The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1898-09-03
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from her false lips.
That night, baflled. distracted. crushed,
Beatrice sought vainly for the man she
loved-at his home, in the village. She
could not forget him. So near to sue
cess, and careless babbling had lost her
| the precious prize.
| She fingered at the retirement Of the
Doctors home for several days; she
had him inquire everywhere for Mar
shall, but the latter had mysteriously
disappeared from the village.
shall return home," she told him
with anxious, haggard face, finally.
| At the first trace you secure Of him
write or telegraph me. You got the
marriage certificate from the clergy
mani"
DIR. Simms evaded her questioning
glance.
Not yet, he stammered, "but will.
You see. the village clergyman was
| away, and had 10 arrange with a
strange minister who lives in another
town. l will attend to it. Oh, you
will win Raymond Marshall to your side
| yet."
Life is torture else, sighed the dis
| appointed Beatrice. And that night she
started back for the home where luxury
and wealth were a hollow mockery,
| with her scheme for Raymond Mar
shall's love failure.
Had she remained one day longer at
Hopedale, she would have seen Ray
mond> Marshall, for he returned twenty
four hours after her departure.
II he was pale, worn, jaded before,
he was mere shadow OF his former
handsome self now. He had sought
vainly everywhere for trace Of Edna
Deane.
Back at the starting point Of his in
vestigation, ere he went to his home, he
visited the hotel He questioned the
landlord about Miss Leslie" and in
quired particularly about a mysterious
visitor on the day OF the marriage.
remember now" spoke the land
lord, after listening to Marshalls story.
There was strange woman here. She
sat in the ladies' parlor, but she disap-
peared. mysteriously. However, we
found little sachel there the next
morning"
"A sachell" calculated Marshall Gag
erly, can l see it?"
The article was produced. Disap-
pointedly Marshall glanced over the
few collars and handkerchiefs it con-
tanned. They little resembled the
dainty neckwear of his Edna. AS he
noted in red Ink on the inside of the
sachel an address. however, he decided
that it might have belonged to Edna,
that 1t might possibly be O clue.
The address was that OF a farmer,
John Blake. The next afternoon, Ray
mond Marshall knocked at the door OF
the humble cottage that had sheltered
his lost darling the night of the snow
storm.
To her it had been haven Of safety
and peace, to him it became the portals
of paradise of hope and love, as within
ten minutes he knew all the truth.
Yes, he had located Edna at last!
Mrs. Blake had told him all she knew.
He could patch out all the mystery Of
Edna's strange disappearance now. Obi
he had found her at last.
Found her, however. to lose her again,
1t seemed. With sinking heart he lis
tened to the concerned matron as she
told him that Edna had been missing
for hours.
That day she had gone.out for drive.
An hour previous the horse and phaeton
had come home, Bruno jogging after,
but no driver.
Had Edna again fled-had she met
with an accident?
"Ohl it cannot be, so near to finding
her, to lose her again!" murmured Mar
shall, wildly. Have you no idea where
she went, Mrs. Blake?"
No, the farmers wife could not con-
lecture, and, about to give Marshall an
idea Of Edna's usual route in driving,
he interrupted her.
Bruno, the dogi" he exclaimed sud-
denly. Gone here, good fellow!"
He took up a dainty glove from the
table that belonged to Edna. He patted
the dog, he showed him the glove, he
pointed down the road.
The intelligent animal seemed to I'M
derstand what was expected Of him.
Find your misIress!" urged the solic-
itous Marshall.
With sharp bark, Bruno darted
through the cottage door.
Down the winding road he ran, the
eager, hopeful Raymond Marshall at his
heels, realizing u on how frail thread
hung the fate of the woman he loved.