ito door knob and finding IL
Weld to her pressure Helen said cheer
fully. Shes 10 homo. for tho door Is
open. but ghc hasn't any girl, You know.
and she is probably upstairs dressing
We will i-s. step il and wait in tho par
lor g few minutes 10 never takes kittie
long - dress, and she viii hurry, because
So -uss Aavo heard tie bell
80 they walked in quietly and waited
perhaps ton inmates. w-!lo Helen dcs'
cante1 On tie bridal bric-a-ar2c and the
Wow f-o.a &c windows. Growing impa-
tent at last. she ersconced Miss Sheldon
il 2 comfortable chair, ard. stepping 10
the foot OF tho stairs, called "kittie,
kittic."
Still 20 reply a more emphatic Kit
tie" was followed b. tho explanation:
RS only I. Kit.io, Do come down just
a. yoa are. It's only uelcn-and Miss
Sheldon" Then, after another pause.
Can't ran up. kiitie Coming back
into tho pariCr shc SAID t1oaght.ully.
It's very queer, perhaps aho is in the
kitchen busy. and don't want US ID inter
rvp- hcr work, Blt She rover minds me
You stay here and viii ,Cn out and see
Nothing, however, was discovered IN
the kitchen.
"She must Lavo rr2 0vcr to one Of the
ncighbors, explained l!cl'n. She Cant
b meaning % stay long. or She wouldn't
haze left the front door unlocked SO we
will wat littlc longer Tor AAto to 90
back without seeing her
So they waited iittlo longer. ten. fir
teol, twenty minutes, kalf an boar
longer Then suddenly ilclcn iunpcd UP
and exclaimed cSc..cdly. why. she can't
be out. for there is Lcr hat and her sun
shade and her gloves cn chair in the
hall. as if she had just come ia. Wait q
minute till run " stair, and sec IL her
bon.e, is gone.
But everything was Intact and in place
upstairs; not bc.nct 6oac. not g hat to
be missed. not sign OF departure any
Were. What co-ll it moany In vain
Mss sheldon suggested that as it was
80 warri Mrs. Tairvhild might have run
in 70 q ncighbor's without q hat; Helen
was sure she would al least have carried
4 sunshaGc. Il Shall not rest, she muir
INJURED. inpulsivcly. Till | find out what
it means We must search the house.
Search it they did As the problem
grew deeper. and the mystery more alarm
ing, into moro and more singular places
did they peep in quest of the missing
bride Miss Sheldon at first hesitated
about Joining her friend in the indiscrim-
mate examination of rooms and closets,
neither the garnet nor the cellar escaping
IIelen's restless anxiety; but finally the
strangeness of the affair led her to forget
all fear of inquisitiveness. and she plunged
into trunks, when Helen in the garnet
suddenly remembered the story Of Ginevra,
with all the zeal and distress Of the more
intimate friend Only one closet was
found locked. small kitchen closet. and
as she tried the handle Of that a second
time in vain. Helen exclaimed.
"ShC has been murdered Nora muir