Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1904-06-09
Short STORY
Of the DAY
WHY MR.. McPHINN WAS INVITED

WHY MN. mCF1iNN WAS lNNt ED
! Tr-r-r-r-ing! went the telephone al
the Central police station, and mans
voice at the other end said:-
I'VE need help to find young lady
who is missing; she was at 1851
Twentieth street at half past s and
we fear she started from there for
this house 6 Larch Place. and that
something has befallen her by the way
She is of medium hight and slender
and has dark hair and eyes. She
wore a thin white dress and a dark
red evening wrap-do what you can
and report her. If you can help us
without giving the matter TO the news.
papers, you shall be well paid"
A few questions and answers fol.
lowed, and the receiver was put back.
The little click accompanying its re.
placing had hardly sounded, however
before the man who had received the
massage was recalled, and another
voice spok -
DO nothing till you hear from us
we think we have a clew"
II.
The evening after | had offered my
self to Lisa Hargadine, and had beer
Mrs. Sefton's. Lisa and | had known
each other always, and she was Sc
broken up, poor girl, at having t
throw me over, and begged so humbly
with the tears in her eyes, that tn,
ola friendship should remain as it hat
been, that | was fool enough to as
sent, and as the engagement to go t
Mrs. Sefton's together had already
been made, we did not change it. Blu
before we were half way there | saw
that l was never going to be able t.
keep up the farce after that evening.
We were the first arrivals, and as
we passed through the hall Mrs. Sef
ton ran out from the parlor and de
tanned Lisa; believe one of the maids
had suddenly left in a huff, and Mrs
Seton wanted Lisa, after leaving her
wrap upstairs, to play hostess for q
few moments while she herself was
busy elsewhere. They conferred al
instant, while | passed on upstairs tc
the room assigned me at the far end
OF the hall. ! failed to notice, as
passed the room to which Lisa had
been directed, whether the door was
opened or shut. but finding it shu,
When | came to take her downstairs
| supposed she herself had closed IL
and waited until it should open. | dc
not know how long | might have
waited if other guests had not arrived
almost immediately-two ladies with
out escort. They hesitated before the
closed door, and one of them whom
knew, turned to me saying, as she
laid her hand on the knob
Can you tell us, Mr.. Enfield, if this
is where we belong?"
Yes" | answered, "You will find
Miss Hargadine there, am waiting fol-
her"-and they opened the door and
passed in. The lady with whom | had
spoken, however, turned back without
removing her wraps.
Miss Hargadine must have gone
down alone" she said, "for she is moi
here"
| thanked her, and thinking thai
Lisa had hurried down to help Mrs
Seton, l followed. But she was moi
in either of the parlors.
"She is very fond of the baby" sale
Mrs. Seton, "and | fancy she hal
slipped into the nursery to look at hin
asleep"
Accepting this suggestion, | return
ed to the upper hall and waited unit
surprise passed in vexation and vexa
ton into anxiety, but Lisa did no
appear, and again sought Mrs
Seton.
tits very strange" she said, "bu
don't worry They're all here now
and as soon as the program begins, II
slip away and find her for you"
The slipping away" was easil,
managed but the finding was anothe
matter, and Mrs. Seton returned
from her quest with a blank an,
troubled face.
The situation was at once seriou
and absurd. Again we searched tn
house, this time together, every pos
sible and impossible place was ran
sacked. l even went around the en-
tire house on the outside. with m
heart in my mouth, to see if she coult
have fallen from window-for it wa
warm September evening, and tn
! windows were open,-but in j
minutes we were sure she was not in, o