Sistersville oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1896-1901, 1898-02-16
XIV.
CCMPLETELY BAFFLED.

COMPLETELY BAF'FLED.
When the three were seated the off,
er inquired:
Captain Zenith, what reasons have
you for believing that your daughter
in this city with this gentleman
she disappeared at the same time
hat he did. He left hastily, assigning
Is a reason q love affair in which she
S concerned"
us that the extent of your informa-
ion? Are you acting entirely upon
iuspicion?"
81 am acting upon conviction,
he soundness of which l do not ques-
ion. This young man has carried off
nv daughter and l am here to rescue
ler."
Lieutenant, upon what information
ire you acting?"
THE very best. Her eldest sister,
Mss Zenith, told me that Miss Stella
.ame to New York with cousin
who told you that?" Captain Ze-
18th asked sharply.
Miss Zenith"
"Mollie?"
Yes"
THAT is false! Mollie told you moth
ne of the kind"
Captain Zenith! Be careful! Do
lot expect me TO be able to restrain
myself without limit! l may not al
ways be able to remember your age!"
Gently, gentlemen! We all want
he facts and we want all the facts:
stick to facts and keep your temper!
let us keep cool and try to get to the
bottom! When did !iss Zenith tell
Iou that?"
"The day before yesterday"
"Be kind enough to detail the cir
.umstances? What led Up to the
;tatement?"
Miss Stella and l had appointed a
meeting at the house of one of her
friends; she failed to attend; l went
@ Captain Zenith's where | saw Miss
Zenith, who told me that Miss Stella
lad suddenly left for New York the
evening before, with a cousin who re-
sides here"
who is the cousin?"
Miss Zenith evaded that informa-
ion"
HAS your daughter a cousin here,
Captain?"
mo. She has an uncle, but no cou-
sin. | do not believe this statement;
t is subterfuge employed to deter
ne. Mollie could not have told him
ANYTHING of the kind for the reason
hat she knew better. She not only
Knows that she has no cousin here,
out she knew that at that moment
ler sister was visiting & friend in the
country; a Miss LetGon, who lives at
Barton. twenty miles from Miners
yale What we have since learned is
hat Stella missed the train and told
he Lessons that she would walk
home. They could not dissrade her.
'hough they made every effort, and she
started. She has been Traced some
hing more than halt way; to point
-Lo~o tho - d'rides ore branch
leading to Minersvale, the other to a
railway station not four miles distant.
She disappeared at that point. She
could have reached that station and
have telegraphed to him why she fail
ed to meet him. She doubtless did 50
and under his instructions waited
there for him and then accompanied
him to this city. She is infatuated
with him and I have no doubt that he
has induced her to run away to marry
him."
Good God, man! Can you be SO
crazy? Have you conjured up such
ridiculous idea and acted upon it with
out searching the country along that
road? Officer. how soon will train
start for Scranton said the adjutant
in great excitement.
did you employ no detective? Did
you test your theory by any effort to
learn if she had telegraphed to this
gentleman or he to herr"
NO
who was with herr"
"She was alone"
Had she any admirer who, know
ing her preference for this gentleman,
may have become revengeful?"
NO"
why did you not search the coun-
try?"
At did. Accompanied by my daIsht-
er Carrie, l drove all night searching
along that road for her. If she had
been on or near that road we could
not have missed her"
What, then, led you to conclude
that she has eloped?"
"Mollie suggested it and it at once
struck me as the only explanation.
"Yet Mollie could not possibly nave
believed it, for she had seen nm The
iav ha-ara I'D noSitiyelY kraw that