The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-04-29

window to watch. A stranger got out
OF the carriage and waited. Presently
DIR. Porteus came down the street and
the two men entered Miss Broadhurst's
door. In n few moments they came
out supportin: woman between
them. Mrs. Van Flissingen could sse
that 1t was the invalid. for she seemed
to struggle feebly with her attendants.
and her bonnet. d; lrrayed. was falling
from her white head. In moment the
three had entered the carriage. the door
slammed and the vehicle drove of.
The next day the mllliner renewed
her expostulations with Miss Broad
hurst. but the latter. red-eyed and
weeping. would not say word. That
enraged Mrs. Van Vlissingen, and she
summoned a council Of war with the
other women OF the house. After much
whispering. pouting and wnggins OF
heads. they all admitted that they had
lost things which had never been re-
stored. Mrs. Van Vlissingen. the most
combative and cunning Of the party,
was appointed a committee OF one to
recover the plunder ut her discretion.
Secrecy was agreed upon and the MILL
ner, keen for the quest. began a system
of espionage. cross-questioning and per-
secution that almost drove Miss Broad
hurst to insanity. But she would say
no more than that she knew nothing
OF the plunder. did not object to
search Of her mothers room and would
not tell where her mother had gone.
That was the suspicious part OF 1t.
Miss Broadhurst would be neither ca
joled nor frightened into disclosing her
mothers whereabouts. Its thieves
plot" thought the milliner. and she
searched every trunk. box. closet and
corner of the old woman's vacated
room. The search yielded nozs Of the
missing trinkets.
Then Mrs. Van vlissengen. spurred
to desperation, thought Of DIR. Porteus.
Evidently the solution Of the mystery
and the recovery Of the property de-
pended upon finding the old woman.
She accosted him in lonely spot NEAR
the park; but he denied any knowledge
Of his patients retreat. He seemed
quite flustered when she recited the
full purport Of her determination, but
when she limited ut possible charges OF
collusion between himself and Miss
Broadhurst he turned pale. He would
not tell who was the other man who
helped remove Mrs. Broadhurst. in
sisted that he had left the carriage at
the corner. and would promise nothing
except that he would try to recover
the missing property.
Two days after a morning of detect
ire work on the part Of the milliner
was rewarded by q sudden meeting
with the doctor in the park. He was
standing in q secluded spot talking to
stranger. When he saw Mrs. Van
vlissingen he seemed glad and called
her to meet his companion.
Hell tell you all he knows about
Mrs. Broadhurst. II you'll promise to
keep the secret. It would ruin Miss
Broadhurst II her secret got out" said
the doctor. The woman promised. and
the man, speaking in q matter.ef.fact,
frank way. said:
II can't recall everything Mrs. Broad
hurst had. She had only cloak and
bonnet over her night clothes, but I
remember she wore q chain, some sil.
yer bra acelets. three or four rings,
a"
"Any old lace" interrupted the
woman.
Lets see. Yes. come to think. she
had q lot Of embroidered stuff about
her neck. I can't really recall every
thing. You see, Miss Broadhurst was
anxious to keep the affair secret"
"Never mind Miss Broadhurst."
snapped the impatient Mrs. Van Wis
singer: where is the old woman;
where are those stol-that jewelry and
that laceT
"oh. they're all out at Graceland.
You see We buried her Just as she was.
I supposed that she had been orna-
mented in that way in fulfllment Of
some wish Of hers. You see, we under
takers are accustomed"
But Mrs. Van Vlissingen had fed
Chicago Record Herald.