The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1896-09-10
TEE DEACOHS DISAPPEARANCE
BY WILLIAM LEIGHTON.

Inc tlEle Is not Tar enough gone Tor any
very serious apprehension. We must
wait another day. There is an old say
ing something to the effect that if you I
want to keep your friends, don't prolong I
your visit beyond three days, and if YOU /
want to be thought not dead, don't be
unaccountably absent from home beyond
three nights.
To this Mr.. Girvan agreed, and both
of US saw the propriety of visiting the
deaconess, who was hour by hour losing
hope. We found her in the same posi-
ton in which had left her. noticed
that as we entered she turned a wistful
eye upon US, with an expression that
seemed to speak and say, sis he not with
you?' and there followed that blank look
in which the orb seems dead
There was silence everywhere. as if
Angerona had there set up her temple,
and the votaries were mute. The chill
dren, ignorant Of the cause of change in
their mother, had been put to bed The
servant whom we saw as we passed the
kitchen sat at the fireside hanging her
kind master, and no neighbors dared to
intrude where they could carry no COM
fort-a species of kindness this in the
people of Scotland which results from a
delicacy they get small credit for from
those who judge from rude speech and
homely if not coarse manners.
We sat down quietly and gravely, a
clear enough indication to her that we
brought no hopeful intelligence, nor had
we sat many minutes when we came to
understand what was the direction OF
the current of her thoughts. They had
been all running toward the conclusion
that Angus Macgillivray was in some
way connected with the mysterious at
fair
"Have We inquired, F." she asked as she
cast her eye over us, IF Angus has beef
at hame syn yesterday? Icould wad my
marriage ring he's ava, and nae sunel
than he should be. Will yeno answer?
she continued in awailing tone. Is hi
in Edinburgh? When was he seen? Can
naebody tell?"
looked to Girvan, for l could no
answer without falsehood, and he un
derstood me.
81 have made no inquiry, Margaret,
said he, NOR did think it necessar
to go there-the suspicion seems so IN
natural. Besides are you not taking o
too heavily This is only the secon
day"
1.-THE second dayr' she burst forth
"And Deacon Macgillivray hasna see
his wife or his BARNS nor sent lettt
OF a message to tell whaur he is. III
second dayp' she continued in the san
wailing strain. when was it that
: was half an hour behind his Dime
And this has taken place in Edinburgh
; which is Just lang street, whaur ever,
body kens everything about everybody.
} MANY longer absence has had
happy explanation, replied her brotl
, er. 1--WE have only as yet one fact, al
it will just look as you view 1T. 4(
know peats will build the side of
house as we'll as make fire that wi
s burn you. j"
"But there's nae use butterll
y peats, F" cried she impatiently. II te
a you Deacon Macgillivray is dead, al
Angus is the man who has made me
widow and my BARNS fatherless. "
And then came fit Of hysterical SO
bling, which we had no means of alle7
ating. While l looked at her, and
course pitied her, could not help thin
ing how completely her suspicion W
ge confirmed by the information l had g
! and which / dared not communicate
her There was enough of sorrow
the hour. And as we saw we could
cal of no further service that night we l.
~ her to that KIND Of consolation viii
. the heart seeks for itself, and sometin
al. the more readily and successfully Il
it is left to itself and to him who
In. master Of the heart and the lss1
ok thereof.
~ Next forenoon l repaired to Glrvan
N, as arranged between us, in order q
ing together we might make more tn
al ouph search to the effect at least or
all certaining whether the missing man
;'F. been seen, and when and, where, dur
= the forenoon Of his disappearance.
rye going along l found that the affair
SEQ. spread, insomuch indeed that the 81
full ton, "What has become of Deacon M
sHS' gilliyray?" belonged now to the pub
. There was only one solitary grain
SO. news 1t appeared that person OF
ST. name of Peter McGlashan, a labo
= who resided in the Cowgate, and WI
tbs tbs, we saw and Intercepted, had been
,ted involuntary cause Of some OF the Il
srhS' ries. but all that could be extra
bile from him amounted to this, that he
- seen Deacon Macgillivray that foreI
Isl. hurrying up the High street. and
an, having occasion to return, he had ]
tier about 10 minutes later, Angus
a arne gillivray coming up the bow, the to
dies which he doubled as if he were 6
ven ven down the High street. One or two
s.~' ers spoke to having seen the bro'
,N-, respectively ON the same route.
-. 1t was with minds very i'll pref
- VI for meeting with the deaconess
we betook ourselves about s o'cloc
our the evening to Borthwick' Close.
ire sss found the same house of gloom,
-. the shadows increased in the darl
-" of these hours, and all appearance
= tokening utter hopelessness. The
passed without any better reckt
Ar than the increasing silence in the
\f and the gathering gloom of the
snuffed candle till it might be abor
from from when slight knock was heard 8
door.
WIS Mrs. Macgillivray started, and
were not less surprised-nay, ha
doubt that all of us had some L
y that the visitor might be no other