The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1897-12-03

and would nave q worthy nuSDdnu.
However, if 1 learn anything 1 shall
take pleasure in doing as you wish
| Captain Zenith bade the lieutenant
goodbye and drove to the telegraph
office where he dispatched two mes
sages.
The first message was to the Chief
of the detective bureau of the New York
police department:
Lieutenant Jaquese of Pennsylvania
Cavalry left Minersvale for New York
suddenly, last night. Stella Zenith
disappeared same time. Probably
marry on arrival. If not too late pre-
vent. 1 come by next train. Report
at Gilsey house"
| The second message was to Mrs. Ze-
NTH:
| "Adjutant did not accompany troops
here. Left Minersvale last night for
New York. Gave love affair with a
Miss Zenith as reason. Beyond doubt
she is with him. 1 follow by next
train. Address Gilsey house."
The train was not due to leave until
long after noon and Captain Zenith
waited impatiently through the hours
| that to him seemed so very long. They
tarried and Jagged and the minutes
| idled and crawled as though they, like
| men, were 10th to join the past; as if
| they we're sensible of the advantages of
delays to runaway lovers; as if they
took delight in foiling pursuing par
| ents.
The loafing, indolent hands upon the
dial at last reluctantly loitered up to
| the figures indicating the hour of de-
parture and Captain Zenith took his
place in the coach. He had secured a
| berth, not because he hoped to sleep,
Notwithstanding he had not rested at
all, the night previous, but that he
| might be undisturbed, as he desired to
| conceal his growing nervousness from
| his fellow passengers.
He was almost hopeless of prevent.
| ing the marriage and tried to hope that
| the future happiness of his child might
not be altogether ruined if he failed; ;
but he could not divest himself of his
| fear that the young stranger that had
turned his daughters heart from her
| own family would prove to be unwor-
| thy to possess the pearl he had stolen.
True, he knew but little about the ad-
| jutant, and that little, aside from the
elopement, was wholly to the young
| mans credit. Undoubtedly the adju-
| tant was we'll thought of by his COM
| rades, who ought to know his worth or
| worthlessness; and he had made a
pleasant impression upon his pursuer;
he appeared to be man of probity
| and to occupy satisfactory station in
life.
While all these things ran through
Captain Zenith's mind his sounder
judgment steadily and persistently as
serted that young man who having
but months acquaintance with child
of sixteen years, would induce her to
| flee with him, even to lawful marriage,
| without asking the assent of her faith
er to her marriage, must be destitute
of honor, and would not scruple to
abandon a wife if he grew tired of her.
This one act uprooted all of Captain
Zeniths growing respect for the adju-
tant and the Captain fretted at the de-
lays he encountered. The more he
pondered the more anxious he grew,
till his impatience became a scorching
flame in his heart.
How slowly the train moved! How
often it stopped! How uselessly it Oft
en- stopped, too! Have railway man
ayers no regard for the haste of
through passengers? No, or they would
let these by-way people wait for slow
trains! Slow trains? Goodness knows
this train is slow enough! Surely it
must be losing time! No; not if his
watch was reliable and the time card
true! He half suspected his watch OF
irregularity--the watch by which he
had for years sought to regulate all
others!
At last sleep relieved him nnd when
he awoke day was dawning. The train
was not moving. He ought to be in
New York; evidently he was not! He
inquired what station they were at and
the answer was: This is not station.
There has been wreck ahead and it
will yet be some hours before we can
move on. 1t is very provoking!"
Captain Zenith sank back in his
berth with groan and closed his eyes,
feeling that Providence was against
him and that therefore it was his duty
to be resigned and to trust to Provi-
dence for the best. There was really
some comfort in the thought and that
comfort was strengthened when he
considered his instructions to the New
York police. Hope was reawakened
anu Ills Inluu grew SOA0WAdl ISSIIul
and he gained a small measure of re-
pose.
After several hours the debris Of the
wreck was removed from the roadbed;
the track was replaced, the long delay
was ended and the train again crawled
slowly onward. 1t was noon when the
train reached New York and Captain
Zenith was driven to the Gilsey house
as were several other passengers.
While at the counter awaiting his
turn to register, Captain Zenith saw
Lieutenant Jaquese walking from the
elevator toward the Broadway exit, and
way, he rushed across the Office shout
ing:
stop! Stop, sir! Stop!"
Confusion was instantaneous. The
adjutant, who had no idea of the prox-
unity of Captain Zenith and no idea
that he was the object of the cries,
turned around to see what the cause
of the commotion was. AS he turned
Captain Zenlt4 seized him, saying:
stop. sir, stop! w here is my
daughter"
Captain Zenith! Are you crazy? Let
go!"
AS he spoke he wrenched himself
from the Captains grasp.
Where is my daughter, sir! Where
Is my daughter?"
"Do you mean to tell me that you do
not know where she is?"
Where is my daughter, sir? You
need not try to conceal her. Where is