Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1899-05-18
LOST MAN LANE.
By ANNA KATHARINE GREEN
CHAPTER XXX-Continued.

noses. - .@ .ti...i
And with a quick, sharp bow he
made his way to tho gate, whittier l
followed him in time to sec him set
his foot upon a patch of rosemary.
"You will begin at this place, - he
cried, land work east, and, gentlemen,
something tells me that we will be sue
cessful." ...,..,..
With almost a simultaneous sound
dozen spades and picks struck tho
ground. Thedigging up of MothorJane's
garden had begun in earnest.
staid about that gate most of the
day. If moved away, imagined that
Mr.. Gryce was uneasy and wanted me
back under his eye. So as Lucetta was
invisible and Loreen in o strained and
anxious mood, / followed the example
of many of the other villagers who had
ventured into the lane for the first time
in months, and now stood watching cv-
cry shovelful of earth that was thrown
out disappointing as the task had be-
come as hour after hour passed without
any discovery.
Along toward noon had diversion
if the rest had not. Mr.. Trohm came
riding up in his buggy, and somewhat
later in the day Deacon Spear came
boldly upon the field, though mono too
near our gate, at which Saracen sat
growing. The talk I had with Mr..
Trohm was of delicate nature, not bear
ing repetition, but the few curt words
I exchanged with Deacon Spear may
amuse the reader or at least satisfy some
Of my good friends that l am not so
given over to vanity as to be miSlcd by
every passing compliment a man may
pay me.
He was, as l was saying, drawn up
on tho opposite side of tho road, but
when he saw me he made very low
bow and sidled step forward. This
made me draw myself up bit though
I had no idea what was coming. He
seemed to take that for an invitation,
for, pointing toward SaraCcn, he asked
If the dog was quiet, and when l in
superior way answered that he was as
quiet as lamb he edged up to where l
was standing and sheepishly held out
his hand
II have been thinking" he drawled,
THAT it was only neighborly for me to
call upon you, Miss Butterworth But
this business which has occupied the
lane these last few days has put us all
into such q mood of unpleasantncss that
there was no use of trying sociability
ON any one"
His hair was so sleek, his eyes so
,o1l nd @I,% I
have respect for Williams opinion of
him, but I said nothing, possibly be
cause only half heard what he had
just said himself.
I'm no lady's man"-these were the
next words l heard-"but, then, l
judge, you're not in for flattery and all
that kind of thing yourself. So now
I've got the chance, I'll just say the
thing I've got on my tongue to say.
Miss Butterworth, Pm 53 and l have
been a widower two years I'm not fit
ted for solitary life, and l am fitted
for comfortable life with an affection
ate wife to keep my hearth swept clean
and my own affections i'll good working
order. Will you be that wife? 1 have
neat cottage
yes" said I, "in Lost Man lane. "
"Oh." he exclaimed, "you do not
like this place? Well, we could go else
where. / am not set against the city
myself
'Nor against the comfortable little
income somebody has told you pos
sessed, criedL Il see your disintorest-
edness, but I should be sorry to profit
by it. Why, man, never spoke to you
before in my life, and do you think
"Oh," said he, II see you are not
above f1attery and those things Well,
madam, know tremendous fine wom-
an when see her without talking away
a dozen evenings on politics, religion
and what not. l don't need to know any
more about you than can take in with
my two eyes, but If you would like q
little more acquaintance with me, why,
I can wait couple of weeks till we've
rubbed the edges a little off of our
strangeness, when''-
"When you think will be so charm.
ed with Deacon Spear that l will be
ready to settle down with him in Lost
Mans lane, or if that will not do carry
him off to Creamery park, where he
will be the admiration of all New York
and Brooklyn to boot. Why, man, if
was SO easily satisfied as that would
not be in a position today for you to
honor me with this proposal. am not
easy to suit, so l advise you to turn
your attention to some one much more
anxious to be married than am, but
not before this mystery is settled in
Lost Mans lane. If you were an honest
man, you would ask no one to share
your fortunes while any cloud rests
upon your honor"
my honorl Madam, be careful
admire you, but
No offense," said l. For stran-
ger have perhaps INDUCED in little
freedom. only mean that any one who
lives in this lane must feel that the
shadow which envelopes it rests also a
little upon him. When that is lifted,
each one will feel himself man again.
From indications yonder that day may
not be far away. Mother Jane is like
ly source for such mystery She knows
Just little enough to have no proper
idea of the value of human life
Madam" said Deacon Spear, 81
have not that much interest in what is
going ON over there" Here he snapped
his fingers. "If men have been killed
in this lane-which do not believe
she never had no hand in it, What
think is that it's all coincidence.
Each and every person who has disap-
peared has disappeared naturally. No
one has been killed That is my theory,