The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-03-08
CHAPTER XVI.
MABEL MISSING.

MABEL MISSING.
It was barely o'clock when Captain
Brett arrived at De We're Gardens. He
had hoped to find Mabel waiting for
him and was surprised and disappointed
when the footman told him Miss Fen
ton was out.
"she got your message, sir, the man
added.
"My message?'' said Brett, in aston
ishment.
eyes, sir. The gentleman brought it
about an hour ago, and Miss Mabel
went away with him.
ga gentleman brought message
from me? What was it?''
81 don't know, sir. He saw Miss Ma
bel in the library, and they both went
out together few minutes aftarward. %
Brett was thunderstruck az this an
nouncement.
"What was the gentleman i.6e??'' he
asked.
"Tallish. sir, and spoke in jerks. %
The description was short enough,
but it at once brought to Brett's MIND
the man he had seen twice before-the
first time by the side Of the murdered
woman in South Audley street, and the
second time coming from Mr.. Keighley
Gates rooms in the Metropole. Why
should this man have come with mes
sage purpcrting to be from him, and
how couId he have induced Mabel to
accompany him from the house, and
where had they gone?
These thoughts flashed through
Brett's head with bewildering rapid
ity, but for an answer to them he
sought in vain. He paced up and
down the room, striving to find some
clew to this fresh mystery, and at
length, giving it up in despair, he stood
by the window, each moment fondly
hoping that the next would bring him
this sight of Mabel returning from a
bootless errand.
The minutes passed with awful SOW
ness. Five O'Clock struck, but she had
not arrived, and Brett turned hopelessly
away from the window.
At quarter past Mr.. Fenton came
in, and Brett at once told him what had
occurred and something of what he
feared.
Good God, Duncan! Who is there
who could wish to harm herr" i
"Heaven only knows, sir, said
Brett. 'I have been trying in vain to
conjecture but we must lose no more
time. I am going at once to give in
formation to the police, and ] think it
would be as we'll for you TO break the
news to Mrs. Fenton. At present sne
knows nothing"
Brett hurried off to Scotland Yard.
He had been frequent visitor there OF
late, but the mission that brought him
this time was to him the most terrible
of them all. He returned with de-
tective, who took minute particulars
from Soames, the footman. about the
strange visitor and what he had said.
and who learned from Mabel's maid
what her mistress would be likely to be
wearing. Armed with these scant par
tjcularS the man took his leave, with
the assurance that every power the law
possessed should be set in motion 70
trace the missing one.
1t was a terrible evening for that
house in De We're Gardens. The sor was
a prisoner, awaiting his trial for mur-
der; the daughter had been foully de-
coyed And who could tell of her fate?
Mr. and Mrs. Fenton were in state
of utter prostration under the last ter
rible blow that had been dealt them,
and Brett was almost beside himself
with the knowledge of his impotence to
help the woman whom he loved more
than life itself.
Brett passed a sleepless night and by
o'clock next morning was again with