The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1899-03-23


aUrecked for such q aDoman"
perhaps not very surprising to find her
adopting the stage as profession, but
to come across her. upon terms Of the
greatest intimacy with a disreputable
tenth rate actor was, to put it mildly,
surprising. If she had eloped with him,
who was the mysterious third party who
had so suddenly interviewed, and what
hold had he upon her? II he were the
man with whom she had eloped, what
business had she to BIZ SO friendly with
the one armed man?
The whole story seemed so frightfully
involved that the more ! puzzled over
it the farther did I seem from clew.
was engaged to dine with the Fentons
that evening, and as walked to their
house I could not help regretting I
should have to tell Mabel the miserable
story that Mr.. Finnecure Vandeleur
had related to me. I should be obliged
to do so, for kept her informed Of ev-
cry move AID every fresh item of infor-
nation. She would no doubt be able to
suggest some theory on this, the latest,
development.
At dinner only commonplaces were
discussed, but afterwapd I had her to
myself, and at once told her all I had
learned that afternoon. Mr.. Gates in
formation did not seem to strike her az
very valuable, but she was much inter
ested in the photograph incident. When
I gave her Mr.. Finnecure Vandeleur's
tale, she could not repress an exclama-
tion of dismay, and she walked up and
down the room with undisguised emo
ton.
"And to think that Georges life has
been wrecked for such a woman! It's
awful, Duncan-simply awful! How he
could have been so deceived in her /
really cannot understand"
"It certainly looks very shady"
"Shadyl I should think SO! She
must have been horrible woman.
"And yet my friend Parson Wray,
who saw her daily at her home, told me
that she was utterly charming and
general favorite He was quite enthusi-
astic about her."
''It's simply incomprehensible," Ma
bel replied, "that woman of that sort
should so soon be found mixing up with
the people you have mentioned. How
can you reconcile Mr.. Wray's descrip-
ton of her with her friendship with
this man Dick Lambert, who, even in
Vandeleur's eyes, was a disreputable
being?"
II cannot reconcile the two accounts
at all, Mabel, frankly admit This is
an additional mystery in this already
too mysterious affair. Wray certainly
can believe, but I know nothing about
Mr.. Finnecure Vandeleur. He may have
been telling me pack of lies for any
thing ! know"
"Let me see," said Mabel, chow do
the dates agree? According to this man
Vandeleur, she joined the company
about year after her disappearance.
and then few months afterward she
left again. That would be about the
time George met her at the village inn
on the Wye. Very probably she went
straight there, and in that case you
would be able to find out if she had al
ways been alone, as George found her,
or if these friends Of hers accompanied
her. You had better 60 down to Hinton
at once and make inquiries.
"a good idea, indeed, Mabel. You
would make capital detective.
Don't you think times like these
sharpen all our wits, Duncan? Why,
even you are energetic" she added,
with one of her old smiles.
could not resist proving the truth
of this by drawing her to me and kiss
ing her sweet lips And she forgave me.
All that night was travelling and
thinking. Next morning found me in
the old fashioned central street OF Hin
ton. the little fishing village on the