The Somerset reporter., 1895-08-08
The Story of the Woman
ReDorfer.

when lac was giving out Il particularly
diSagIeeable assignment Vas the MAINE
Of one who cOnfers favor. Here.
a chance to distinguish Yourself h'
seemed To say. and he fefeitated vol
upon ii. This made il little Difficult
for any one Of timid disposition 10 sug
gest 10 the city editor that certain a.
sigumonts were impossible Tie chauc,
that Il reporter would lose life or limb in
the pursuit of duty only gave pleasing
piquaucy to the situation in the chief
opinion, and as for mele snubs, freezing'
and such small things. he scoraed Il
take account.
All this. Of course. W.T. rather trying
10 Il young person Who. having derived
her opinions of new paper lie from thu
rOse-colored fiction of the magazines
imagined that she would be treated Will
the Difference due her >ex and would
never he asked to 90 out Oh rainy day,
such a Young person va. in my early
day, on the staff OF the Clarion Call
only a dislike to own my self beaten aud
the occasional fascination which com
pensated for the more trequeLt dis
comfort. kept Inc in the office. But al
this was before the day | vas sent 10
interview the wife and daughter Of TIT
man who had Just disturbed society by
disappearing from it.
Nj. Grey. 50 it had been learned from
the notices coneerni x hi disappearance
had one every evening after dinner gone
our foi a stroll around the block. H.
had never come back. His family Wa.
of course, Frustrated after the manner Of
families on such sad occasions. After
giving him time to come back. sending
To hi clubs, his Office and the houses OF
hi, friends his " lie had finally told his
LAWYERS. and systematic search began.
The family had retired from public life
and denied themselye, to every one.
Consequently nay chances for an inter
view with Mrs. Grey did not seem very
hopeful, but the city editors air OF
granting me the opportunity | had been
longing for made me loath TO admit my
fears.
took the train for the Greys-they
lived a little way out OF toWn-and pre-
pared my self to meet the servants scOrn
and the other attendant evils of such an
assignment. The coach was an ordinary
one, and there We're several labOring
men in il, evidently travelling to some
suburb where they were 10 work upon
the roads. for they carried pickaxes and
shovels.
There sat opposite me and slightly
forward a peculiar type of man, to
whom found my gaze wandering every
few minutes. His iron-gray hair was
thick and very unevenly cut. His face
was covered with IA stubble growth of
of grey beard. He looked unwashed,
unkempt and generally unpleasant. His
blue overalls were stained, aud his red
flannel shirt opened at the front in way
which revealed anything but beautiful
neck, burned and blistered. But the
mans twitching lips and conVulsive
movements of the jaws attracted my at
tentiou, and his deep-set, steely blue eyes
that burned in cavernous sockets fascin-
ated me. He did not talk to the other
men, but Sat with his bead sunk upon
his breast, only occasionally raising it to
cast look about him. He, with the
other laborers. left the train at Forest
Vile, where the Greys lived. and soon
saw them, under the direction of the
foreman, assigned to make various road
repairs.
Of course Mrs. Grey would not see me.
| sat in the library while the servant
took my card to her, for there We're
other callers in the drawing-room. Over
the mantcl hung "A picture, presumably
Mrs. Grey done in oil. She was as
beautiful as cameo and as hard.
Opposite her was the portrait of a clean
shaven man. with fine iron-grey hair
brushed off his forchead-a more plebe-
ian cast Of countenance. but strong aud
interesting. The face seemed familiar.
| stared at it until the servant returned.
Mrs. Grey is sorry, miss, but she can
see no one, and has nothing to say for
publication.
VERY we'll" said [. Then as | rose
to go;
lis that Mr. Grey asked, nodding
toward the picture.
"Yes. miss, was the reply. and sud
denly it flashed upon me where had
seen those deep-set, curiously shaped,
keen blue eyes. My heart leaped almost
into my mouth. | took one long look at
the portrait and left the house.
The men were repairing the road, and
| soon placed my interesting working
man. He was alone. He did not fling
off Jokes as he threw the shovelfuls of
clay up. He worked with fierce de.
light in the severe labor. His face SEEM
ed more mad than ever, with the exulta-
ton of motion and strength deepening
the 9leaR in his eyes.
There was a telegraph office at the end
of the street. ! sent a message to the
city editor. "SeEd a man to FOrestville
at once" was my command. Then while
paced the street and walked about the
square | reflected upon the welcome |
would receive if had made Il mistake
Every minute became more and more
convinced that had made the most col
ossal blunder on record. BY the time
Ellington Ellsworth, the only man who
happened to be available when my tele-
nearly hysterical. told Mr. Ellsworth
my theory, and he was properly skeptic-
al. He discouraged me thoroughly in
about two minutes, but | suddenly raj
lied.
"Well," remarked. taking command.
81 want you to keep that man in sight.
shall go to town and get his lawyer.
Find out what train they go in on and
I'll meet YOU
Mr.. Ellsworth didn't wish to act upon
that suggestion, but he finally consented
to do so. went in, summoned Mr..
Grays lawyer, and with him met the
working mems train. Mr.. Ellsworth.
looking bored and unhappy, got out and
pointed out our suspected disappear
ance" to his lawyer. My heart stood in
my mouth. Was | to be forever dis
graCed or made famous forever?
MIR. Gray" said the lawyer, stepping
forward, "what does this mean?'
And when | saw the man start wildly
| knew that was not forever dsgraced.