The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-03-25

tiOnS calmly, only DeBSlnS MN NlcH
they were finished to use his best en-
deavors as rapidly as possible.
| shall not relate in detail the history
Of the next twenty-four hours. My
wife did not return. We found that
after leaving home she had walked to
PiCcadilly and had purchased two new
books at Hatchards. After that there
was no trace of her. But later in the
day the police took me to a lonely spot
in Kenslngton gardens, where they had
discovered traces of a struggle. The
wheel Of a conveyance had impingcd on
the grass and near it were the marks II .
feet. close by lay a parcel in brown .
paper, which proved to contain the two |
books purchased by Helen at Hatch /
ards. My heart turned to ice when | |
saw those books, for their discovery |
seemed to suggest a tragedy. But there /
was worse in store.
Here's something else" said an in
spcctor. 1T lay close to the books, but !
whether it has anything to do with the |
case or not l don't know. Look at it.
He held up a carte -de-vistc portrait !
as hc spoke. | snatched it from him.
Morciful heavens, 1t was a portrait of
the man whom / had found gazing at
my picture in the academy.
\ year passed. II seemed like a cen
turv to me. for as the days heightened
into longer weeks they brought me no
news of Helen. ! had spared no time
and had spent every available penny in
my efforts to trace her, but without re-
suit. She had vanished as completely
AS though something had snatched her
away from earth. The ordinary meth
r,HG pf tho r,oliTp . Dl1ItplV fIlt iltrs
they resulted in mere nothingness. AZ
ter \ time I discarded them and turned
inquiry agent on my own account II
seemed to me that the Glow to the mTs-
terry of Iiolcn's disappearance lay in
the strange man who had shown SO
keen an interest in my Juliet" I So
| cured the portrait of him which the
police picked up and began to look for
him diligently. | haunted the foreign
quarters Of London. ! spent hours, days,
aye. weeks. iu the cafes and restaurants
! froquented by foreigners, always seeing
a face, the face of the man whose coun-
| terfcit prcScntmcnt ! carried in my
| breast pocket. ! had other copies made
| Of that photograph and gave them to
! friends of mine whose occupations or
| tastes took them into the haunts of
! 'N7' 80 "' ~ '
'hat we nau' ana S't II was no opGlgSSiS
| "'ah' I'It 'hal from thc HtS'' mere
was no name on tue cara. Il" auurtSS'
! Hn'hlh% To Sh"" Wner" OF IVY "h"Hi tho
| photograph was taken.
y" not nlHh 'hal' ever EaN' w
h'H' aI'"-tli'or pu' at tue en-" oi lHo
year 'h'Ie came u1ol me that a"l"I
SICKNESS "L hyaIi Nhl'h oi'lE nope o.
L'Il'u can cause nau l"SI liS WIG
win an III" horror "l uncertainty aH i,
n'r la'e. hai l"ulii H'r ucd" 1t n"u
o''h p'Il'r IMAM |" hllo" 'laI sllc ndu
ulSappearru from me III ldSIll"h tIidI
SuESeSi'd a" manner "l ilahl'l"SS nor :
r"rS. / had Seafch'd loi hef ana l"uhu
no trace 40" il seemed u me ind'
II was uIl'tly uSrl'SS /" 40 more, MY
resources were almost exhausted Tor
hao earned IL" money CURING thdC
twelve months "l slchehlhE suspense
ana all that had previously saved
had been spent IN my eHoftS 10 ma
Helen. Ana was no nearer hhuln@
her at the eho oL inc year Ihah DIT inc
beginning
] sat in my studio ono afternoon star
ing vacantly at canvas that stood
upon the easel near the window. 1t had
its back turned to me; | had turned
it that way months before; it was the
picture upon which was working when
Helen left me, and l had never felt
able to look at it after realizing her
loss. | wondered if | should ever paint
again, if years would heal my wound
if time would soothc the gnaWinE agi-
tation that Ftill possessed me. l began
to pace W. and own the room, all the
bitterness Of III" past year yelling NJ
afresh within my heart, and it was
while | was thus sorrowfully enSdged
that l heard a hesitatin- knock at the
door. It was so faint that at first l paid
no heed to it, but when it was repeated
in a louder though still curiously hest,
tating fashion, ! went over and opened
the door and looked out.
The landing was um with shadows
and at first ! saw no one. But pres.
entity / caught sight of the figure of q
man standing within the gloom. IL
breathed my name in low voice.
, "NIr. Nincent-the painter" he whis
; pered. questiOningly.
, Yes" | replied. "Who are YOU
Come in: can't see you out there"
Are you alone" he asked quit,
| alone"
r Il am quite alone. Come in; why d,
= you stand there?'
! / drew back and motioned him t,
; enter The man stepped out of th'
, | gloomy shadows and followed me. !
r tall black haired black bearded man
| with a great cloak and a Slouched hat
lie put the door 10 behind him and 4
10 the same instant looked round m,
2 | studio as have seen captive Wlll