Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1893-08-31

to her that he had seen Edna Deane,
that he knew her to be alive, realizing
that any appeal to her to tell him truly
what she knew of the poor, prosecuted
child OF destiny would not bring d
truthful response from her false lips.
That night. bafiied, distracted, crush
ed, Beatrice sought vainly for the man
she loyed-at his home, in the village
She could not forget him. So near to
success, and careless babbbling had
lost her the precious prize.
She fingered at the retirement Of the
doctors home for several days; she
had him inquire everywhere for Mar
shall, but the latter had mysteriousIy
disappeared from the village.
Il shall return home" she told him
with anxious, haggard face, finally,
AT the first trace you secure Of him
write or telegraph me. You got the
marriage certificate from the clergy.
MANI"
DR.. Simms eyaded her questioning
| glance.
Not yet" he stammered, but I will
You see, the village clergyman was
away, and I had to arrange with a
strange minister who lives In another
town. L will attend TO it. oh, you
viii win Raymond Marshall to your
side yet"
Life is torture else" sighed the dis.
appointed Beatrice. And that night she
started back for the home where lux
ury and wealth were a hollow mock
cry. with her scheme for Raymond
Marshall's love a failure.
Had she remained one day longer az
Hopedale, she would have seen Ray
mond Marshall, for he returned twenty
four hours after her departure.
IL he was pale, worn, jaded before,
he was a mere shadow of his former
handsome self now. He had sought
vainly everywhere for a trace Of Edna
Deane.
Back at the starting point of his in
vestigation, ere he went to his home,
he visited the hotel. He questioned the
landlord about Miss 4eslie," and in
qEired particularly about a mysterious
visitor on the day of the marriage.
Il remember now" spoke the land
lord, after listening to Marshall's story.
There was a strange woman here.
She sat in the ladies' parlor, but she
disappeared mysteriously. However,
we found a little satchel there the next
morning.
a satchelt" CALCULATED Marshall
eagerly, car / see it,"
The article was produced. Disap-
pointedly Marshall glanced ove the
few collars and handkerchiefs it con
tanned. They little resembled the dainty
neckwear OF his Edna. AS he noted
in red ink on the inside of the satchel
an address, however, he decided that
1t might have belonged to Edna, that
it might possibly be a clue.
The address was that of a farmer,
John Blake. The next afternoon, Ray
mond Marshall knocked ut the door of
the humble cottage that had sheltered
his lost darling the night of the snow
storm.
To her it had been a haven of safety
and peace, to him it became the por.
tails of u paradise of hope and love,
as within ten minutes he knew all the
truth.
Yes, he had located Edna at last.
Mrs. Blake had told him all she knew.
He could patch out all the mystery of
Edna's strange disappearance now. oh!
he had found her at last.
Found her, however, to lose her
again, it seemed. With a sinking heart
he listened to the concerned matron
as she told him that Edna had been
missing for hours.
That day she had gone out for a
drive. An hour previous the horse and
phaeton had come home, Bruno jogging
after, but no driver.
Had Edna again fied-had she met
with an accidentf
"Oh! it cannot be, so near to finding
her, to lose her again." murmured Mar
shall, wildly. Have you no idea where
she went, Mrs. Blake?"
No, the farmers wife could not con-
lecture, and, about to give Marshall
an idea of Edna's usual route IN driy-
ing. he interrupted her.
Bruno. the dog" he exclaimed sud-
denly. Come here, good fellow"
He took up a dainty glove from the
table that belonged TO Edna. He patted
the dog, he showed him the glove, he
pointed down the road.
The intelligent animal seemed TO un-
derstand what was expected of him.
/ Find your MISTRESS urged the So
~licitous Marshall.
With a sharp bark, Bruno darted
through the cottage door.
Down the winding road he ran, the
eager, hopeful Raymond Marshall at
his heels, realizing upon how frail a
thread hung the fate of the woman he
loved.