The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-05-12
By Ward Pies
COPYRIGHTED BY THE c. p. A,
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
CONTINUED.
WV
MISS ZENITH CoNFESsEs.


The father and lover returned to
Minersvale in company and together
went to Captain Zenith's Residence,
hopeful that Miss Stella had returned.
Although their hopes were not strong
their disappointment was deep when
their fears were confirmed.
Miss Letson was there and in q
stete of great distress.
Miss Zenith, too, was In state
bordering upon distraction, for, by a
dispatch received from Captain Zen
ith they had learned that Miss Stella
was not with the adjutant
When the returning travellers enter
cd the house Captain Zenith asked:
Have you heard anything from
herr"
mot a word. AS soon as your tele-
gram was received we started parties
out to search; but nothing new has
been learned, though the country is
6lled with searchers."
Captain Zenith sat in silence for
many minutes, his face full of pain.
The grief and fatigues OF the past few
days left his features scarce recogniz-
BILE, even to his own family. AS he
sat there in silence with unmoying
eyes, Mollie gazed on him with a new
horror, for she thought that he was
dead. Suddenly he spraug UP and
seized her:
"Mollie. Where is your sister? Is
she living or is she dead?"
Miss Zenith was frightened. She fall
tered, almost tainted, and but for the
grasp Of her father she would have fall
en-; but she recovered herself sufficient
ly to say:
"Oh, my God, 1 wish l knew!
wish I knew"
Don't lie to me, girl! You know! II
she Is living, where is she? If she is
dead, where is the body? Why is she
concealed If she is living? Is she held
by force? Or is she-is-is she dis
graced?" AS he finished the question
he released Miss Zenith and sat down
with his face in his hands.
my God! Oh. my God! Pa! Why
do you say this to me?"
Because you know what has become
Of your sister! You see us all in dis
tress, you witness our despair and con-
tinue to torture us as you may be tor
turing that poor child But you shall
tell me at once! Where is Stellar"
Again he sprang up and laid violent
hold of Miss Zenith.
II do not know"
Girl! Do you tempt me to use vio-
lsnce? Where is your sister,"
Captain Zenith, will you permit me
to ask Miss Zenith few questions?
Miss Zenith" the adjutant interposed,
will you kindly answer me few i'm
portant questions touching this terri
Bile natter"
Willingly, gladly, truthfully; what
ever 1 can answer at ALL
why did you tell me that Miss Stel-
Ia had gone to New York;"
ITO mislead you and prevent you
from meeting her If l could. l knew
that by some means Miss Letson would
detain her at least one day and hoped
to be able by some means to keep you
apart after that"
why did you induce your father to
follow me to New York;"
II did not know that you had gone to
New York. l supposed you to be at
Scranton with your soldiers; when Pa
lift home it was only to so to Scran-
ton; l did not know that he would go
to New York. / induced him to go to
Scranton because l believed Stella to
be there with you. knew that In try
ing to walk home she was doing her
utmost to keep faith with you; l did
not doubt that she had telegraphed to
you her failure to get home by the
train and her determination to walk;
that after leaving here you received
her message; l believed that havins
received her message you met her and
induced her to go away with you and
get married. That is the whole truth;
God knows that that is all. wish that
I knew more"