The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-07-19
News NoveIettes, No. 10.
The Deacon's Disappearance !!
By WILLIAM LEIGHTON.

know what TO suggest In aid Of further
inquiry, but ! endeavored TO ascertain
whether any one had called at Angus
flesh booth, to know whether he was at
home, and having got something like
negative from her resolved within my
own mind 10 find out what I could in
this direction.
accordingly left her with some words
calculated TO assure her, and bending
my steps TO the flesh market / met sew.
eral friends Of the well known deacon,
all Of whom had heard Of his unac-
countable disappearance without being
able TO suggest any mode OF accounting
for him. On arriving at the market
made at once for Angus Macgillivray's
booth. He was not there, and o boy who
served the customers answered to my in
quiry that he had not seen his master
since the morning Of the previous day.
I got from the boy the place OF his
masters residence. and though In the
chance Of finding him there ! might
have hesitated ~ to the propriety OF a
direct call, what resolved was to see
his wife In his Cby mel supposed absence.
Angus, found. lived at the corner
of the turn which the Cowgate makes
into the Grassmsrket, and thither bent
my steps. Nor was il many minutes be-
fore was i'm the presence Of Mrs Angus
Macgillivray, but what was my won.
derment to find this woman in very
much the same condition as that in
which found the wife Of the deacon.
Her husband had left the house the pre-
vious day after breakfast without say
ing word that he was to be otherwise
engaged than at his stall, and as it was
his invariable habit to tell her when ne
was to 90 to the country (wnich he often
did for cattle she could not account for
his absence in any way.
So far there was q difference between
the conditions Of the sisters-in-law that
Mra> Angus Maogillivray did not enter
tain any apprehension that any violence
had overtaken her husband, yet it was
clear enough, even from the suspicious
eve she cast upon me while making the
inquiries that she was not free from
the fear Of some untoward accident. She
even questioned me as to my motive for
sailing, as if she thought had some
thing to tell and was afraid to tell it,
and I had some difficulty in satisfying
her that my objeos was not in any way
connected with the circumstances Of his
disappearance AT all hazards. IL was
my especial care to avoid any reference
to the deacon, and especially his abb
sence, for as she doubtless knew that
the enmity was all ON ono side-that Of
her husband---she might have drawn,
with very different feelings, the same
conclusion ct which her sister-in-law
had arrived
Having left this woman also in very
unhappy condition, / stepped to the
battles Office and inquired there wheth-
or any search had been made by any OF
the officers or oonstables, but here again
! was met by the remark that two
days absence did not form even q
ground for such q fear Of any occurrence
either disastrous or fatal az would au-
thorize any search by the authorities of
the city. had my reason for differ
ent conclusion, but was necessarily re-
strained from telling my story by fear
Of throwing suspioion upon man vim
dictive enough to take revenge upon me.
On going toward Borthwick's Close,
| with the intention of again seeing the
deaooness-fer so these great dignitaries
were sometimes called at that time
when corporations were q species Of do
minions or powers-I met Andrew Cir
van, her brother, eurrier. who lived
| in Niddry's Wynd A sensible man, not
prone 10 fanoies, he took very differ
ent view.
"T have been everywhere / could
think of. said he, but can find no
trace"
Everywhere but the house of his
brother, 1" said l, fixing my eyes on him.
"The house Of his brctherW rejoined
he "What on earth would take me
there, the place of all others he would
avoid2"
every true, but what would You
think were you to find that Angus is
also missing. having left his house about
the Same timer said /, with view to
sound him, and thereby test my own sus-
piciona
"Thinkp' replied he. "Why, was not
present at Glennie's tavern that night
when the villain drew his knife against
his own brother, and hurried the dea-
con away, and was 10 not who recon-
mended the lawborrows? Think Why,
if were to find 10 true that Angus Mac
gillivray was away, / would conclude
at the instant that he had repaid the
lawborrows by secret stab. F"
Eyes, but there are difficulties. )" said
I, with that straining for evidence Of a
conviction which Is 20 natural to us.
"Where could such o stab have been
given in broad day, and IL must have
been in the forenoon, seeing the deacon
did not come home TO dinner? Then
any secret der or out Of the way place
is scarcely to be thought Of, insomuch
a. tho deacon could not have been wiled
| tharo NV ona whom ha faarod "