The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-05-17
Ter name was Annie Ralstpp.

Her name was Annie halStOD. her
father was one of the wealthiest and
most prominent men of California.
His power and influence was felt in
politics, State and national. The
social position of the family was of
the very highest. The homestead
was a fine large place at Oakland.
Annie was the belle of her circle OF
friends, which was very large. She
was talented and brilliant. She made
q lasting impression on any one who
saw her. Her fathers house was the
constant scene of social festivity.
Some one was always being enter
tanned there. He had once been Sem
ator, and his stately house at Wash
ington had been noted for its open
handed hospitality.
In all this Annie shone resplendent,
by Wit, beauty and accomplishments.
Potentates of foreign nations he'd been
glad to sit at her feet and worship
her. Proposals of marriage had been
made to her by representatives
of European nations, and even
by titled noblemen of wealth. But to
all these she turned deaf ear. She
was an American. She loved America
and Americans. Her greatest love-
the love of her life-must go to an
American. All this, of course, was
from the story that her people had
told the superintendent. There was
not the least doubt as to its absolute
truth.
Suddenly she was missed from her
Oakland home. She left no word
no sign. There was no reason for her
going. No whim of hers had ever
been opposed. But she was gone
utterly and completely. Her father
and her brother had visited the police
of Oakland and San Francisco. 1t
had been discovered by the Oakland
police that o stranger-an individual
of unknown nationslity-with
wicked pair of eyes and livid scar on
the right side of his face had been
seen in Oakland, had spent money
freely, had been in the company OF
several of the most worthless char
acters of the place and had disap.
peared again. It was further learned
that person answering somewhat to
the description of him, but wearing a
beard, boarded q train for San Fran.
cisco the night Annie Ralston was
missing, with O woman who was close
ly yelled and seemingly totally help
less and very i'll.
There the clew ended. No person
had seen them leave the train at San
Francisco, nor at any other place.
The police of all cities had been mott
fed of this, and a watch was being
kept. Her mother, so the superinten'
dent said, was now prostrated with
grief. Her father was well-nigh dis
tracted. Her brother, man of about
thirty, VINO was more of a student
than man of the world, followed
helplessly in his fathers wake, unable
to assist, by even q suggestion, the
unraveling of the awful mystery.
It was not to be wondered at, then,
that my recital of what I had seen and
my Identification of the picture had
stirred the police force of San Fran
cisco even to its highest officer. Dis
appointment was plainly visible on hls
face, at our failure to capture the
Chinaman and his victim. His white,
set lips, left no doubt of his determin.
alton to do his utmost. There wasn
doubt of his sincerity.
left him with sad heart. I felt
in some way responsible for all this
failure. It was daylight. Ny driver,
disgusted at my long delay, had de.
parted. I boarded a car and stood
moodily on the platform, stolidly
smoking and ruminating over the
events of the night. Never before
had I seemed so small in my own es
timation.
1To BE CONTINUED.