Nevada County picayune., 1890-03-26

was certainly not safe to let this young woman disappear. However, she did not leave her seat until the others rose to go, and l followed her rapidly. l felt as though 1 had known the girl for years. In some strange way the magnetizer whom l had believed to he mere trickstcr, and who still believe had i had trained his eonfcderates in their little now-balling scene, in their weeping and fighting performances, had placed me in zen rapport with the forlorn Miss Gray. I knew her and of her vaguely, How, could not say, as if l had listened to a story told amidst interruptions.
 As stood upon the cornor of the street, l thought: Prom the coun- try, an orphan, persecuted by some one. robbed Her memories had in measure become mine. partially read them when read the folded let ter. as l held her hand. But they gave me no clue hy which to follow her. Chance did that. \ white ob- ject lay upon the pavement. It Hut tered toward me. l stopped and picked it up. It was lady's hand i kerchicf, fine and old, and in the corner was a name. Esther Gray" It was hers, for this was the name l i had seen at the bottom of the letter I had read so mysteriousl V She had turned to the right, then. l had this small clew, and l hurried on more hopefully.
 Official duty ordered me back to the office with my report. Other duties, and those imperative, it seemed to me, commanded me Eto find the unhappy girl and save her, if possible, from destruction.
 Happily, at this moment saw that was at the door of a telegraph and city messenger office, and hurrying in, sent my copy to the Comet by a boy, and felt my conscience light ened,
 As l passed out of the door it oc- cured to me to put a question to an owl-eved urchin who fingered there.
 Young fellow" said 1. "have you noticed lady passing-a slender lady in brown 2"
 Awful white and scary?" asked the boy.
 "Sho may be frightened, being alone" l said.
 "Onc like that turned up alongside the new buildings there," the boy said. Awful white she was.
 l gave him the first coin my fingers closed on as l thrust them into my pocket, and hastened mp the street. The new buildings were a row of large flat houses, only partially fin ished. A tmck-set old watchman, with a coat that reached to his heels was trotting up and down, swinging a thick stick.
 "Good evening"" l said. "Have you seen lady pass: Slender, tall"
 "Pass?' he answered. "Ah, sure, it was a lady them"
 What do you mcan:" l asked.
 "Sure,' said he, "didn't l see somthin' fitting up the stairs, wid the whitest face ever seen since l was born, and didn't take it for ghost: sthruck for the officer an he came. Patsy Hogan says l, I've seen ghost I'm in trimble. !"
 'rve no orders in regard to ghosts, says he, but if it's wo- man,
 Where is she;" l asked.
 Up above" said he.
 Il must find her at oncc," said l. (Which way"
 ''rll go wid you, ;" said he. Wait, Patsy has orders in regard to vim min, I'll call him.
 He struck his club on the pave ment. Another answered him from afar A policeman was with us in Il moment. and the watchman's Ian tern shone along the stairs-up one flight, up another. At last he nt- tered cry.
 "Here is the woman" he said, and crouched in corner. with terror in her eyes, saw the girl for whom was searching. Her face was white, heaven knows; her hands were pas sionately clasped together.
 uNot even here :" she cried.