The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1891-08-30
yes returned she sna

NO; sne just WenI OUT D1o yer Wana
to see her?''
tsBut / thought she was HIP said,
surprised at this piece Of information.
Not much, guess; she amt been
gone more'n a minute.
'sDid she say where she was goingf@
eyes; Maiden. That's where her
folks used to live. She said she wouldn't
be back tonight"
Evidently / could find out nothing
more from this source, and was just
about to turn away when gentleman
brushed by me up the steps and started
to go into the house.
I recognized him as Frank Holden,
whom / had met several times in Boston
and Cambridge society. In his hurry he
had not recognized me, and ! was about
to pass out when his conversation caused
me to stop. As be went by the girl she
caught him by his coat and said, sit
amt any use goin' in, Mr.. Holden, she
amt there
"Whatl isn't Miss Mason at homeg"
ssNo, I guess she's got tired of waiting
for you, you amt been here in SO long,
this last remark with coarse laugh.
.sOh, come, Lizzie, my good girl, :" he
replied, 1--WE been busy, and could not
help it. think / will wait, however;
she may be back Soon"
81 guess she won't"
81 think she viii. But tell me, Lizzie,
is she well?'
mo, she amt. She came home from
the store this morning sick"
.SickF he exclaimed, and started vio-
lently.
eyes, had fainting turn; she cried,
and
had been standing by all this time,
wondering how the deuce the fashion
able Frank Holden knew anything about
this girl, and what he wanted to see her
for. now joined in the conversation,
and stepping forward interrupted Lizzie,
and said, Excuse me, Mr.. Holden, but
as happened to be at Jordan & Marsh's
when Miss Mason tainted, perhapsI can
give you the information you desire. !"
He recognized me and thanked me,
though at the same time I could see
that he was annoyed at my presence.
eThe illness is nothing to be alarmed
at or startled about said, merely a
little fainting attack, the result of ashock;
she nust be much better, as she has gone
upt..''
.Yes, of course. Excuse me If seem
inquisitive, but am very much inter
ested in Miss Mason's welfare. May ask
what caused the shockY'
"Why, certainly" replied, growing
more and more surprised as the CONVEX
sation continued. "She received q pack
age the contents of which seemed to
startle her.
eyes, l know; it was a sample of rib.
bon."
How the devil did you know it thought
thought to myself, but did not say SO.
"Red ribbon, wasn't it," he continued.
"But Of course it was"
mo" replied. 1T was purple"
If I had struck him a blow in the face
he could not have been more startled.
He turned very pale and staggered like
a drunken man. looked at him, too as
tonished to speak. s'Purple?' he gasped;
then, without giving me time to speak,
he continued: There must be some
dreadful mistake; you say she went out?"
''Miss Mason? Yes"
"Where did she gos Do you know"
81 was told she had gone to Maiden on
business by this girl here"
Good Godl she'll kill herself if can't
get there first to stop her! Where can
pat n cabp Toll mo c11iclr -
"Here's mine-you are welcome to it;
can | give you any assistance
'sNo, nothing; l am the only one who
can save her. This is an awful sort Of
marriage day for her though. poor girl"
Marriage dayi Who was going to
marry her?'
81 was" he cried, and jumping into
the cab ratified away up the street and
out of sight in a moment
was astonished am not generally
it takes too much exertion. I looked
at the servant and saw that she was as
astonished as was, for she stared after
the carriage for a moment and then
laughed. That was the difference be-
tween her establishment and mine.
tried to think out some solution for the
mystery, and she, like all uncultivated
people, and the majority of women,
laughed at what she could not under
stand.
Her laughter grated on me, and said
somewhat sharply: II see nothing to
laugh at. Do your
THE young gent used to be mighty
sweet on her while ago, but he hain't
been near her for more'n three months,
and now jist because she amt at home
he gets riled," she replied and laughed
again.
l walked away thinking and very much
puzzled. was already becoming sus-
picious of the whole matter. Were all
these things that had happened coinci-
dences? l thought not. But If they
were not then they depended on each
other, and how that was possible could
not understand. Could it he that had
been used as tool in this matter by
Miss Ormsby, and that the package con-
tanned something moro than knew of?
But what possible connection could there
be between the beautiful Miss Ormsby
and the little shop girl? Why should
Mr.. Holden be going to marry girl
whom he had not seen for three monthsi
Why should she kill herself, and how
could he prevent it? And lastly, what