The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1894-07-20

the evening. l, of course, soon turned
the the LacroiX inquiry.
NO so, said he, shaking his head.
He bad gone abont to all the stations.
and had been stared at, almost ieered.
Tor expecting railway porters. guards
and such-lika persons to remember a
lnan whom they might have seen. or
might not have seen. more than nf-
teen months before--esDecially since
there did not seem TO have been ny-
thin: particular about the gentleman
to attract notice. He had been rather
better received at Kings Cross. There
my friend introduced him to the super
lntendent of passenger traffic. and he
had promised to push inquiry as far
as he could and to write the result
so you see,' said Freeman up to
the present the result is absolutely nil,
and I'm afraid nil it will be to the
end Of the chapter, with the trifling
| addition Of waste of time and veNation
OF heart. / know, my dear fellow"
said he, how interested you are III the
matter-that it is SO to say, a point
you would give anything to make:
but do consider. now, its nopelessness.
The poor man is gone-disappeared
without sign, as many men do dis
appear, and"
He is not gone without sign. Look
at that" showing him my recently &C
ouired palpable evidence. the return
ticket and the schoolmstress' note.
Some feeling of triumph in me was
surely excusable l told him how |
had come by the ticket and what had
learned from Louise. And that. said
], Il take as the strongest possible
presumntive evidence that soon after
March 18th Mr. Lacroix was in La
croix lane
1T is very remarkable, certainly" :"
said he: 1T makes me ready to believe
With you that he really did come home
Still you know, it is miles away from
actual proof
II know that said I; but it con-
vinces me at least hat the mystery is
no longer in London, but in Iimper-
ley"
II think" said he. after all you are
a better detective than ] am"
| am afraid l was proud of myself;
but a long humiliation soon began
which sorely tried al my hope and
fortitule.
The end Of my six months curacy
was almost at hand but, since my re,
cent discovery, | was resolved Wouia
still remain at least in the nelghbof-
hood of Timperley. | went hrst 10 Tue
rector. who was not well enough 70 re-
sume his duties, in the nope tnai !
might prevail upon him TO lei me con
time ia fill his place for some time
longer | was surprised, and somewhat
niu,Ied to hear that it was entirely out
Of the question. because another carate
had already been engaged
"A Young man from st. Bees, sald
tho rector. Mr.. Steinhardt says we
must have no more clever men III I'm
nerley. / would have liked you very
we'll to stay. but you know-you see
= can't he If | can do anything for
| YOU -
/ said. since l could not stay in I'm
nerley, | wished to get curacy some
where in the neighborhood. Ihe rector
| looked at me in way which maze me
| doubt whether | had been wise TO 'ell
| him nv desire. However, he answered
| ha would see what he could do
Stejnhardt. il was evident, expected
mo to 20 away, back to the south PROB
a,,y since | disliked Timperley sc
much but metaphorcally shook ~.
| Creydon evidence at aim ana more o.
s,inately resolved not TO 60 away
| Yh4r. happened at that time to bt
| several curacies vacant IN nel2n.or'hs
r.rishes or districts l applied first foi
one. with the result after some lime
of having my application dechned' an.
| then for another. with the same result
| was disappointed and puzzled; | knew
| had been reckonad successful III I'm
nerley. and / could not understand tht
coldness and reticenca of the relies
| received. But / was soon startled mt
the perception of their cause.
Louise and | had got into the habl
| of meeting frequently (as ! have al
ready hintedl at the cottage OF Oh
| Jaaues. We were still waiting 10
| news frcm Kings Cross. and we dit
rot know whether the letter was TO D.
sent to me or to Freeman or to Mis-
i Lacroiy. Louise met me one morning
in great alarm and hurriedly told m
4 the expected letter had come, bnt ad
| dressed to Mr.. LacroiX That Stein
hardt therefore had opened 1t, natural
lv expecting to find it business con!
munication. He brought it to her. an
| asked il she knew what 1t meant. 81
| road it. 1t was short, and TO this effect
| The guard who had had charge OF To
1 Z o'clock express on the evening .
March the 10th, 1852, had been foun
and ;nterrogated; he could not remeH
Der any one answering to the descl1I
ton of the missing gentleman. Il
might or might not have Travelled 9
that train. but it really seemed impos
sible to ascertain at that distance Q
time.
"Oh." said she, in terrified voice
| nNfr Stejnhardt looked terrible! il