Gilpin observer., 1899-03-30
HE FOUND THE MAN.

qucnt discomfort kept me in tho Office.
But all this was before tho day was sent
to interview the wife and daughter of tho
man who had just disturbed society by
disappearing from it.
Mr. Grey, so 1t had beon learned from
tho notices concerning his disappearance,
had ono evening after dinner gone out for
c stroll around tho block. He had never
come back. His family was of course
( Frustrated after the manner of families on
such sad occasions After giving him
| time to come back, sending to his clubs,
his Office and the houses of his friends his
wife had finally told his lawyers, and sys-
tematic search was begun. The family
had retired from public life and denied
themselves to every one, consequently
my chances for an interview with Mrs.
Grey did not see hopeful but tho city cd
itor's air of granting me tho opportunity
l Ind been longing for mado me loath to
admit my fears.
1 took the train for tho Grcys' they
lived little way out of town-and pre-
pared myself to meet tho servants soorn
and the other attendant evils of such an
assignment. The coach was an ordinary
one, and there were several laboring men
in it, evidently travelling to some suburb
where they were to work upon the roads,
for they carried pickaxes and shovels.
There sat opposite me and slightly for
ward peculiar type of man to whom
found my gaze wandering every few min
! utes. His GAn gray hair was thick and
very unevenly cut. His face was covered
with stubbly growth of gray beard. He
looked unwashed, unkempt and generally
unpleasant. His blue overalls were stain
ed with red clay and his red flannel shirt
opened at the front in n way that revealed
anything but a beautiful neck, burned
and blistered. But tho mans twitching
lips and convulsive movements Of the jaws
| attracted my attention, and his deep set
steely blue eyes that burned in cavcrnous
sockets fascinated me. He did not talk to
the other men, but sat with his head sunk
upon his breast, only occasionally raising
it to cast a look about him. He, with the
other laborers, left the train at Forcstville
where the Greys lived, and 1 soon saw
them, under the direction of foreman,
assigned to make various road repairs.
OF course Mrs. Grey would notdgse ne.
I sat in the library while the servant took
my card to her, for there We're other callers
in the drawing room. Over the mantel
hung picture, presumably Mrs. Grey,
done in oil. She was as beautiful as a
cameo and as hard. Opposite hGr was tho
portrait of q clean shaven man, with fine
iron gray hair brushed off his forehead-a
more plebeian cast of countenance, but
strong and interesting. The face seemed
familiar. l stared at it until the servant
| returned.
| "Mrs. Grey is sorry, miss, but she can
SEQ no one, and has nothing to say for
publication.
every WE'LL" said I. Then roso to go.
SIS that Mr. Greys" asked, nodding
toward the picture
| "Yes, miss" was the reply, and sud-
denly it flashed upon me where had seen
those deep set, curiously shaped. keen blue
eyes. My heart leaped almost into my
mouth. took one long look at the por
trait and left the house.
The men were repairing the road, and
! noticed ono Of the, worknen whose face
4 stGrtisd mo- Tho 'resem blnnco to the por-
trait had seen of Mr. Grey was remarka-
ble He worked with fierce delight in
the severe labor. His face seemed more
| mad than ever, with tho exultation of mo-
tion and strength deepening tho gieam in
his eyes.
There was a telegraph Office at tho end
OF the street. sent a message to tho city
| editor. "Send man to Forestville at
once" was my command. Then whilo !
paced the street and walked about the
square l reflected upon tho welcome
/ Nouih ASSciNC IL hdu lHauc u lulSbuhC
Every minute 1 became mo o and more
convinced that had made tho most colos.
sal blunder on record. BY the time Mr..
Ellington Ellsworth, the only man who
happened to be. available when my tele-
gram was received, had arrived I was
nearly hysterical. 1 told Mr.. Ellsworth
my theory, and he was properly skeptical.
He discouraged mo thoroughly in about
two minutes, but suddenly rallied.
swell" 1 remarked, taking command,
II want you to keep that nan in sight. 1
shall go to town and get his lawyer. Find
out what train they go in on, and I'll
meet you.'
Mr.. Ellsworth didn't wish to act upon
that suggestion, but no finally consented
to do SO. 1 went in, summoned MIR.
Grey's lawyer and with him met tho
workingmen's train. Mr.. Ellsworth, look
| ing bored and unhappy, got out ana point
cd out our suspected Disappearance" to
his lawyer. My heart stood in my mouth
Was TO bo forever disgrGced or made IA.
moEs forever?
"Mr. Grey" said the lawyer, stopping
forward, what does this meant"
And when I saw tho man start wildly
know that 1 was not forever disgraced.
"well," said the city editor jovially,
Wnat ulu tney sayY
"They didn't say anything. They didn't
SEQ me-
$50 you didn't get tho interview" said
the city editor shortly.
NO." replied meekly, "but found
tho missing man..
And now, such Is tho irony of fate, the
city editor, instead of letting mo rest on
my laurels, is always exhorting mo to live
up to the reputation / made in tho Grey
case, when / found tho missing man,
learned how overwork had worn out his
brain and how in his half crazed condi-
tion he wandered away and returned to
his original occupation in life. to tho hor-
ror of his wifo with tho camcolilio face. II