The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-04-01
HE FOUND THE MAN.

ton which compensated for the more fro
quent discoms1r k"pt me in tho Office.
But oil this / the day was sent
to interview Ic wifi and daughter Of tho
man who had just ,.!sturbcd society BY
disappearing from y.
Mr. Grey, so IL had been learned from
the notices concerning his disappearance,
had one evening after dinner gone out for
stroll around tho block. He had mover
come back. His family was Of course
Frustrated after tho manner Of families on
such sud occasions. Afir 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 lffo and denied
themselves to every one, consequently
my chances for an interview with Mira
Grey did not SEQ hopeful, but tho city ed
itor's mir Of granting mo tho opportunity
I bad been longing for mado ne loath 10
admit my fears.
took tho train for the Greys' they
lived o little way out Of town-and pro
pared myself to meet tho servants scorn
and tho other attendant evils Of such an
assignment Tho cooch was an ordinary
one, and there were several laboring men
In it, evidently travelling to some suburb
where they were to work upon tho roads,
for they carried pickaxes and shovels.
There sat opposite mo and slightly for
ward o peculiar typo Of man to whom I
found my gaze wandering every few min.
utes. His iron gray hair was thick and
very unevcnly cut His face was covered
with o stubbly growth Of gray beard. 10
looked unwashed. unkempt and generally
unpleasant. His blue overalls were stain.
ed with rcd clay and his red flannel shirt
opened at the front in a way that revealed
anything but Q beautiful neck. burned
and blisterod. But the mans twitching
lips and convulsive movements OF tho jaws
attracted my attention, and his deep ~,
steely blue eyes that burned In cavernous
sockets fascinated me. He did not talk 70
tho other mon, but sat with his head sunk
upon his breast, only occasionally raising
it to cast o look about him. He, with tho
other laborers, left the train mt Forestville,
where tho Greys lived, and soon saw
them, under the direction Of q foreman,
assigned to make various road repairs.
OF course Mrs. Grey would not SEQ mo
I sat In tho library while the servant took
my card to her, for there were other callers
In tho drawing room. Over tho mnntel
hung q picture, presumably Mrs. Grey,
done In oil She was ns beautiful as
cameo and as hard. Opposite hnr was the
portrait Of q clean shoven mau, with dne
iron gray hair brushed of his forchead-a
more plebcian cast Of countenance, but
strong and interesting. The faco seemed
familiar. ! stirred at 1t until the servant
returned.
"Mrs Grey Is sorry, miss, but she can
SEQ no one, ind has nothing TO say for
publication"
every we'll" said 1. Then I rose to 60.
"Is that Mr. Greyr" asked, nodding
toward the picture.
ayes, miss" was The reply, and sud
denly IL flashed upon 10 where had seen
those deep set, curic; sly shaped, keen blue
eyes. My heart leaped almost into my
mouth. I took ono long look at tho por-
trait and left tho house.
The men wero repairing the road, and I
noticed ono CT the workmen whose face
startled me. Tho resemblance to the por-
trait I had sec' nf r Grey was renarkn.
the severe lal :. ii. face seemed moro
mad than ever, with eIultation OF mo-
tion and strengt'. ~-cpening the gieam In
his eyes
There was q telegraph office at tho end
Of the street. I sent message to tho city
editor. "Send a man to Forestville at
once" was my command. Then while
paced the street aud walked about tho
square I reflected upon tho welcome I
would receive II had made mistake
Every minute Lecaine mo o and moro
convinced that had made the most colos.
sal blunder on rec I'd. 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. ! tC4d Mr.. Ellsworth
my theory, and he was properly skeptical.
He discouraged me thoroughly In about
two minutes. but ! suddenly rallied.
"Well," remarked, taking command,
II want you to keep that man In sight I
ahall 60 to town and get his lawyer. Find
out what train they 60 In on, and III
meet you"
Mr. Ellsworth didn't wish to aot upon
that suggestion, but he finally consented
70 do So ] went in, summoned Mr..
Greys lawyer and with him met tho
workingmen's train. Mr. Ellsworth, look
ing bored and unhappy, got out and point
cd out our suspected "disappearance" to
his lawyer. My heart stood in my mouth.
Was to be forever disgraced or ,nade Ia
nous forever?
"Mr. Grey, said the lawyer, stepping
forward, what does this meanf"
And when saw the man start wildly I
know that was not forever disgraced.
"well." said tho city editor jovially,
"what did they sayf"
"They didn't say anything They didn't
SEQ me-"
$50 you didn't get the interviewr' said
the city editor shortly.
"No,"I replied meekly, "but I found
tho missing man."
And now, such IL the irony Of fate. the
oity editor, instead Of letting me rest on
my laurels, IL always exhortinR mo to 1.-Two
up to tho reputation I mado In tho Grey
| case, when I found tho missing man,
learned how ovcrwork had worn out bis
brain and how in his half Crazcd condi-
ton he wandered away and returned to
his original occupation In life. to the hor-
TOR OF his wife with tho cameolike faoe. II
only had never been SO brillianti-Ex-
change.
He Preferred Death.
| Baron do Nal rite, German who had
served In Mexico " it'll Macmillan, told to
Sir ii. Grant Dutf, who records 1t In his