The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1892-12-17
affected, by some dread mystery that

affected, by some dread mystery that
involved the utmost sc .recy.
Reasoning all this out, Raymond May
shall decided that he could do but
little except To await developments. His
anxiety for Edna's welfare, however,
his impetuous, impatient spirit, drove
him to endely to learn what course
Edna's mysterious companion had taken
in so swiftly spriting her away 10 her
friends. He traced the carriage to the
railroad town fifteen miles distant, but
there the trail ended. Distance or di
elton taken by the fugitive there be-
came involve FONTS of speculation.
For week he hung around lIopedale.
His painting was neglected. His father
was involved il. deep business difficult
ties, which at any other time wouII
have commanded his attention. bat Just
now h" could think of nothing but Edna.
He grew moody and tao turn, anxious
and then alarm Ell. No letter arrived
from Edna. He haunted the woods,
spots cndeare TO him by their past
meetings, but his anxious heart drove
him to distraction as the fear grew
upon him that his love was lost 10 him,
that either the mandate of a stern
father or the plots Of the sren-heartcd
Beatrice were operating TO rob him Of
the bonny bride TO whom his troth was
plighjed.
What did this girl know? Evidently
everything there was To know. With
subtle craftiueSS she In woven her
soft wiieS about the innocent and trust
full Edna, until the latter had ma ie of
her Il bosom frieI.d-an exclusive con
fdante She had tacitiy acknowledged
to Marshall that she knew where Edna
II
reused 10 tell him what he wished To
know. Fully compromising the girls
rcaolute nature, Marshall gloomily de-
cidcd that if She alone held the fate OF
his ever again meeting his loved and
lost one that event would never trans
pirc.
Wrought up to maddcning pitch of
frenzy by the unce rtainty and suspense
of the hour, Wei as by a sense OF
deep wrong and injustice, one evening
hammond Marshall went straight to the
seminary.
Beatrice Mercer shall tell me all she
knows" he uttered iierccly Il VIII
plead, | will brighten her, bat secret
shall be mine!"
The browning surprise and disaster
alike of the eliminating troubles OF the
hour was announced at the very portals
Of the seminary.
Miss Mercer was gone, BIankly and
doiefully Miss Chandler impaired the
bcwildcling information.
Gone? WEen-wherc? Beatrice Mer-
Ger, POOR fricndlcss, dependent entirely
on Miss Chandlor's bounty and the
mca.er means that her position as sub
teacher awarded her, gone? Abandon
ing position which seemed to be IL
life-lcasc for her?
Yes, she had made the sudden an
nouncemenJ that morning. Thoroughly
amazing her friends, she hal packed up.
demanding her salary, and had lett
without a word of explanation concern
ing either her, motives in resigning her
position or her future intentions.
To the dumfounded and suspenseful
Raymond Marshall this seemed the last
and most cruel blow of fate. His final
reliance was swept away. He felt as
sured that Beatrice Mercer knew of the
Whereabouts of Edna. Now, She, too,
had d.sappeared-there was not clue
in sight.
Would she Jon Edna in her new
home, AMI by forgery and misrcpr, SEN
tation wreck her faith III her lover, and
work out her pots of jealousy and re-
vengc?
Oppressed by this torturing thought,
Raymond Marshall left Hopedale that
night on a blind, hopeless quest for
some trace Of the woman he loved and
the woman he dreaded.
Too late The woman whose cruel
hand w 5 twisting his heart strinSs with
torture, because in her wild, erratic
way she loved him, had twenty-four
hours start IN plot so subtle and bold
that his spirit would have quailcd had
he even 50 much as guessed its sinister
motives,
10,