The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1898-09-09
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! Abducted by I
John the Baptist
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2 By Ward RleS :
GDQ -cCS>e91xR, GAW&
COPYRIGHTED ey THE c. p. A.
AL RIGHTS RESERVED.
ICONTINUED. I
KILL

| V&e NNf'tS NGoGNNIes
CONTINUED
XIII.
ION, PERSEvERINGLY ON"
Miss Zenith sat at the piano playing
"All Quiet Along the Potomac To-
night" new war ballad. and her sis.
tiers were clustered about her, learning
to sing it. Captain Zenith reclined on
a sofa, listening and occasionally crit
icising one of the vocalists or the play
or, for which he was invariably criti-
cised by Mrs. Zenith. There was a
sharp ring at the door bell and mo-
ment later the "unsomesticated enemy
from Ballycrag" entered the room with
a telegram and approached Mrs. Ze-
NTH!
please ma am, here's 'spatch an
the boy says If there is any answer,
ma ann"
"Who can be telegraphing to us?"
said Miss Zenith.
Something has happened at Aunt
Sues" said Miss Lettie.
I'm frightened to death! a telegram
always scares me half out of my wits, :"
said little Miss May. She was so far
from being frightened to death that she
did not even pale, and instead of los
ing her wits in any measure she evinc-
ed the keenest curiosity as to the pur-
port of the unexpected message and
added:
why don't you open it ma, and not
keep us in such fright?'
What can it mean?" said Mrs. Ze-
NTH, holding the missive between her
eyes and the window, as if trying to
read it unopened.
IF wanted to know what a letter
contained, and held the letter in my
hand, would open and read it; if my
education qualified me to read it," the
Captain suggested.
Mrs. Zenith ignored the sarcasm and
sent Miss May for a pair of scissors
and when they were brought she care
fully cut the fiimsy envelope and read
the message:
HAS Stella arrived?"
"Why, it is from Miss Letson! What
in the world can she mean?" said Mrs.
| Zenith.
"She means that Stell has quarreled
with her and left, and she does not
know where she went" Miss Zenith
suggested.
| THAT may be the case, but probably
/, it is not; am going right over to Nor
tons to see If Stell is there or if Bell
knows anything about it. There is
| something wrong or Miss Letson would
not telegraph! l suspect that it all
comes from you prosecuting the poor
child" Miss Carrie rejoined and with
out waiting for the recrimination or
| discussion likely to follow If she tar
ried, she procured her hat and wraps
and went out
The family waited for her return
without great anxiety, having little
doubt that, whatever had been amiss at
Barton, Miss Stella had returned to
] Minersvale and had proceeded to the
| Mortons and was with her friend.
/ Miss Carrie returned alone and
looked so anxious and depressed that
Captain Zenith's inquiry was but a
hopeless form:
did you find herr"
"Iney have not heard from her. They
did not even know that she was out
of town. The adjutant waited there
for hours this afternoon, expecting
| Stell, as he said that he had an engage
ment to meet her there"
What Is to be done? What can be
done? Where can she be?" said Mrs.
Zenith.
81 have telegraphed to Miss Letson
in your name" Miss Carrie answered,
land | have told her that we have not
heard from Stella since she left home
and that we do not understand her tel
egram."
| An bn, nf yiatu
hope, fear, passed before the response
came from Miss Letson:
stella left for home on foot after
three O'Clock. We could not induce her
to remain here after she missed the
train. We start at once to look for
| her."
PA, get good pair Of horses and a
strong buggy and 90 after her, quick!
l will go with you," said Miss Carrie
Il will go with Pa" said Miss Ze-
NTH.
Neither OF you will go: l will 90
myself" said Mrs. Zenith; but the
Captain interposed:
ma, the trip would be too fatiguine
for you. Carrie can go; her head is al
ways clear and her wits are quicker
than all of yours together; cleal
headed woman may be needed. Mollie
has no right to go; for I'll be bound
that she is at the bottom of the child's
trouble, if there is any trouble, which
we will try to hope there is not"
Mrs. Zenith took up the defense Of
her eldest child
Now, Pa! Don't make such ugly
charges, at time like this when We
dnntt LnnU what MI have tf
Stella. Mollie is not to blame for any
thing and does not deserve to be soold
ed. The child went to Lessons of hel
own accord and Mollie told me in hel
presence not to allow her to go. o.
course 1t was Of her own will that sht
started to walk home at such an hour
Very likely she stopped at some house
on the way when&t began to get dark
but hurry off and get your team for Il
would be just like her to stick to hel
resolution when she once started, anG
try to walk all the way, day or night
1t is terrible; l hope that nothing viii
happen to her!"
Il do not think that there is hous.
on the way; the road is altogether
unused; do not know how far we car
manage to get with team; but W.
will drive as far as possible and
will then walk on unless we meet hel
sooner" the Captain answered.
While Captain Zenith procured {
team Miss Carrie put UP wine and 9th
er refreshments and prepared herself
,or the trip. She was ready wnen her
father drove to the gate and they sci
out at once.
They found the old road little better
than an abandoned by-way. 1t was
furrowed, scanned and gashed by the
floods of many years; rough with
stones and rocks that lay bare upon
the track; INSTRUCTED here and there
by trees tat had been wrenched from
their strong roots by the violent as
saults of raging winds. Travel there