Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1891-09-24
A BATTLING MYSTERY.

Fannie L. Fancher. in Portland Transcript.
A BATTLING MYSTERY.
Strange, Remarkable Case Of Mr..
Mansfeld's Wife.
All was excitement at the Mansfield
mansion; its mistress, the beautiful
and accomplished wife OF David Mans
field, had suddenly and mysteriously
disappeared. They were all ready for
an evening ride, Mr.. Mansfield was
already at the carriage, awaiting his
wife's coming She had appeared at
the doorway, but stopped, and, telling
her husband that she had forgotten her
gloves and would return for them, she
reentered the house and started up
stairs to her room.
That was the last Mr.. Mansfield saw
of his wife. He waited fifteen or twen-
ty minutes, and then sent servant to
hurry Mrs. Mansfield The servant re-
turned and reported that the door to
the lady's room was locked, and that
there had been no response when she
knocked.
Frightened, Mr.. Mansfield fastened
upstairs and tried the door of his wife's
room. 1t was locked. as the servant
had said. Mr.. Mansfield called his
wife's name, but received no reply.
He was now thoroughly frightened,
and summoning all his strength, he
no n,,o 1,0 rr1p
about the room was sufficient.
The room was empty-his wife was
gone!
But where, and how, and why?
These were the questions that agi-
tated the mind of the husband, and he
could find no answer for any one of
them. Still, she might be in the house,
Mr.. Mansfield thought, and he set the
servants to searching for her. High
and low, upstairs and down they
searched, but no trace of the missing
woman could they find.
Then they extended their search to
the grounds, with the same results, and
Mr.. Mansfield was in despair. The
disappearance of his wife was so sud-
den, so unexpected, SO mysterious, that
he was filed with kind of nameless,
mum bling feeling of horror, of fear, of
he knew not what
For hours the search had been kept
up, and at last, disheartened, weary,
anguish stricken, the bereaved husband
ordered the search discontinued. What
to do next he did not know, until it
was suggested to HIM to send for de-
tective.
Mr. Mansfield caught at the sug-
gestion at once, and telegraphed to the
city for detective. The next train
brought one Of the best detectives in
the city of New York, and he lost no
time in setting to work.
Accompanied by Mr.. Mansfield, he
entered the room of the missing lady,
and began an examination of it.
.'Is everything just as it was when
her absence was discovered?" asked
Mr.. Ferret, the detective; ''has nothing
been moved or changed in any way?''
Nothing" replied Mr.. Mansfield.
''Everything is just as she left it.
Then that window was open," as.
serted the detective, Indicating an
open window at one side of the room,
and Mr.. Mansfield nodded assent
Mr.. Ferret crossed the room, and ex.
amined the sill and floor beneath the
window. Then he looked out. The
only possible means of reaching the
ground, thirty feet below, was by a
lightning rod, which could be reached
from the window, and the detective
shook his head. It would be power
full incentive that would induce WON
an to descend by means of this rod.
After examining every nook an6
Granny of the room, the detective sal
down and studied the matter from
every point of view, as he thought. Al
last he turned to his companion:
| ''Mr. Mansfield" he said, Il wish tt
ask you question. 1t is of rather {
delicate nature, but hope you will not
be angry Did you and your wife have
any trouble? Do you know any reason
why she should wish to get away from
i you?"
81 do not, . was the reply. ''My wife
! and were on the best terms; we never
quarreled in our lives
The detective looked puzzled. g
don't understand it, he said; 1.-THE only
theory that 1 can advance is that sht
has committed suicide, though if 70,
were on good terms there would be M
reason for her doing this
The detective spent week searching
! for clew, but could find none. A sys
tematic search was made for mile.
around; advertisements were inserted
in all the papers, but it availed moth
ing. Nothing could be discovered TIL,
disappearance of the woman was a!
complete and unfathomable myster,
! as ever.
Mr.. Mansfield grew pale and thin
He had loved his beautiful wife as few
men do love. and the uncertainty at
tending the disappearance of his loved
one made his sorrow all the harder t,
bear. It was worse really than j
would have been had he known his Wit,
was dead. He was unwilling the de
tective should give up the search, an6
the week grew into month.
Two, three, four months the de
tective kept at it. He exhausted every
resource, sifted every semblance of
clew, and finally at the end of five
months, refused to work longer.
It's waste of my time and you
money" he declared, and Mr.. MANSFIELD
reluctantly acquiesced in the detective
decision.
my opinion" said Mr. Ferret, 81
! that your wife is dead. I think you ha
better accept that as fact
ST will not accept that as true unit
l know it is true" declared Mr.. Mans
field, and, unable to produce proof tina
his theory was the correct one, the de
tective said no more, but babe the sol
rowing man good-by and returned I
the city.
! A couple Of months later, as he wa
sitting at home, turning over in hi