Sistersville oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1896-1901, 1898-02-23
XVI
MISS ZENITH c6NFEssEs.

The father and lover returned u
Ninersyale in company and together
went to Captain Zenith's Residence
hopeful that Miss Stella had returned
Although their hopes were. not strong
their disappointment was deep when
their fears were confirmed.
Miss Letson was there and IN
stete Of great distress.
Miss Zenith, too, was in a state
bordering upon distraction, for, by
dispatch received from Captain Zen
ith they had learned that Miss Stella
was not with the adjutant
When the returning travellers enter
ed the house Captain Zenith asked:
"Have you heard anything from
herr"
Not a word. AS soon as your tele-
gram was received we started partle;
out to search; but nothing new has
been learned. though the country Is
fl1o1 WITH ~0-~"'- o.
Captain Zenith sat in silence fol
many minutes, his face full OF pain
The grief and fatigues Of the past few
days left his features scarce recogniz-
BILE. even to his own family. As he
sat there in silence with unrnoVlrg
eyes. Mollie gazed on him with a new
horror, for she thought that he wa
dead. Suddenly he sprang UP anG
seized her:
"Mollie. Where is your sister? Il
she living or is she dead?''
Miss Zenith was frightened. She fal-
tered, almost tainted, and but for tbs
grasp of her father she would have fau-
en-; but she recovered herself sufficient
ly to say:
"Oh, my God! l wish l knew! J
wish | knew"
Don't lie to me, girl! You know! II
she is living, where is she? If she is
dead. where is the body? Why is shs
concealed if she is living? Is she held
by force? Or is she-is-is she dis
graced?" AS he finished the question
he released Miss Zenith and sat dowr
with his face in his hands
my God! Oh, my God! Pa! Why
do you say this to me?'
Because you know what has become
of your sister! You see us all in dis
tress, you witness our despair and con-
tinue to torture us as you may be tor.
turing that poor child! But you shall
tell me at once, Where is Stellar
Again he sprang up and laid violent
hold of Miss Zenith.
Il do not know"
Girl! Do you tempt me to use vio-
lence? Where is your sister?'
Captain Zenith, will you permit me
to ask Miss Zenith a few questions?
Miss Zenith" the adjutant interposed.
will you kindly answer me few i'm
portant questions touching this teri
BILE matter?"
Willingly, gladly, truthfully; what
ever l can answer at all
why did you tell me that Miss Stel
la had gone to New York;"
ITO mislead you and prevent you
from meeting her if I could. | knew
that by some means Miss Letson would
detain her at least one day and hoped
to be able by some means to keep you
apart after that"
why did you induce your father to
follow me to New York;
Il did not know that you had gone to
New York l supposed you to be at
Scranton with your soldiers; when Pa
left home it was only to go to Scran-
ton; did not know that he would go
to New York. l induced him to go to
Scranton because l believed Stella to
be there with you. l knew that in try
ing to walk home she was doing her
utmost to keep faith with you; | did
not doubt that she had telegraphed to
you her failure to get home by the
train and her determination to walk;
that after leaving here Won received
her message; l believed that having
received her message you met her and
induced her to go away with you and
get married. That is the whole truth;
God knows that that is all. ! wish that
/ knew more"