The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1891-11-12

DE knew nOtnlng more except JnAG no
had seen her walking on road that led
out Of town as ho was going to his sup
per.
"was she aloneT' asked.
"YeS No one was with her that l
could see."
"Where does the road lead TOT"
at leads Just to the cemetery, and
them
That's sufficient; did you tell Miss
-, the lady that has just left, all
thisT"
IAN, except about the young man. I
forgot that till just now"
Good. Say nothing about It to any
one Good night"
left him and walked rapidly in the
direction Of the hotel that Miss Ormsby
bad gone to; then l changed my mind
and decided to wait for her on the road
to the cemetery.
Twas not long in finding place con-
venieut for my purpose. A thick clump
Of trees growing near the roadside at
once afforded me q secure retreat and a
position from which l could watch all
who passed by without being seen myself.
It was by this time nearly ten O'Clock,
and the road was deserted and lonely.
It had been bright moonlight. but some
thin gray clouds were drifting across the
sky. and every now and then would OBJ
scure the face Of the moon. Before me
the broad, dusty road stretched away to
where the white gravestones Of the Gem.
etery shone on the hill side. It was 4
warm, sultry night, and wearied by my
exertions l found the cool shade Of the
trees very pleasant.
mentally viewed the days experience
TO see how l stood with regard to the
mystery and what chances had Of solV-
ing II.
The clew had Just obtained threw q
new light on the situation, but did not
conclusively prove why Miss Ormsby had
come to Maiden.
could only think Of two reasons for
this action on her part; the first to hnd
out what had become Of her missing
partner for the ball, Frank Holden; the
second to find out what had become Of
the shopgirl, Miss Mason. II the FIRST
cause was the true one she must have
known Of Holden's connection with the
shopgirl-must have known or foreseen
the result Of her sending the ribbon;
must have known that Miss Mason
would go to Maiden, AID that Holden
would follow her; but Holden had said
that his fiance had gone there to kill
herself. Did Miss Ormsby know that
tooI Then she had not inquired for him
at the station. though that proved moth
ing, because she might have taken It for
granted that where Miss Mason was he
would be also.
II the second cause were true, she must
still have known that Miss Mason would
60 to Maiden on receipt Of the ribbon,
and again the ugly suspicion arose in
my mind that she must also know what
she went there for. But why did she
follow herr Was 1t to save her? Hardly,
for then she would have gone at once.
Was It to see II she had killed herself
That was preposterous, for she could have
read It in the next mornings papers with
much more safety and much less trouble.
Either reason left much to be proved,
and must await further Developments.
Just then in the distance heard foot
falls, and Q minute later Miss Ormsby
passed me. walking rapidly toward the
graveyard.
l saw her enter II, and following n
quickly as dared, crept along on my
hands and knees till ! was In the shadow
Of the church near by, and then raising
myself looked over into the cemetery. |
started, for found that l was within
three feet Of her, but fortunately the
moon was clouded Just then and she did
not see me- She was carefully searching
every nook and corner Of Q small lot and
was evidently looking for something.
Two Of the graves lay close together and
the little trough between them was In
the shadow and looked black and forbid
ding. She approached this hollow several
times, but seemed afraid Of II, for she
would draw back 0 step or two and
stand listening. Finally she mustered
up courage enough to put out her arm a.
though she were going to feel In the hol-
low. But though she came very near
dipping her hand into the blaclEness abe
would hastily draw it back, only 10 bring
II nearer the next time.
She feared to touch something, and
yet 20 strongly was she attracted 10 the
something that she thought was lying in
the blaczness that she finally nerved her
self to thrust her hand down - far - IL
would go; but she touched only the
grass
Her face bore an expression Of mingled
relief and fear-relief because her hand
had not touched something, fear for
what had become Of the thing that she
sought. She now arose from the kneel-
ing position she had assumed and TO
turned a. quickly as she had come 10 the
hotel followed, thinking, for now
knew two more facts. knew what she
had come to find, and knew by the look
Of fear upon her face that 1t was mot her
fault that the grewsome thing she looked
for was missing, and that she greatly
dreaded lest some one else had found it
The hotel Of the town was built around
three sides Of hollow square, and while
Miss ormsby entered by the front door
I came in the back way and passed
through the courtyard.
The window Of . private parlor In one
Of the wings was open, and as went BY
I heard voices that sounded familiar and
caused me to look up. Within was
seated Frank Holden, and on his lap
none other than Miss Mason; no, there ]
was wrong, for on her finger she wore .
plain gold ring that had not been there
In the morning. went into the house
with Light heart and hope that some